Last week's Shoebox Memory reminded Jean from West Texas about the Traprock Canoe Races of the 1970's. Carl Kiilunen dug in his shoebox and found some photographic documentation of the event. Judge Phil Kukkonen and Pete Wilberding were instrumental in organizing the race back in 1976 and it ran until about 1980, complete with a parade on the main street of Lake Linden. The race began at the bridge, in the old township park, on the George Keranen road and ended at the Traprock bridge in Lake Linden. Sometimes they had as many as 30 teams entered. Good clean fun :o)

Soon we hope to take Shoebox Memories to the next level, with some old motion pictures of the U.P. Several home movies and video clips have surfaced, which bring the past alive. We are working on the technical aspects of posting these here on the Pasty Cam, and look forward to some very interesting historical explorations in coming days.

Charlie, thanks for remembering this momentous event...Pete Wilberding is my dad and that is what brought back the memories:) Happy Sunday!

Is that rain or snow at the bridge? Rain I hope.

I saw someone in a kayak on the Trap Rock yesterday and was cold just looking at him. Didn't know there had even been canoe races.
Old motion picture films of the UP!?I can't imagine watching anything more enjoyable. What a great idea !!!

Judi: It is rain. Very grey and cold here today. Should bring down a lot of the remaining snow pack. Some flood warnings out.

I'm the person wearing the green coat standing on the bank. My husband Rick and his friend Dibba are in the green canoe. It was cold that day. And by the end of the race Rick and Dibba were soaking wet. Don't think they entered canoe races after that. But did appear in 4th of July races on floats with their mussleloaders. Got all the woman mad and babies crying.But they won many 1st place prizes. Those were the days. I'll have to look thru my photo shoeboxes.

Seeing all those canoes reminds me of the aluminum "hatches" that are so common on the Au Sable River outside of Grayling.Lots of fun either in the boat or watching them all go by.

Thanks Uncle Carl for the great picture. Can't wait to come home. We will be there in June. Say hello to Auntie Elenore for me. ;o)

That looks like fun. The picture reminds me of playing in a mud puddle as a kid,just a little more water!!

The films would be neat to see,live all my life in Mich. Never been down a river,i now,shame on me! Have a great Sunday.

DOWN STATER

Ahh yes, the Finnish navy out on maneuvers...:>)

Is this near Bekkala's? great photo-action & scenery. Anybody recognized?

To Dave in Laurium. You sound envious. When were you in the Navy? I salute you. Are you -was, is, wannabe a Navy Seal?

Wow!!! That was quite the hailstorm a while ago!! At least it was.. in Hancock! Had to go out on the deck and scoop some of the little jewels up and put them in the sink to examine the different shapes that nature makes!! Have a good day everyone!

Bthecute1....I am envious of the fun they seem to be having, spent my time in the Navy, I was at Moffett from 68-71, retired in 92. Had a good career, miss the comraderie (sp) at times, but life is good in the UP. No, don't want to be a SEAL, but during survival training at Pt Loma, we did manage to have a seal over for dinner, actually, a real one swam up on the beach and we really did have him for dinner.

db Its the Trap Rock Naval Reserves on a shakedown cruise at Bekkalas bridge.

Speaking of if it was snow or rain, I am SHOCKED at the amount of snow and ice that has passed through the Soo Locks in the past 48 hours. I've been watching it closely, http://webcam.crrel.usace.army.mil/soo/ and it was just loaded with the stuff, and except for a small trace, I see none of it anymore today.

Good to see the Lift Bridge is back in business for 2004. I wush there was a schedule for when ships were going to go through, so I could watch. That's the ONE thing I never caught "as it happened" on Pasty Central.

In addition to wushing for a schedule, I also wish there was one! (Blush).

To Dave. Take a trip up the Snake River in a Canoe. (All the twists and turns could be fun. I did it. It is across from Princess Pointe (Bootjack) on the Portage.

Picture reminds me of the huge canoe race that takes place on the AuSable River between Grayling and Oscoda each year. Hundreds of cars follow the race and meet the canoes at various points. What a wild time it is! They race all day and night. Hail and high winds here about 7 a.m. 79 and sunny this afternoon.

Today driving into Calumet we saw a bunch of kayakers on Eagle River near Phoenix. Just wondering if anybody got any pictures?

The falls up at canyon are really roaring this evening.

Boy does that photo bring back memories.
Bought my canoe back in "74", best $175 I ever spent. used it just about every day on Duck Lk. in Highland Mich. and many a trip down the Rifle, AuSable, and Huron rivers. Sold it for $250 in "98", just before I moved to CA. What fond memories!

To Dave of Laurium. So as a navyman you must have been at Moffett when a P3 crashed on landing, and all young men were killed but one. I was driving Hwy 17 when it happened, and there was so much smoke you could see it over the entire valley. One of the men killed, was my neighbor.

On a lighter note, I thought the "Seals" were an endangered species!

wow a blast from the past here.. i[dan harri alias goomzie] did the race with dan hendrickson alias gerch] in the late 70,s i think that is us in the top left. it was good clean fun

Wow, it is hard to believe that there used to be enough water in that area for canoe races. As a kid, my friends and I would go down to Bekkala's during the summer and swim all the time. It was a great spot growing up to have fun.

I was lucky and got to participate in the canoe events. It was a great time and a lot of fun. I miss those days. It is to bad that more "community events" don't take place. Even though I have had the good fortune to canoe a majority of the rivers in Michigan and portions of the Great Lakes, the Traprock has alway been one of my favorites.

To Dave in Laurium
I spent some time at Moffett myself in 67.
They transferred me from the Hancock,(CVA-19), to Moffett to serve out my last 5 months so they wouldn't have to fly me off the ship in the middle of a cruise.
I spent that time with AIRTRANSRON-8 in the Comm.Center. Had a great time there and made lots of friends,until the air wing disbanded two weeks before my release came through.
I realy miss the good times there.

I remember those races well. It seems that many of the participants were imbibing so early in the AM. Never could figure out how they managed to guide their canoe with the paddle in one hand and a beer in the other?? More interesting is how no one drowned and yet so many have indeed changed their life styles and are now pillars of the community in which they serve. Less we forget our stumbling fun days!!

Remember the race was held the third Saturday in April. That's why we had so much water, it was all snow melt and only about 2 degrees above freezing. It was great fun untill you fell in.

Holy Cow! The great Traprock river canoe race! One year I believe they had a LaMans start if ya can believe it. Dad, it ranks right up there with the strategic and rather public toilet placement outside the Doghouse in Houghton. -julie-

What is the difference is between two Finns in a restaurant and two Finns in a canoe?


The chances are the two in the canoe will tip!