Month: June 2016 (Page 8 of 8)

Buffalo Skulls!

June 4, 2016 / Bruce "Buck" Nelson / 8 Comments

June 4, Day 73

I was paddling at about 5:30 AM, trying to get in some miles before I got slammed by headwinds. Although I did have a headwind, I was still able to make good progress most of the time.

A magnificent rooster pheasant basked in the sunshine along shore until he lost his nerve and ran into grass. Two whitetail deer watched me approach at the edge of the river next to a 20 foot bluff. They bounded up ledges on the bluff, I was concerned they’d fall and hurt themselves but they made it just fine. Huge white pelicans drifted and paddled in the river. A bald eagle grabbed some food on a gravel bar. A smokey-white hen mallard paddled with her normally plumaged mate. I’ve never seen a wild mallard colored like that before

I paddled past the approximate historical location of Fort Mandan. A short while later I was paddling hard along the riverbank when I saw a large brown skull along the shore. Chuck Mackey had told me that old bison skulls are brown, so I landed the kayak to check it out. When I flipped it over I was thrilled to see it was a buffalo skull! I always hoped one day I would see a skull along some western river, and today was the day.

Buffalo Skull!

As I continued paddling I watch carefully and started seeing many buffalo bones. I was amazed when I spotted a fragment of the second buffalo skull! A few feet away I found what looked to be a hammer stone. It appeared to be a natural stone that had been hafted to something and used for hammering, because both ends appeared to be pounded flat.

Buffalo skull, and hammer stone?

The wind was starting to increase so it was very difficult to make progress. There was apparently a shelf across the river, causing a very narrow rapids running nearly from shore to shore. I was paddling around the end of that rapids, and the current and the headwind together were a serious force to overcome. I had to paddle as hard as I could to make any headway, then find a place to rest, and then paddle again as far as I could make it. Finally I made it to a point where the current lessened.

I crossed the river to try to find slower current. There was still more than enough current there, and wind, but the water was shallow enough to wade so I got out and pulled the boat for away. As I splashed along with my head bowed I looked into the water and saw a third buffalo skull!!! What a day. I carried it to shore for a photo. There I found a buffalo leg bone and two big pieces of petrified wood all within a few feet!

Buffalo skull, petrified wood

I could not believe it, it was absolutely thrilling.

After many photos I resumed splashing upstream. When the current let up a bit I jumped in the boat and paddled steadily to the other shore where I hugged the bank, looking for the slowest current. When I got to the park services Knife River Indian Village land I landed the kayak, very much tuckered out. The wind was ridiculous at this point.

I dragged my kayak well out of the water tied it off and got something to eat. Taking my small valuables I headed cross-country to find one of the Park Service walking trails. I picked up one of their semi-maintained trails that ran through a beautiful forest of ash and cottonwood and wildflowers. It was green and lush and quiet there, out of the wind.

I spotted open prairie and walked up on top, following it down to the large Hidatsa Village. All that remains are huge dimples in the dirt, like the surface of a giant green golf ball. After walking out to the road I followed it down to another parking area where I picked up a pleasant path following the Knife River to what is believed to be Sacajawea’s old village, or rather the one she lived in after being captured by Hidatsa raiders at the headwaters of the Missouri in the Rockies.

I walked down to the visitor center and had a long chat with a very knowledgeable park ranger. Outside was a reconstruction of a Hidatsa earthen lodge. It looked very comfortable inside. I was very surprised that in the winter they temporarily abandoned those large beautiful earthen lodges and moved down to much smaller, more temporary ones along the river.

Norman Miller said this would be an interesting stop and he was certainly right.

After seeing the sights I walked back to the kayak having walked 7 miles or so, making it a very big day indeed.

This was the most interesting, thrilling, historical day of the whole trip, as well as being one of the most difficult physically. Colter

Lewis: November 2nd 1804 This morning early we fixed on the site for our fortification which we immediately set about. This place we have named Fort Mandan in honour of our Neighbours.

