Another 5 day Canoe the Wild Allagash trip, this one guided by Tammi Matula and Wayne Daggett. Photo credits, Tammi Matula.
Canoe Trips
Eating Like Royalty on the Allagash
If you are looking for some pictures of the Allagash, they will come. This is not a post to show off amazing scenery, but about nutritional and psychological necessity. When you paddle for a few per day, your body is begging you for something good to eat. It is easy to reach into a backpack and grab a granola bar or a handful of trailmix to get through a rough spot when you’ve bonked, but there is something psychological about watching a homemade meal being prepared over the fire and getting to put warm, delicious, food into your system.
Dave Conley and Wayne Daggett are not only experts on the river and understand the needs for safety, they also understand that when you get done with a few hours of paddling, you are ready for a real meal. River novices will resort to the easiest things to cook and eat, but with Canoe the Wild, you should be prepared to eat like royalty.
Think about the last 5 days and try to reconstruct what you ate, in your head, day by day. It gets a little fuzzy doesn’t it? It is kind of funny. My son, Aaron, and I were able to remember every meal in detail. The meals were firmly pressed into our memories.
Here is the rundown… (Lunches were mainly sandwiches, wraps, and pockets, so I will not go into detail there even though they hit the spot for a hungry paddler).
Monday – Allagash Campsite “Jaws”:
Supper: Grilled sockeye salmon and some sides. Strawberry shortcake for dessert.
Tuesday – Allagash Campsite “The Ledges”:
Breakfast: French toast.
Supper: Spaghetti with homemade sauce… it’s all about the sauce… amazing! Spice cake for dessert.
Wednesday – Allagash Campsite “Back Channel” (on Round Pond… my favorite spot!):
Breakfast: A very fruitful/nutty oatmeal (very filling).
Supper: Ribeye steak with potatoes and corn. Brownies for dessert.
Thursday – Allagash Campsite “Ramsey”
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, sausage, home-fries (with onions optional)
Supper: Chicken and dumplings. Apple crisp for dessert.
Friday
Breakfast: Blueberry pancakes and bacon.
Friday was our day to leave, so we had simple sandwiches and snacks on the road.
In summary, you will not likely eat this good while you are at home, but Wayne and Dave put on a pretty good feed. From what I understand, all the trips led by Canoe the Wild will include meals comparable to the menu above. Dave and his crew take care of their guests and will also accommodate gluten free and vegetarian (though a trip guest might need to bring some of their own substitutes).
We give a big “thank you” to Dave and Wayne for amazing meals! I know Aaron and I will be talking about this trip for years to come.
Note: View our 2022 Canoe the Wild Schedule here.
Canoe the Wild 5 Day Allagash Trip, July 5-9, 2021
Five day Allagash canoe trip from Churchill Lake to Michaud Farms including paddling lively Chase Stream Rapids, Umsaskis Lake, Long Lake, round pond, Musquacook deadwater. Canoe the Wild offers custom group outings on the Allagash, St. Croix, Penobscot, St. John and select rivers in Quebec such as the NE Mistissibi and Bonaventure Rivers. Contact Dave to discuss taking part in one of these trip.
Tammi Matula, Environmental Education Change Maker
Shared from the Maine Environmental Education Association Blog Post 02/03/2021
This week we’re featuring Tammi Matula from the East Grand School (EGS) in Danforth, ME! Tammi is a Pre-K through grade 12 physical education teacher who also co-teaches EGS’ Outdoor Education (OE) program. As part of MEEA’s Mini-Grant for Outdoor Learning Program, Tammi received funding to grow the pre-existing fleet of bikes that the students maintain as part of their OE programming.
