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A North American Journey
  • Gustav Vermaas
  • Gustav Vermaas

A North American Journey

“Not all those who wander are lost” 
A 200 day American adventure across Canada and the US En savoir plus
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  • Gustav VermaasA North American JourneyVoyageur

    Hunting Woodcock in Ontario

    22 octobre 2022, Canada ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Two extraordinary days with Kevin Lavoie

    https://www.onpointvizslas.com

    Kevin introduced me to his passion - Woodcock hunting.

    The little bird migrates from the north and eats worms in the mud next to the forests.

    It was a HUGE learning curve for Roga and I. Hunting in the woods opposed to the Savanah and the use of 4 different dog breeds - at the same time.

    I now have respect for the flushers. The little Corker Spaniel was a secret weapon.

    An excellent end to the month in Toronto.    En savoir plus

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  • Gustav VermaasA North American JourneyVoyageur

    Battle Creek

    24 octobre 2022, États Unis ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    The US Traverse has officially started with Roga and I crossing the US border at the Blue Water Bridge just north of Detroit.

    Sue is still in Toronto and will fly into Rapid City on Nov 4.

    The two boys in the pack will make their way to South Dakota for 5 days of Phesant Hunting.

    The SuperMobile got a face-lift and we are driving a Ford Explorer for the US Traverse.

    Tonight we are sleeping over at a roadside hotel - The Red Roof in Battle Creek

    The fall colors are amazing    En savoir plus

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  • Gustav VermaasA North American JourneyVoyageur
    1

    On Route - Davenport

    25 octobre 2022, États Unis ⋅ 🌧 7 °C

    What a long day. 6 hours of driving in the rain.

    Crossed 4 states - Started in Michigan, crossed Indiana & Illinois and sleeping in Iowa.

    Not a lot so say except that the trucks are absolutely amazing. They each have their own personality, and today you could feel their angs and aggression as they pulled their cargo in the rain.En savoir plus

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  • Gustav VermaasA North American JourneyVoyageur

    Fort Dodge

    26 octobre 2022, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Stayed over in Fort Dodge.

    "Google, what Fort Dodge is famous for ?"

    "Fort Dodge is a top tubing destination in the state, offering the swift and clear waters of Lizard Creek, solitude on the Des Moines River from Fort Dodge to the Dolliver Memorial State Park, and the nearby lake at Brushy Creek. The Fort Dodge Country Club par 71 golf course is one of Iowa's top courses"

    .... Ok    En savoir plus

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  • Gustav VermaasA North American JourneyVoyageur

    I have arrived in Valhalla

    27 octobre 2022, États Unis ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    When I entered the hotel, the gent checking in had a shotgun bag over his shoulder, orange hunting kit on and two dogs on heel.

    I have arrived in South Dakota...

    According to Google...
    "South Dakota has over 5 million acres of hunting opportunity on public land as well as on private land leased for public hunting.

    The South Dakota Public Hunting Atlas is a hunter's guide to all lands open to public access. Access includes federal and state-owned lands as well as private land leased for public hunting access."

    God bless America 😍

    My hotel - across the street from Cabela's

    This is going to blow the budget 💰    En savoir plus

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  • Gustav VermaasA North American JourneyVoyageur

    Day 2 : Crack the code

    28 octobre 2022, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Spend the day in Mitchell soaking in the hunting scene and trying to understand how this all fits together.

    By 1500 we have studied the hunting guide, paid the license fee and found a Game Producing Area 7 kms from town.

    Time to test my understanding of the law.

    For Roga it was easy. He just pitched and hunted the Pheasants.... how difficult can this be 🤣

    Also did a quick trip to town.    En savoir plus

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  • Gustav VermaasA North American JourneyVoyageur
    1

    Road to Medicine Creek

    29 octobre 2022, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 6 °C

    Had the day enroute to Medicine Creek.

    Decided to visit the Aktá Lakota Museum & Cultural Center in the town of Chamberlain.

    "The center opened in 1991 on St. Joseph’s Indian School campus. The name of our Native American museum reflects what we do: honor and preserve the rich culture of the Lakota people, the students at St. Joseph’s Indian School "

    The visit prompted my Life 2.0 post.

    Live 2.0 : “The meaning of life is that it ends.”

    The US Traverse is now in full swing and the two males in the pack are making their way across the prairies towards Black Hills and the epicenter of the Sioux nation.

    This is where US history was written in blood with immortal leaders like Crazy Horse, Sitting bull, and where Custer had his last stand.

    I had to make a detour to The Akta Lakota Museum at St. Joseph's Indian School. It was fascinating to walk through the history and try to see it from the perspective of the Sioux people. Red Cloud, a Lakota Chief voiced the frustrations:

    ''They made many promises to us, but they only kept one. They promised to take our land, and they took it.'

    But it was Spotted Tail’s speech, delivered at the great council on the Powder River, just before the attack on Fort Phil Kearny that had me thinking.

    “There is a time appointed to all things. Think for a moment how many multitudes of the animal tribes we ourselves have destroyed! Look upon the snow that appears to-day -- to-morrow it is water! Listen to the dirge of the dry leaves, that were green and vigorous but a few moons before! We are a part of this life and it seems that our time has come.”

    Sounds very negative, but is it?