Clark: 4th November Sunday 1804 Fort Mandan a fine morning we Continued to Cut Down trees and raise our houses, a Mr. Chaubonee, interpeter for the Gross Vintre nation Came to See us, and informed that he came Down with Several Indians from a Hunting expedition up the river, to here what we had told the Indians in Councl this man wished to hire as an interpeter, the wind rose this evining from the East & Clouded up—Great numbers of Indians pass hunting and Some on the return-

Trip overview and route map with position updates:

https://bucktrack.com/Lewis_and_Clark_Trail.html

Fort Mandan

June 3, 2016 / Bruce "Buck" Nelson / 0 Comments

The winds were light early. I paddled the 2 miles to Fort Mandan fairly quickly. I wasn’t sure exactly where to land so I tied off my kayak and when I climbed the bank I could see the replica, still upstream a bit.

The fort is actually surprisingly small. That might’ve been an advantage in the extreme cold they experienced that winter! The reconstructed rooms were set up in a very interesting way. They had, for example, an arms room with a replica of a swivel gun and other weapons, there were many buffalo hides on the bunks, and there was a reconstruction of Lewis and Clark’s room with an idea of some of the personal equipment they had. There was a blacksmith shop as well. I’m glad I’m not hauling the anvils upstream with me! It was very well done. An important feature of the rooms were fireplaces. A young family did the tour with me and they were very knowledgeable, including the two kids.

Fort Mandan

There were two big Angus bulls to maneuver around on my way back to the kayak and a magnificent wild turkey gobbler as well, although the turkey gave me plenty of room on his own.

The wind came up significantly, a head wind. The paddling was no longer easy. I was still able to make steady progress however, on a river lined with cottonwoods.

Nearby me an enormous fish porpoised. Had I been on the ocean I would’ve assumed that it was a dolphin. It’s skin was smooth and it’s tail forked so I suspect it was a big paddlefish.

There was a long bend where I hoped to use the cottonwoods as a wind break but an endless sandbar pushed me away from the shore and out into the strong winds. Powerful winds blew sand across the dunes that had formed. The blowing sand looked like drifting snow.

Later however, the bend turned south a bit and I actually got something of a push for a mile or so.

When the river turned back north the wind increased and whitecaps appeared. A thunderstorm was sneaking up and began to rumble. It was early but the wind, combined with the current, was just too much to struggle against. I called it a day early. On a positive note I thought it might be difficult to gain as many miles as I did, perhaps 11.

More strong headwinds are predicted over the next three days or so but I’ll sneak in as many miles as I can. Colter

Clark: 25th of October Thursday 1804. a Gentle Breeze from the S. E by E passed an (1) old Village on a high Plain where the Mandans onced lived & after they left the Village & moved higher the Ricaras took possession & live until 1799 when they abandoned it & flew from the just revenge of the Mandans… Several parties of Indians on each Side of the River going up. in view in every directions—we are informed that the Sioux has latterly taken horses from the Big Bellies or Minitaries and on their way homerwards they fell in with the Assinniboins who killed them and took the horses & a frenchman Menard who resided with the Mandan for 20 years past was Killed a fiew days ago on his way from the Britishment astablishments on the Assineboin River, 150 miles N. of this place to the mandans by the assinniboin Indians—we were frequently Called to by parties of Indians & requested to land & talk… Several Indians visit us this evening the Sun of the late great Chief of the Mandans who had 2 of his fingers off and appeared to be pearced in maney places on inquiring the reason, was informed that it was a testimony to their grief for Deceased freinds…

[note: there is no mention of the Fort yet because the replica is thought to be slightly south of the actual location.]

Trip overview and route map with position updates:
https://bucktrack.com/Lewis_and_Clark_Trail.html

Headwind, Tailwind

June 2, 2016 / Bruce "Buck" Nelson / 4 Comments

June 1st and 2nd, Days 70 and 71

June! Another turning of the calendar on the Lewis and Clark Trail.

Yesterday, the 1st was another windy one, coming straight down the river. The combination of current and wind in that spot was too much as I found out the day before. As much as I wanted to keep paddling I didn’t care to wear myself out struggling to make just a few miles for the day. It would be a wind day.

A day off spent along the river in a tiny tent isn’t exactly like spending a day off in a nice motel room, but it is physically relaxing. I got in some fine naps. I finished a thick, carefully researched book about the Battle of the Little Big Horn. It was very interesting reading and was related in many ways to this trip. For example, one of the last stops I made was at Fort Abraham Lincoln, which was the fort where Custer was stationed before the battle.