East Grand’s focus on outdoor learning has been supported on many fronts. Over the years, the school incorporated outdoor education into the foundation of the curriculum. Curriculum development was facilitated and supported by Rural Aspirations and TimberNook who helped build and enhance a new curriculum that was focused on the outdoors and supported teachers with the transition to teaching outside. With support for outdoor learning from the principal, East Grand was able to attract more teachers interested in outdoor education, like Tammi. One of the key supporters of East Grand’s shift to an outdoor focus was (and still is!) the local grassroots group, Citizens Organization for Rural Education (CORE). When the school risked closure, CORE community members worked with the school administration to incorporate local nature-based resources into the school’s mission.
Tammi shared that the emphasis that COVID-19 placed on outdoor learning has provided her the opportunity to expand what her students can learn through outdoor education. One of the benefits that Tammi shared was fostering a sense of achievement. Students can get discouraged when they don’t achieve standard measures of success in the traditional classroom, but the lessons taught in outdoor spaces have more space for experimentation and different measures of success. Tammi related that activities like knot-tying were difficult for some students, but the confidence they gained once they made a breakthrough bolstered their confidence in other areas.
“Education can be tricky, because sometimes it doesn’t feel like real life, but now it feels like real life”
Being prepared for outdoor learning is a challenge that teachers at EGS are still addressing, especially when it comes to having the right equipment and equitable access to gear for students. On some fronts, this challenge has become an opportunity for students to learn lessons and preparedness. Tammi related that getting stuff ready and together for outdoor classrooms can be a challenge, but when the students take charge of tasks, they learn to take responsibility and begin to understand delegation. Tammi underscored that “education can be tricky because sometimes it doesn’t feel like real life, but now it feels like real life.” In this way, the skills they learn in these outdoor settings become practical.
Tammi shared that East Grand has plans to continue expanding their outdoor learning to include a hard outdoor skills program for students in 3rd grade and up; in hopes of building their confidence and extending their learning into the surrounding community. The school’s success makes them a great model for other schools interested in outdoor learning. Tammi suggested a few key pieces you could consider if your school is looking to do outdoor learning: securing board and admin support to incorporate outdoor learning, consulting with outdoor educators and community partners, connecting with nearby resources (like local trails), delegating staff time, and having patience (sustainable outdoor programming takes time!).
Dave’s Favorite Pictures from 2020
A look back at the 2020 Maine canoe trip season While we had a late start due to Covid restrictions, it ended up being a really great season! During the month of June, Maine landscape photographer Ben Williamson of Downeast Magazine and his brother Zander joined us on a 5 day Allagash canoe trip. Zander caught lots of trout while Ben worked with me on improving my photography skills. Jeremy Grant of The Timber Cross joined us in July on an Allagash trip putting a high end video together, we spotted 23 moose and Jeremy captured some real cool drone footage (with a special permit). From late July into September, Canoe the Wild guides were busy on numerous Allagash and St. Croix River canoe trips. Moose hunting season went very well and we have posted some scenic shots below. Bookings are coming in almost daily now and we’re looking forward to what summer 2021 brings. We hope to be back in Eastern Canada on the Bonaventure week long whitewater trip but it not, we’ll enjoy Maine rivers such as the St. Croix River, Allagash Wilderness Waterway, the St. John River and West Branch of the Penobscot Rivers if the interest is there. Check out our 2021 Canoe the Wild schedule and remember, if a trip doesn’t happen due to Covid, your deposits are refundable. To book a trip, please visit our website or contact Dave Conley for any questions you may have. Hope to see you in 2021
Allagash Canoe Trip, 5 Days
Another Canoe the Wild trip on the Allagash, 5 days, July 14-18. We spotted 26 moose, numerous loons and bald eagles, paddled exciting Chase Stream Rapids, star gazed, eat delicious meals. The Allagash Wilderness Waterway makes for a great 4-8 day canoeing trip in northern Maine and can be paddled all summer long. Visit our 2020 summer schedule and 2021 summer schedule to view offerings. Come as a group, family or by yourself and join an existing trip! Contact Dave Conley of Canoe the Wild for more details and to sign up.