Some summer, in the late 1970’s (no one remembers exactly when, it was the late 1970’s after all) a small group of junior executives who worked for a mid-sized corporation decided that they should embark on a long weekend of canoeing/camping to do a little bonding.

 By 1982, the trip was an annual tradition and the group developed a ‘core’ group of dedicated enthusiasts. Previously the group canoed a variety of rivers but it was also around this time that the group ‘discovered’ and settled in to the Flambeau Flowage System in Northern Wisconsin. During this period, the group also established two unspoken codes/goals:

 1.No women

2.Have a good time

 Towards those ends, the group enjoyed excellent fishing, canoeing, and communing with nature by day, and by night; copious and superfluous food and drink, uninhibited and extraordinary camaraderie, and an annual supply of the greatest elixir of them all; laughter.  This was the stuff of legend as these were men taking a few days for themselves to unwind, reward themselves for another year of being the good guys, and ultimately reflect and gear-up for another turn at the rat-race of corporate life.

 As time wore on in the late 80’s, some sons (and fortunately son-in-laws) warranted invitation to the annual excursion. This opened a whole new dynamic to the group as rookie ‘hazing’ introduced and reinforced the tribal, fraternal order that had been festering within the group for years.

 The 1990’s were the golden years or the salad days of ‘the canoe trip’ as it was cleverly referred to by those in the know at this point. The group was as large as 24 guys some years and there was a revolving door of individuals aside from the ‘core’ group during this time. A great variety of individuals were ill met by the challenges of the Flambeau River while a select few thrived. Stories became legends and the one that got away became the fresh water hammerhead shark. Nicknames became the norm and solidified especially amongst the core and their kin. Inside jokes became a quasi-language and jokes became proper nouns. A spirit of one-ups-man-ship in terms of bringing something unique to the group for meals and imbibes flowered during this period as well. One example finds one of the founders of the trip flying in Maine Lobsters and serving Surf and Turf over the campfire!

 Sadly, the elders of the group one by one (we are down to two), grew too old to manage four days in a canoe (it’s about the worst thing for the back possible); nevertheless, the trip, now known as BGABGBR which stands for Big Great Al’s Big Great Boat Ride, is alive and well and has gone on uninterrupted for over 28 years.

 So basically that’s the story thus far and so, IF you’ve stumbled on to this site by accident you might as well get lost because if you haven’t been on this trip you won’t understand another thing that’s posted here nor will it interest you in the slightest, lol. Bye, sorry.

 Cogito, ergo sum at BGABGBR