03-05-2012, 06:49 PM
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Dad, sons go on Hip adventure
MAGNETAWAN – Snowmobiling to the James Bay Coast is not entirely uncommon for Ray Boyden, but heading that far north to check out the Tragically Hip was an adventure.
Boyden, who lives in Ahmic Harbour, and his sons 19-year-old Mackenzie and 13-year-old Jack drove north to Cochrane, hopped on their snowmobiles and headed about 400 kilometres north to Fort Albany.
According to Ray, the 800-km round trip by sled was worth it.
“We’ve done the trip quite a few times before because a good friend of ours is a hunting guide, fishing guide and snowmobile guide,” he said.
That friend, William Tozer, has a camp on the Moose River.
The reason for this particular trip was to see his brother Joseph Boyden, author of award-winning literature including Through Black Spruce and Three Day Road, as keynote speaker at The Great Moon Gathering.
“The chief of that town knew Joseph and knows Joseph is friends with Gord Downie. So the chief asked Joseph if the Tragically Hip would go up there and do a show,” he said.
So Joseph placed a call to his friend and the rest is history.
There was some additional excitement en route.
They enjoyed great weather and easygoing travel, with temperatures well above the normal -40 to -50 degrees range.
During a stop in Moosonee, Ray and the boys helped Tozer bring in his trap lines that were filled with marten as Tozer regaled them with the story of his recent adventure.
“There was a crazy but very rare animal, actually no one had ever seen one up there, a wolverine. William trapped a wolverine about a week before so that was pretty much the talk of the town — this crazy wolverine,” he said.
Ray said there is no doubt that the trek to the Far North is worth the trip.
“They are a little bit out of civilization in some ways,” he said. “A nice part of that concert was to build up and promote their actual way of life, which is pretty impressive.”
He said much of the media coverage of the James Bay Coast is very negative but the reality is that the people who live in the area are proud and hard-working.
“Most southerners only see that negative aspect of it. It’s a different way of life. They revolve around the weather,” he said. “It’s a totally different way of life but it’s just the opposite. They love where they live and for the most part they have a good life up there.”
Ray said the Tragically Hip went over well with the population, but it was Joseph who was the star.
“They think he’s the greatest thing since sliced bread up there. He’s a huge star. There were lineups to get pictures with him and to get their books signed,” he said. “They absolutely love him. That was pretty neat to see too.”
Dad, sons go on Hip adventure
MAGNETAWAN – Snowmobiling to the James Bay Coast is not entirely uncommon for Ray Boyden, but heading that far north to check out the Tragically Hip was an adventure.
Boyden, who lives in Ahmic Harbour, and his sons 19-year-old Mackenzie and 13-year-old Jack drove north to Cochrane, hopped on their snowmobiles and headed about 400 kilometres north to Fort Albany.
According to Ray, the 800-km round trip by sled was worth it.
“We’ve done the trip quite a few times before because a good friend of ours is a hunting guide, fishing guide and snowmobile guide,” he said.
That friend, William Tozer, has a camp on the Moose River.
The reason for this particular trip was to see his brother Joseph Boyden, author of award-winning literature including Through Black Spruce and Three Day Road, as keynote speaker at The Great Moon Gathering.
“The chief of that town knew Joseph and knows Joseph is friends with Gord Downie. So the chief asked Joseph if the Tragically Hip would go up there and do a show,” he said.
So Joseph placed a call to his friend and the rest is history.
There was some additional excitement en route.
They enjoyed great weather and easygoing travel, with temperatures well above the normal -40 to -50 degrees range.
During a stop in Moosonee, Ray and the boys helped Tozer bring in his trap lines that were filled with marten as Tozer regaled them with the story of his recent adventure.
“There was a crazy but very rare animal, actually no one had ever seen one up there, a wolverine. William trapped a wolverine about a week before so that was pretty much the talk of the town — this crazy wolverine,” he said.
Ray said there is no doubt that the trek to the Far North is worth the trip.
“They are a little bit out of civilization in some ways,” he said. “A nice part of that concert was to build up and promote their actual way of life, which is pretty impressive.”
He said much of the media coverage of the James Bay Coast is very negative but the reality is that the people who live in the area are proud and hard-working.
“Most southerners only see that negative aspect of it. It’s a different way of life. They revolve around the weather,” he said. “It’s a totally different way of life but it’s just the opposite. They love where they live and for the most part they have a good life up there.”
Ray said the Tragically Hip went over well with the population, but it was Joseph who was the star.
“They think he’s the greatest thing since sliced bread up there. He’s a huge star. There were lineups to get pictures with him and to get their books signed,” he said. “They absolutely love him. That was pretty neat to see too.”