April 2, 2007 FROM FROZEN LYMAN LAKE

It's been raining for four days and tomorrow there's a chance of 4 to 7 inches of snow! Just a little bored so I figured it's a good time to write a journal entry while I look out over frozen Lyman Lake wishing for spring. We've had little snow all winter and it's the first time that I can remember I've not been able to cross country ski. Strange winter as I guess it's been all over. (As a full blooded Norwegian I blame it on the Swedes!)

Sad News/Good News
First the sad news. On March 2nd my mother, Ellen Mary Nordby Hoff, passed away peacefully at the age of 94. She was a very caring, warm-hearted, loving person. One could not ask for a better mother. Always more concerned for others than herself. Even when such things are expected it leaves a deep void in one's life. She follows my father, Clarence; brother, Donald; and her grandson Ryan home.

Now for the good news. The void left by the passing of my mother has partly been filled with the news that LuAnn and I will be grandparents again in November! Our oldest son, Dean and wife Erin phoned this weekend to let us know. This will be their third child and our 7th grandchild. (Dean is already getting heat about how he's going to handle November deer hunting season.)

I will continue my journey as soon as I can after Memorial Day. Everything will depend on river conditions at that time. I'm really looking forward to getting back. As much as I enjoyed last year, I'm anticipating this part will be even better, for now I will be in more wilderness and as I approach the Rockies, the scenery will be more picturesque.

Plans as of now are to continue up the Missouri to Great Falls, Montana and somewhere southwest of Great Falls I will need to bike portage across the Rockies to the North Fork of the Clearwater River. From what I have read this is a beautiful river which works it way to the Snake River around Lewiston, Idaho. There I will continue on the Snake to the Columbia and if all goes well get to the Pacific Ocean sometime in mid July. My biggest goal for this year is to slow down and enjoy the trip. This has always been hard for me to do, so we'll see how it works. Part of the plan is to take some side hiking trips when I hit the Rockies and the Cascades.

Enough for one journal entry. Besides, I need to get outside and continue to try and see if I can get one of our two septic systems working. Because of the lack of snow the septic to the main bathroom has been frozen up since early February. (Probably more info than one needs to hear)
Fortunately we have two systems and the other two bathrooms work. Hazards of living in northern Wisconsin!

More in a week or so.