Along with reading and snoozing I worked on modifying the seat of my kayak, adding a little bit of sculpted foam. I touched up my seam sealing job on my tent, it should now be as good as new, and I also did some further repairs on the bug netting, still finding fixes from the great mouse invasion in Washington state on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Today June 2, the wind turned around as predicted although at first it was nearly dead calm. As a matter fact winds were pretty light until the very end but light tailwinds are a far cry from strong headwinds, that’s for sure.

In Washburn I had grocery shopping to do, I wanted to get a good meal at a restaurant, and I also wanted to make sure I could tour the Lewis and Clark interpretive center and pick up my kayak seat back which they were holding for me. To make sure I could get all that stuff done I got up at 4 AM and packed by headlamp. I launched just after 5 AM, by then plenty of light to see already.

I worked on developing my slow current seeking skills. Some stretches of river there didn’t seem to be any slow current, at other times there was very little current. There were Canada goose families along the river again, with their huge Baby Huey fuzzy goslings. Again today there were islands posted with No Trespassing signs signs, put up by the state of North Dakota to protect nesting sites of rare shorebirds.

Near Washburn I saw a fellow with a canoe so I angled over towards him. As I got closer I saw he had long gray whiskers and a canoe full of dry bags. With his sun-faded gear he definitely had the look of a long distance paddler. And it turned out he was in a way, he was a long-distance paddler in training, apparently just out for the day or two, preparing for a long trip on the upper Missouri someday.

At Washburn I landed my kayak downstream of the bridge, at Riverside Park. I locked my kayak to a tree, hidden in the bushes, took my small valuables and headed up the hill. It wasn’t too far to the Lewis and Clark café. When the waitress said that one option was an all-you-can-eat salad bar that was all I needed to hear. I needed to eat some nice fresh salad! I enjoyed that meal immensely.

I next walked to the library to see if they had any used books for sale, and bought Harper Lee’s latest book. When I left I headed basically straight up the hill to the grocery store where I picked up about three more days worth of food.

It was another mile or so walk to the Lewis and Clark Center. When I asked about the seat back they pulled it out from under the desk. Yes!

I’d like to thank Brady at Scheels in Bismarck who apparently drove all the way up here to drop it off. That was really a nice thing to do. I also found a bag of almonds in the package as well! Since they were only receiving the package as a favor, that was above and beyond customer service. Thanks also to Hansel, and David of Stellar Kayaks for sending it.

I toured around the interpretive center and look at the very interesting displays and paintings and artifacts.

Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center display

I was going to barely miss being able to tour Fort Mandan. I didn’t want to waste this favorable tailwind but I definitely want to be able to check out Fort Mandan which is so historically important for the Lewis and Clark expedition. So this evening I took the time to install the new kayak seat. In a bit I’m going to walk up the hill for another good meal at the Lewis and Clark Café.

Tomorrow I’ll paddle up and visit Fort Mandan. Looks like there’s some more wind coming up the next three days, specifically headwinds, but I’ll just roll with the punches and make what mileage I can.

P. S. The Lewis and Clark Café was closed when I got there. I decided to walk up to the grocery store and scored heavily: a full roast chicken, a quart of yogurt, a pound of strawberries and a quart of milk. All pretty much the opposite of camping food! I chowed down big time already this evening and I’ll have a fine breakfast in the morning as well.

Clark: 24th of October Cloudy Some little Snow (my Rhumetism Continue, not So bad as the 2 last days,) a butufull Countrey on both Sides, bottoms covered with wood, we See no game to day… we wer visited by the grand Chief of the mandans a 2d Chief and Some other, who wer Camped on the Island, those Chief met our Ricarra Chief with great Corduallity, & Smoked together Cap Lewis Visited the Camps 5 Lodges, and proceeded on & Camped near a 2d Camp of Mandans on the S. S. nearly opposit the old Ricara & Manden Village which the Ricarras abandaned in the year 1789.

Trip overview and route map with position updates: https://bucktrack.com/Lewis_and_Clark_Trail.html

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Buffalo Skulls!

Fort Mandan

Headwind, Tailwind

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