    Franz Kafka’s quote “The meaning of life is that it ends” does have an interesting twist. Kafka did not believe in the afterlife. His philosophy was that only when we understand and accept that when we die, there is no heaven or hell, that we just die, that is the moment when we begin to truly live.

    That holds true for a person or a tribe.

    Also visited the South Dakota Hall of Fame    En savoir plus

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  • Gustav VermaasA North American JourneyVoyageur
    1

    Magic at Medicine Creek

    31 octobre 2022, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Two days of magic at Medicine Creek Pheasant Ranch

    https://www.medicinecreek.com/

    Mike and Alicia were excellent hosts and run a unique place. The perfect blend of a rustic farmstay with all the luxuries needed in a modern hunt

    And then the Pheasants🪶

    They are everywhere and great to hunt. Roga kept us all on our toes... as always. There is always an angle you don't expect and this time it was in the form of a Mule deer.

    A group from Ohio adopted the two Africans and we had immense fun and stacks of laughs. Great group of friends.

    Will have to start saving for 2024😏    En savoir plus

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  • Gustav VermaasA North American JourneyVoyageur

    Sutton Bay

    2 novembre 2022, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Three days in a prairie paradise with an exquisite group of people.

    https://www.suttonbay.com/

    Luxury accomodation, devine food and an excellent hunt.

    The preserve has a golf course, a lake (fishing) and a never-ending grassland (hunting).

    I could stay forever....

    Compiled a great video from the photos and clips

    https://youtu.be/da8a0V0S54s    En savoir plus

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  • Gustav VermaasA North American JourneyVoyageur

    Black Elk trail

    7 novembre 2022, États Unis ⋅ ☁️ 2 °C

    Woke up this morning and the Black Hills were covered in snow.

    We had 3 choices.

    1. Drive south and escape the snow
    2. Drive to Deadwood, find a restaurant and spend the day next to the fire
    3. Put our big girl panties on and hike the 10km Black Elk trail to Black Hills highest point.

    What a question and what a splendid hike 😁

    Bless North Face and Salomon    En savoir plus

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  • Gustav VermaasA North American JourneyVoyageur

    The crossing Day 2

    10 novembre 2022, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 3 °C

    Started this morning at 0700 but only did 50 miles in 90min. The aftermath of the snow storm which now created an ice sheet on the road.

    Saw 10 accidents.... not great for your confidence

    The supermobile was the star of the day. The electronics are amazing.🥰

    Managed to do 520miles. Crossed three states. Started in Wyoming, crossed Utah and are sleeping in Nevada.

    Tomorrow is the last big drive    En savoir plus

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  • Gustav VermaasA North American JourneyVoyageur
    1

    The Crossing Day 3 - Tahoe lake

    11 novembre 2022, États Unis ⋅ ☁️ 1 °C

    Done... over 2000km in 3 days and the weather was difficult 🥶

    Spend the day completing the crossing of Nevada and entered California. Close to Reno.

    Started the day early and had a solid drive. This gave us the 2 hours to hike the Tahoe Lake rim.

    "With the bluest of blue water and the greenest of green surrounding forest, Lake Tahoe, quite simply, transfixes. From the early Indians to authors such as Mark Twain, folks have tried to capture the beauty and mystique of the lake with nicknames like "Big Blue" and "Grasshopper Soup." Others maintain that it's impossible to describe the magnificence in words. At 6,225 feet above sea level, Tahoe is the highest alpine lake in the United States and has long attracted vacationers from around the world. In the summer, hiking, windsurfing, golfing, fishing and swimming (usually in wet suits due to the lake's brisk year-round temperature) are all the rage. The winter season, which actually starts around Thanksgiving, brings throngs of skiers to area resorts."    En savoir plus

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  • Gustav VermaasA North American JourneyVoyageur
    1

    Sacramento & Napa Valley

    12 novembre 2022, États Unis ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Did a tourist drive via Sacramento to Napa for lunch. Then had to fight the crazy traffic into San Francisco.

    We have a very nice hotel for the 3 nights in SF. Specifically looked for a unit with a kitchen to prepare the Pheasant from Sutton bay.

    The breasts were vacuum packed in a little cooler and we had to freeze them every night.

    What a nice bird to eat🥰    En savoir plus

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  • Gustav VermaasA North American JourneyVoyageur

    Sequoia National Park

    17 novembre 2022, États Unis ⋅ ⛅ 5 °C

    Took a detour to visit the Sequoia National Park and the biggest tree in the world.

    "General Sherman is a giant sequoia tree located in the Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park in Tulare County, in the U.S. state of California. By volume, it is the largest known living single-stem tree on Earth. It is estimated to be around 2,200 to 2,700 years old

    The General Sherman Tree is the world's largest tree, measured by volume. It stands 275 feet (83 m) tall, and is over 36 feet (11 m) in diameter at the base. Sequoia trunks remain wide high up. Sixty feet above the base, the Sherman Tree is 17.5 feet (5.3 m) in diameter."

    Long day of driving and ended up in a little mean town called Mojave.    En savoir plus

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  • Gustav VermaasA North American JourneyVoyageur
    1

    Viva Las Vegas

    18 novembre 2022, États Unis ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Roga is in a kennel and we are on The Strip. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas....

    https://pawshpalacelv.com/services-dog-boarding…

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