By Tom Schardin
STAFF WRITER

Inspired by the book, "Canoeing with the Cree," Scott Miller and Todd Foster will embark on their own outdoor journey up the Minnesota River this spring.
But this is no ordinary canoe trip. This is a 2,250-mile, grueling historical expedition that starts in St. Cloud on May 1 and ends in Canada's Hudson Bay roughly 110 days later. "Canoeing with the Cree" is about a 1930 canoe trip along the same route. Foster and Miller wanted to celebrate the 75th anniversary of that journey by doing it themselves.
"I'm always looking for that next big adventure and the next big thing to challenge myself," said Foster, 28, of St. Cloud. "I enjoy canoeing and when I read 'Canoeing with the Cree' two years ago, I knew I wanted to do that trip."
Part of the trip is through Savage and along the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge on the Minnesota River. Seven days and nearly 115 miles into their journey, Miller and Foster expect to be paddling through Savage and should be in the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge for three to four days.
The trip starts in Foster's backyard where they will launch their 18-foot, 45-pound Wenonah Champlain canoe into the Sauk River and paddle down the Mississippi River to Fort Snelling for a launching party in their honor on May 7.
Then the journey starts to turn upstream toward Canada. Paddling 332 miles up the Minnesota River won't be easy. Foster and Miller are expected to travel 12 to 17 miles per day going upstream, spending about 26 days on the river.
Once they get to the Red River and Lake Winnipeg, they estimate traveling 25 to 45 miles per day, but could also encounter rougher weather, bigger waves and maybe even some polar bears en route to Hudson Bay.
"We've worked so long and hard on the planning that I think the canoeing will, in some ways, be the easiest part," said Foster, 29, of St. Paul.
Foster and Miller have been planning the trip for more than a year. The journey will take them to places along the Minnesota River that include Chamberlain Woods Scientific & Nature Area, Minneopa State Park, Fritsche Creek Wildlife Management Area, Lower and Upper Sioux Indian Reservation, Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge and The Deep Wilderness.
One of the trip's goals is to celebrate the diverse lives of people along the rivers and lakes.
"That's incredibly important to me," said Miller. "We have to paddle a long way everyday, so I don't expect we will get to spend as much time meeting people as I would like. Nevertheless, I think the most interesting way to learn about life is to talk to real people about it. I hope we get some good conversations with western Minnesota farmers, Dakota people living on the Minnesota River, small-town folks, Canadians and Ojibway and Cree Indians."
"In order to share the real story about the rivers and waterways from here to Hudson Bay, you have to tell the story about the people who live along the waters," said Foster. "It doesn't matter your race, your religion, your economic status. The rivers and waterways play an important role in your life. I think it will be fun to see how different people live along the waters and compare them to other places."
Celebrating the spirit of friendship, examining how the rivers and lakes along the route to Hudson Bay have changed in 75 years and to provide educational opportunities about canoeing, wilderness and caring for the environment are also missions for the trip.
"When we are wind bound on Lake Winnipeg for the third day in row, I'm sure I will have thoughts about whether the trip is worth it being gone from my family for that long," said Foster. "I think the hardest part of the trip will be Lake Winnipeg and the waves on the giant lake. Also, the daily grind of the 110-day trip will probably be hard to deal with as well. When I have to set up the tent for the 78th day in a row, it might get a bit tiring."
"I'm sure there will be times when I'm frustrated after three days of rain or days or total exhaustion of the fear of navigating huge winds and waves or the big rapids on the rivers," said Miller. "But I'm looking forward to sheer adventure of it, the excitement of never knowing what it's going to look like around the next bend, the challenge of overcoming unexpected obstacles and the beauty and simplicity of living outside for 110 days."
The trip is expected to cost $10,000. Foster and Miller are raising the money through sponsorships and donations. Along the way, they will also work with the Minnesota Historical Society for historical finds and records and with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency testing water quality on the Minnesota River and Red River.
Miller, who is single, is a substitute teacher in the Minneapolis School District and a camp director. Foster is married and a part-time emergency medical technician in St. Cloud.

To find more about the trip go to www.hudsonbayexpedition.com.

Tom Schardin can be reached at tschardin@swpub.com.