So I'm getting ready to leave in something like 30 hours.
I'm doing the rounds here at work, letting everyone know I'm going to be out for five days.
And everyone has a dumb joke.

"You're going this week? Aren't you going to freeze."
"Better bring an ice auger."

I'm at the point where these dumb jokes are rubbing me the wrong way. I guess they're just jealous.
But last year, the same thing happened: "Isn't the entire BWCA on fire?" everyone asked when we went up in mid-May.

I guess in most people's minds, the BWCA must be near the arctic circle and must be about the size of two football fields.

Just venting.
I feel better now.

Think about it this way. These are folks that you will never run into in the BWCAW. Enjoy your trip!

In 30 hours you will forget it all, have fun.

Better not go into the chat room.

Just be happy you don't have to see them for a while, thats the way I look at it.

richierch4...boy i know how you feel. i leave monday and ive been getting the same at work for the last couple weeks...daily. ive made many trips to the bw this time of year and have had both beautiful weather and cruddy weather. the people at work ONLY remember the cruddy weather and thats all they talk about. 'well we know we'll have two weeks of rain and cold now cuz cheryl is going camping." stuff like that. yeah it gets old...but i agree with coach...i cant wait to get away from them!!! :o)

have a great trip.

The comment that always makes me cringe is, "my idea of roughing it is the Holiday Inn!"

Have fun, Richierch4! Have a great trip!

In less than 30 hours, you won't be where they are ... work. Keep that thought tucked in the back of your mind for those comments and just smile.

Mine is: "Make sure you have your cell phone on in case we need to reach you." When I tell them the situation they think I'm kidding and my boss gets mad because he thinks it's an excuse to blow him off.

Or, "You'll have to delay your trip by a day".
"I can't. The permit is good only for one day."
"So? Exchange it for the next day."
"I can't." Again, he gets mad.

Bannock, tell him to make sure he has his cell on vacation, so you can call and interupt his free time.

I know what you mean about the "Holliday Inn" comment, heard it a million and one times and I'll probably hear it a few more on my last day of work today! Heading North Friday! WW

i was always lucky on that issue..when i was at the VA Hospital
in Minneapolis i was "Mr Outdoors"..i took a few of the people i
worked with on short trips--4-5 days..they thought it was a neat
adventure that i would go up alone..a few of my trip photos are
still hanging up in the office..a retirement gift was a $100 gift
card for REI..of course i layed it on sort thick and talked about
it and showed photos around after every trip and alot of the
staff were ex-military so were keyed into what "adventure' was
all about..

You should be happy to hear comments like that. With my new work situation, I won’t hear any thing like that for years.

I just got back from a solo trip today, and the comments were, you came out on the nicest day. Like I don't already know!!

I work with a lot of people who work with Finland & Lake County Search & Rescue. Their comment is "Don't get lost, we don't want to come and look for you."

That's funny LOL

I'm in Texas. You can't imagine the questions I get before I head up. People down here think it snows year round and all bears eat people up there.
...and in their defense, the people up north seem to think everyone down here works for Ewing Oil and rides horses to work.

I guess it's cuz I work in the city. People have no concept. Two guys I work with thought there was a "beer boat" that went around to the camp sites selling drinks and snacks.

Spartan2, I get that Holiday Inn joke a lot too. Is it just a Michigan thing?

Beer boat....hmmm......good idea.

My manager once asked me in all seriousness how I managed to carry enough water for the trip thereby proving to me he was as stupid as I previously thought.

I'm self employed. I don't have a stupid boss......oh wait. I am the stupid boss. I wonder if I'll be upset with myself when I leave for Quetico in 5 weeks.

Well, OG, I hadn't thought about it being a Michigan thing. Perhaps. The irony of it is that we do take an extra day or two to get to MN and usually take two nice leisurely days traveling BACK to Michigan after our trip, so we do stay in some pretty nice places (not necessarily Holiday Inns, but at least that nice) coming and going to the "wilderness". I like luxury, too! I love coming off a 10 or 12-day canoe trip and staying at Poplar Creek Guest House B&B in the room with the big Jacuzzi so I can soak in that wonderful tub, sometimes twice the first night! :-)

But I am peeved by people who feel sorry for me because I am taking off to sleep on the ground in my tent for a few nights. The best sleep in the world! We can't go on a trip this year because we are currently waiting for a kidney transplant for Spartan1, so we'll be staying in a beautiful cabin and taking day trips. It will be wonderful and we are thankful for the opportunity. Still, I guess I'll miss waking up on the hard ground on a frosty June morning. Go figure!

Incidentally, we get lots of good comments, too. I make a photo journal with a written narrative for every trip, and we share it with friends and family. Spartan1 has friends at work who joyfully anticipate each year's "installment" and make many comments about how they envy us. Not enough to do it themselves, of course, but they love the armchair participation! :-)

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"...and in their defense, the people up north seem to think everyone down here works for Ewing Oil and rides horses to work."

Woah, woah, WOAH! You mean that y'all DON'T ride horses to work?!?

My world has been turned upside down. The next thing that you'll tell me is that man has landed on the moon. Sheesh!

and we should remember that what we are doing IS really different
from most run-of-the-mill outdoor activites---

I think comments like this are funny. In fact, I milk the situation for all it's worth. My administrative assistant is always saying "you guys are CRAZY!" and I just laugh. Just having gotten back, the main points I stress are (1) that the ice on the lakes delayed our canoe trip and (2) that it snowed two inches on Saturday night. That gets a great response!

I'm glad all those people think I'm nuts. That keeps them away. They're good people, but I don't want them in the BW/Q.

My favorite comment of all time was from one of my closest friends: "When I'm on vacation, the only stars I want to see are 5 stars by my hotel's name."