FamiLee Life

Becoming Minnesota...

but not Minnesotan. Odd, but I have a hard time thinking of myself as a Minnesotan. Perhaps it's like folks born and raised in Maine. They are Mainers (pronounced with a heavy NE accent) and others who move to Maine can never be Mainers, even if they've lived 60 years in Maine. In my mind and in my heart, I am a New Englander. I wear that badge proudly, despite it's ugly scars and weathered appearance. Still, Minnesota is my home and I have now lived here for just shy of 7 years. It's the longest place I have lived as an adult. My home which I have now owned for 4 years is the longest single residence for me. So, I guess I am becoming Minnesota.

Case in point - I bought a canoe the other day. Gasp, shock, a shaking of the head. Yep, after our trip to the Boundary Waters last summer, camping and canoeing have seeped into my psyche. First, I started with purchasing camping gear. Just the essentials (tent, stove, pots, etc). Then, I thought briefly about a canoe and realized it was way too ambitious of a purchase. Plus, darn expensive. No, I calmed myself down and focused instead on another manual form of transportation - bicycles. Then, winter came, I bought another type of manual transportation - ice skates - and I forgot about the canoe idea. Until, this week when Hapa9 sent me a Craigslist ad for an old fiberglass canoe. It was beat up and a decent price. Hm...he peaked my interest, as we had been talking about planning another Boundary Waters trip for late summer. So, I thought to myself, is this something to pursue. Hm...I started to do the financial math. I emailed the man selling the canoe but held off on taking action. Good thing too! On Wednesday morning, I decided to check out Craigslist again. Lo and behold, a better canoe was for sale. Specifically, a 1983 We-no-nah 17 Jensen fiberglass canoe in great shape with lots of special detailing. It was more pricey, but the extras on the canoe (plus the better make/model) made the price just right. So, I jumped on it and emailed the seller. Then, I researched the canoe online, contacted Hapa9 who sent me more info on the canoe, and I found myself giddy with excitement. Fortunately, I had to ride my bike over to the Cliquot Cafe to meet Nic for lunch. When I returned to my office, I got an email reply back. I was the first to respond to the ad, so I had "first right of refusal." I immediately called Hapa9 to see if he come come with me to check out the canoe. He could, so I then called the seller to say I could come down that evening. Hapa9 and I drove down 30 miles south of the city shortly after rush hour. Turns out the seller just retired from the canoe business and he is selling off his personal inventory of SEVENTEEN canoes and boats! Yikes. The Jensen was in great shape. I was impressed and bought the canoe.

Now, it is resting handsomely in my garage, awaiting some paddles, life jackets, and a few straps and pads so I can transport it to the lake. Plus, I better learn how to steer a canoe!

Hapa9 and PHT and I spent a bit of the day emailing back and forth because I told them last night that I ideally would like to pull the canoe on one of my bikes. I had seen it somewhere in town and it just seems the right way to go. So, we were checking out various websites that sell hitch systems (like this one and this one and this one) and other websites that provide instructions on how to build one's own canoe carrier (such as this one and this one). Very exciting stuff -- and, yes, very Minnesota of me.

So, I am not sure if I will ever call myself a Minnesotan, but I sure am embracing the idea of becoming Minnesota.

Posted by richlee at May 17, 2007 11:25 PM