Caribou

Caribou is where we go to get away...it's where we spend every Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor day (and a few other weekends as we have time).

Caribou Contents

• About Caribou
• The Fishing Contest
• The Cabin Journals
• Photos
• The 2001 Fourth of July CD
• The 2002 Fourth of July CD
• The 2003 Caribou Lake CD
• The Compound
• Miscellaneous Data

About Caribou

JoAnn's family has an isolated cabin on the north side of Caribou Lake, about 23 miles north of Grand Rapids, just over the Laurentian Divide. The cabin is situated on a bluff about 50 feet above and 100 feet back from the lake. 

The above photo shows the cabin as you'd see it if you were walking up the path toward it.  The lake is to the right (down the hill) in this photo. We actually park down the hill from the cabin (where I stood when I took that photograph).

Activities at the cabin include fishing (see the contest below), kayaking, special projects, finding rare treasures, swimming, and just plain relaxing.

We'd probably go up there more, but it's a four-hour drive from home.

Fishing Contest

The annual fishing contest started with little fanfare back in 1996. 2002 marks the seventh year of the contest.

Current Rules

• $5 annual entry fee. $2 weekend entry fee. Entry fee must be paid before fish is caught.
• No AARP discounts.
• Fish must be landed to count.
• Fish must be caught in Itasca County.
• You must be properly licensed for the fish you catch, and the fish must be in season.

Past and Current Results

The Cabin Journals

Patty B. started keeping a journal back in 1990. As I have time, I'm transcribing the entries and making them available here.

Photos

Here's a mish-mash of photos from the cabin. If you step back from your screen far enough, the collage looks like a bunch of little pictures. Click on a picture to get the full-size image.

The Old Days

These pictures date back to the first cabin, before JoAnn's grandparents bought the property. One of the members of the family that owned the cabin was Marshall Jones.  He actually wrote a book about his times at Caribou Lake.

The chimney in the photo on the left is the same chimney that now stands by itself between the current cabin and the garage. The old cabin burnt down many, many years ago leaving just footings and the chimney.

The slide in the right was demolished right after the photo was taken.  Turns out the wood was fairly splintery...

Click on either picture for the full-size version.

The 2001 Fourth of July CD

We cut a theme CD for all who participated in the 4th of July festivities in 2001.  Here's what was on the CD:

The 2002 Fourth of July CD

Another theme CD. Here's what was on it:

The 2003 Caribou Lake CD

The Compound

You've heard of Ruby Ridge. You've heard of Waco...

If you're driving up to the cabin on Highway 65, like we do, you may come across this oddity. It's located about 13 miles north of McGrath on the east side of 65.

The FBI should check this place out if they haven't already. The sign on the fence in the picture on the left says, "Do not stop and get out of your car.  Just honk and wave." We don't know how all the stuff ends up on the fence.  Do passers-by throw things out their windows?  Things which are then picked up by the luddites and then placed on the wall?  We may never know.

For you GPSers, here's the coordinates: N46.42825 W93.26242. Proceed with caution.

Miscellaneous Data

Various facts about the cabin gathered from the journal.

Year	Improvements Made by Pat and Jeff	Break-ins (date discovered)	Jeff & JoAnn and Other Guests
1990	Fixed wheel bearing and alternator on Jeep. Oil and filter change on tractor. Completely re-did roof (tar paper, shingles, fascia). Repaired rot.		11/24 - 11/26: Jeff, JoAnn and Jack (Boppa's dog)
1991	Removed old stumps on beach. Replaced boards on dock. Transplanted 30 red and white pine along driveway. Took down dead birch that was hanging over the cabin. Built overhang over front door. Painted fascia on little cabin. Fixed drippy toilet. Fixed-up old chairs from boat house. Put up a shelf in the closet. Washed and waxed the kitchen floor. New shower head. Fixed broken window. Rewired cabin: New junction box, new fixture above sink, new outlets on porch. Replaced wood stove. Added trundle bed. Painted trim and porch ceiling. Covered old drywell and dug new drywell. Wired new fixture above stove. Fixed lock on garage and shed.	8/2: Broke closet window and left door open. Took nothing noticeable. 11/15: Broke into garage and shed.	3/28 - 3/29: Boppa 5/10 - 5/12: Jeff N. and JoAnn 8/2 - 8/4: Sue, Norm, Annie and Steve 8/30 - 9/2: Jeff N. and JoAnn 8/31: Tom, Joan, Charlie, Bill and Woody 9/21 - 9/22: Jack 10/4 - 10/6: Jeff, JoAnn, Steve, Pat, Ted and Elizabeth
1992	Fixed cabin door and garage door (from break-in). Took down dead birch over power line. Took down all dead trees on the point. Painted kitchen ceiling. Put new door and sill on little cabin. Fixed toilet and water heater. New battery terminals on the Jeep. Planted a tree on the beach. Fixed Jeep muffler. Cleared two large trees from driveway and two from road to lake. Fixed leak in hot water heater. Fixed muffler on Jeep. Washed and waxed kitchen and bathroom. Painted "no trespassing" signs. Trimmed all brush along driveway. Planted seven trees on peninsula. Fixed and sealed leak in old chimney. New weather stripping around door. Cut a tree that fell over lake road. Cleared the road to the bay property. Cut dead trees from the lake shore.	5/1: Broke bottom of garage door, broke center panels out of shed door and kicked in the door of cabin. Stole a flashlight and gas fire starter.	5/22 - 5/25: Jeff N. and JoAnn 6/5 - 6/7: Joe, Judy, Matt and Elizabeth 7/3 - 7/4: Nana and Boppa 7/3 - 7/5: Jeff N. and JoAnn 7/19 - ??: Michael Noyen and friends 9/5 - 9/7: Jeff N. and JoAnn 10/9 - 10/11 - Steve, Pat, Ted, Elizabeth and Butch
1993	Planted Ponderosa Pines along the driveway and by the lake. Cleared downed tree blocking the driveway and one on the old road. Planted Ponderosa Pines by the garage. Fixed lamps. Painted the dock. Put new boards on the dock. Fixed the starter on the lawn mower. Replaced screen in screen door. Got the crawler working again. Washed and waxed kitchen floor. Repaired the chimney. Fixed the lawn mower. Painted the screen door. Fixed door lock. Installed GFI outlets above sinks. New wheel bearing for Jeep. New plumbing and sheet rock in bathroom.		5/28 - 5/31: Jeff N. and JoAnn 6/26 - 6/27: Boppa 7/2 - 7/5: Jeff N. and JoAnn 7/23 - 7/25: Jeff N., JoAnn, Jeff Kruesel and Sheila Knaup 9/17 - 9/19: Steve, Pat, Ted, Elizabeth and Butchy 9/24 - 9/25: Nanna and Boppa
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002

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