Author Archives: Alan Kesselheim

CHAPTER 11: MARCH – EVERYTHING CHANGES Covid-19 snuck up on me. It snuck up on everyone. I had the excuse of wilderness immersion for much of January and February, but even when I was home, the news of the virus … Continue reading →

CHAPTER 10: FEBRUARY – BORDERLANDS Big Bend will cast its spell. New Age types talk about power centers where mystical happenings transpire in spots like Sedona, Arizona, a town with crystal shops and psychics on every street corner. I don’t … Continue reading →

CHAPTER 9: JANUARY – DABBLING IN HEARTBREAK Now the logistical rubber meets the road. For the next three months the plan gets complicated. Big Bend is on the books for February. I’ve decided to drive south, almost to Mexico, to … Continue reading →

CHAPTER 8: DECEMBER – BROTHERHOOD Early on I knew that the tough part of my yearly schedule would be the heart of winter. The months of December, January, and February; months when Montana is frozen hard and boats are sensibly … Continue reading →

CHAPTER 7: NOVEMBER – HULL PARTNER It would be pushing it to say that I took the teaching job in northern Wisconsin, back in the late 70s, because of Grant Herman. There were other reasons. They flew me from Santa … Continue reading →

CHAPTER 6: OCTOBER – FALL GLORY & LIFE STORIES Following the tendrils back from a boat launch to the distant seeds of a trip’s genesis is a convoluted task, often encompassing thousands of miles, disparate starting points, a shifting cast … Continue reading →

CHAPTER 5: SEPTEMBER – ALL ABOUT AGATES When I drive out of town on September 18th, pulling our little trailer, solo canoe strapped to the roof rack, a bicycle hanging off the back of the rig, I am wearing bedroom … Continue reading →

CHAPTER 4: AUGUST – FINALLY This one was a long time coming. For decades the Far North was our calling card. Our relationship adventures began in 1982 on the Seal River and Hudson Bay in Manitoba. The first summer together … Continue reading →

When we moved to Butte, one of my goals was to paddle Silver Bow Creek, the little stream that runs right through town and that has handled more than its share of the mining legacy Butte is so famous for. … Continue reading →

Chapter 3: JULY – MORE SALMON The Salmon River and my family go back decades. Before Ruby was in school we started taking yearly trips down the lower section of the river, from Hammer Bar near White Bird, Idaho to … Continue reading →