We received the following letters from Eric Sevareid's son Peter and Walter Port's son Michael:

How we got to know Peter Sevareid

Scott met a man named Bill Eggert while buying a copy of "Canoeing with the Cree" at a local bookstore. Bill was enthusiastic about the expedition and mentioned that his Mother lived in Danbury, WI and was good friends with Eric Sevareid's niece Jan Sevareid Olson. Scott and Todd contacted and met with both Jan and Bill's Mom Darlene. They were amazingly friendly, talked Scott and Todd's ear off, and Jan said she would contact Peter (who lives on the East Coast). About two weeks later we got a letter from Peter in the mail.

9 January 2004

Mr. Scott Miller
1736 Lincoln Avenue
Saint Paul, MN 55105

Dear Scott:

"We got to see the country in a way few people ever do, to know it intimately, to get the feel of it. Paddling, portaging, cooking, moving on gave us something real to try our strength and ingenuity on."
The above words, spoken by my father, Walter C. Port, about his 1930 canoe trip with Eric Sevareid, will be as true in 2005 as they were years ago.
My hat is off to you and Todd Foster for your dedication to retracing in 2005 (the 75th anniversary) of the 1930's trip immortalized by Mr. Sevareid's first book, Canoeing with the Cree. I admire the thoroughness of your planning and research.
One can only suspect that my father and Eric would have enjoyed the benefits of present day lightweight equipment and food, not to mention improved maps, tent floors and screens, and insect repellant.
It will be interesting to hear of your comparisons about your trip and the one detailed in the book.
Please feel free to call on me whenever you need. I will be honored to help you in any way I can. Dad and I spent many delightful hours on the water. This event will refresh some of my memories of him.
One particular bit of helpful advice that was passed along from his trip was a response to the question, "How were you able to finish such a long trip?" Dad's reply was, "One stroke at a time!"
On behalf of my brother, sisters and all our families, I would like to extend my wishes to you and Todd for a joyous, memorable and successful canoe trip.

Keep On Paddling,

Michael D. Port
Executive Director
Solar Oven Society

How We Got to Know Michael Port:

Soon after we had the idea for to re-create Sevareid and Port's trip for the 75th anniversary, we did some research to track down descendents of Sevareid and Port. Todd spent a few hours on the Internet and ascertained that one Michael Port of Minneapolis, MN was more than likely one of Walter Port's sons. Soon after that Scott went and met for a few hours with Mr. Port at his office. Michael Port is a very generous, kind man who was more than willing to discuss his Father and his Father's trip. He also gave us many ideas about who to contact to get support for our expedition. Not many years ago, he and his wife Martha decided to devote their lives to their own particular adventure-assisting families in the 3rd world by supplying them with a solar cooking stove that greatly reduces the back-breaking labor of keeping cooking fires going for hours and hours everyday. To that end he co-founded the Solar Oven Society based out of Minneapolis. He serves as the Executive Director.

You can read more about the Solar Oven Society at www.solarovens.org.

We are very thankful for the support of the Mr. and Mrs. Port and their family.

Scott and Todd on the banks of the Perent River in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) (May '02)