THE BIG TRIP!

You can get almost anywhere from anywhere in this part of the world if you're willing to paddle, pole and portage at the right time of year.

This spring, I'm embarking on a 300-mile canoe trip. We'll be following the 1857 Polis - Thoreau Route from Greenville to Bangor, but instead of stopping in Bangor, we're paddling down towards the bay to reach Belfast. We'll be travelling on some waterways that are familiar to us, ones we've paddled through before, but instead of getting the shuttle at the end of a 3-8 day trip, we're going to keep paddling, portaging and poling from waterway to waterway.

A dream trip that we're grateful to have the time, privilege, support and skills for. Grateful to those who have gone before and proven that there is in fact a way up the Mud Pond Portage Trail, as Wabanaki People have been travelling for untold years to far-reaching points north and south. Grateful to all the folks who have stewarded the land and waters, ensuring clean water, public access, and fighting for free-flowing rivers.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing more about how I'm preparing for such a trip. I'll be photographing and journaling throughout the experience, and look forward to sharing the journey with all of you.

WHO: Jackie, Nate and Miss Maple (a black mutt who will be joining after we reach Baxter State Park) WHEN: May 21 - June 18th-ish WHERE: Moosehead, West Branch, Chesuncook, Umbazooksus, Mud Pond, Chamberlain, Telos, Webster Stream, Grand Lake Matagamon, East Branch, Penobscot, Penobscot Bay to Belfast Bay WHY: For the love of rivers