There are few times in life where you are rendered completely speechless. Tonight was one of those times. To some it would seem like such a small thing, but to us, sitting in a circle listening to a Cherokee elder named "Walks In Water" tell us about her bead collection was a truly humbling event that left us grateful, awestruck, and completely speechless.
      It wasn't so much that she had likely the most amazing trade bead collection I'll ever see; including African slave trade beads, beads worth $600 a pair, beads from 11th century Tibet, and a North American trade bead nearly 500 years old, but it was the stories of how she got them, where they came from and how they were made.
      By far though my favorite was an actual strand given to the family of a friend of hers by Louis and Clark on their expedition in the early 1800s. As I held those beads in my hands I could find no words to describe how amazing it was as a student of history to hold something that significant, I still can't. 
      Having a couple period beads myself I brought her my beads and she told me that I had two kinds of Italian beads, one kind from the late 17th to early 18th century and one kind from the late 18th to late 19th century. There were also two blue beads at the ends from Russia that she had a ton of that date to around the late 17th to 18th century. I told her that I paid around $20 for them and she told me I got a very good deal. The look on her face told me they are worth considerably more.
      Before she parted ways with us for the night She gave each of us a skunk bead (because of the black and white stripes) from the 1600s. Without thinking and even though I know better I held up my right hand. She was quick to remind me that the left hand is for giving and receiving not the right (as the right hand holds your weapon and is therefore not one of friendship). I felt very stupid. She gave me one for Matt as well but something was telling me that I had to keep them straight. My bead was for me and his for him. I strung mine on some sinew but was careful not to do anything with Matts as it was not mine, something told me that too.

Mountains are beautiful, history provides knowledge, but to hold the past leaves one truly speechless. 

For a night I will never forget, thank you "Walks In Water"

Until my paddle brings me home,

Andy

Hey Everyone,
    So the last couple days, due to illness, I've been doing the driving for the team. But after sleeping for the majority of yesterday, I'm feeling much better. It likely was due to a combination of dehydration, a sunburn on the top of my head, and a massive change in diet that added up over the last week. For concerned friends and family, don't worry, after talking to a doctor in our brigade, I'm on a different diet and things are settling out. And has many friends have suggested...sunscreen is my friend (I was trying to even out a tan that I got from a different sunburn on the first day...yes i know this is not smart)
    I'm happy to announce that we have a new addition to team No Way Corvee! Matt's wife Emily has joined us for a couple of weeks. However I am also sad to announce that we are loosing a member of our team, Robbie, as he had to go back to work in Thunder Bay. Speaking of team members, there was interest amongst readers to elaborate a bit on our team and just who I'm spending all this time with. I won't elaborate too much as there are bios on the website that you can check out at your leisure, I'll just relate how I know them and how I got involved in this venture. It all began in 2008 when Dave Bates and his brother Robbie had asked me about joining a brigade similar to this that took them from Rocky Mountain House, Alberta to Thunder Bay. I had originally wanted to go on this brigade, but it just happened to be the year I graduated university and walking across that stage to receive my degrees was kind of important for myself and my family. I told Dave at that time that if there were ever another brigade, I was 100% in. 
    I wasn't actually too familiar with the majority of our team until the trip began. I knew Matt and Dave really well because I worked with them at Fort William Historical Park in Thunder Bay, and we were close friends prior too the trip. I also knew Abe, Robbie, and Graham for that same reason but they were on their way in as I was on my way out. The rest of the team I'm getting to know as we paddle, but its a solid crew and we are all getting along famously. We have a real democratic vibe to our team and decisions are usually made as a team. We also make a point of praising and appreciating each other at our daily team meetings so that our efforts don't go unnoticed. 
    Now for some general trip updates. After tons of rain and a very soggy and unfavourable camping spot, we decided to rent a cabin near our site. It has been glorious to have a hot shower not in a locker room surrounded by 5 other dudes. Those showers despite the copious amounts of male nudity are usually lacking both in hot water and water pressure, but when its been 3 days since you've showered, any shower is a good shower. We also went to a talk by Jack Nisbet who wrote "Sources of the River." If you have not read it, and are looking to read about David Thompson, it is a historically sound (meaning lots of references and quotes from Thompsons journals) and entertaining read. He also signed my copy of the book (SUPER EXCITING) and signed our captains book containing our trip journal and notes from the daily captains meetings. On the inside cover, under our team roster he wrote "Jack Nisbet - support." Since we planned on donating our book at the end...this is super awesome!

Looking forward to tomorrow, not for any particular reason, but I just feel that it's going to be a good day! Optimism is the key to happiness

Till my paddle brings me home,

Andy

Hey Everyone,

We have been traveling now for about a week. The country we are in (the land not the fact that we are  in the US) is just absolutely . breathtaking. Nothing but rolling hills and mountains.  I am also constantly in awe of the generosity of the communities that are receiving us. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} The people have been super friendly, and we are getting way more free meals than all of us ever expected. When we stopped in Fort Steele just before the border, I was able to get my pants fixed on the historic site by the seamstress there…at no charge. Today, here in Thompson Falls, Montana, a guy offered to help us fix a couple of seats in our canoe which have begun to buckle.  He offered to have us follow him to his woodshop at his house and gave us use of his tools and his wood to fix the canoe…again at no charge. I’m just blown away by the generosity of all of these communities. It is a very rewarding experience for my soul to know that despite the hustle and bustle of regular life that there are people out there that will help just to help.

I have really been enjoying the journey thus far. The paddling and getting to know the other crews has been really amazing. Everyone is willing to help everyone at any time, and there is a real sense of community among the brigade.  Mostly I’ve just been enjoying the paddling though. Since moving away from Thunder Bay and having a busy life it has been real great to just re-connect with that outdoors side of me. Watching the wildlife along the rivers, and seeing the natural flow of the current as it winds its way and changes the landscape is constantly breathtaking. Whether it be an eagle on the river side watching us go by, an osprey picking its meal out of the river, or even the bank swallows which are constantly flying around us on the river, the nature and the scenery is more beautiful than I could have imagined.

Now for the not so fun side. The most difficult part of this journey by far is just the simple fact that I am away from home and away from my fiancée and my dog. I figured that I’d be so busy on this trip that I wouldn’t have time to miss home, and even though I am super busy, I still constantly miss home in every spare moment.  It’s not just the fact that I miss my own bed and snuggling next to my fiancée, but more that I know she would love this experience as much as I am and that it would be really great to share this experience with her. I guess she will have to settle for the pictures I take and the stories that I take with me.

Until my paddle brings me home,

Andy

Greetings from Invermere,

We are still in Invermere, but we are ever closer to beginning our journey. Tomorrow is the big training day, even though our canoe is comprised nearly entirely of Fort William employees and we work well as a team. However, as a team we need to develop a base canoe language so that if we are paddling with another team, we will be able to work together and communicate...we only know how to communicate en francais as voyageurs. 
Yesterday we got some crazy winds blowing onshore and we grabbed some canvas and were catching the wind and jumping until Colin jumped a little too high and fell on his face. After that Colin and I decided to have a spontaneous sparring match, I went in for a body shot, as did he, but I threw a combination that was body shot followed by a left hook...he ducked in for his body shot...and my left hook punched him right in the head. Fortunately it was on the top of the skull, and I immediately followed it up with a hug and an apology...because we weren't actually intending to hit each other. He put up a good fight...but it ended in a one punch knockout!