I'm not sure why but I have sort of a fascination for travel endurance accounts especially when women are involved. I've never even canoed a mile, let alone two thousand through all kinds of weather and water. But I sure admire these two women who did that.

Natalie Warren grew up in Florida but at a young age she started going on canoe trips in Minnesota and then beyond. On one of these trips she met Ann Raiho from Minnesota. They became best friends while attending St. Olaf College in Northfield Minnesota at the same time. Ann read a book by Eric Sevareid called Canoeing with the Cree which was about a canoe trip he and a friend took in 1930. The two canoed from Minneapolis to York Factory on the Hudson Bay in about 4 months. Since that time other pairs of canoeists had retraced the route but no women had done it. Ann gave the book to Natalie saying "We should do this!". Thus their plan for a post-graduation canoe trip was born. They started on June 2, 2011 and by the end of June they were on the Red River heading downstream to Lake Winnipeg. But first Natalie had to attend her sister's wedding in Philadelphia on July 2. After that hiatus they were back on the river determined to make their goal. The Red River was pretty easy paddling except when they got to the Floodway south of Winnipeg. Unusually for that time of year it was open and with very little warning they had to get out of the river and past the flood gates. They met Ann's parents in Winnipeg for a few days and they also met a man from Norway House who had invited them to stay at his house when they got there. They just had to get there, canoeing on the east side of Lake Winnipeg. Except Ann wanted to meet up with a friend who was going to be in Hecla which would mean crossing the lake to the west side. Natalie was opposed to this plan but they did canoe across only to discover that Ann's friend couldn't make it. Natalie and Ann's relationship went through a rough patch as a result but they mended their fences and pushed on. In Norway House they picked up a stray dog to drive off polar bears when they got further north. The dog looked a little like a wolf so they chose a name that was close to the Cree word for wolf, Myhan. She sat on top of their bundles as they canoed further north. At night she stayed outside the tent but close by. On the Hayes River they had some exciting white water events but Myhan stuck it out. And eventually they made it to York Factory where they finally saw polar bears but Myhan didn't have to chase them off.

This was a really interesting account of a female friendship that endured many rough days and came out stronger because of it. Ten years later both women are still doing adventure travel and espousing nature and habitat renewal all as a result of this trip. ( )