I'll post a trip specific blog shortly but we spent four nights/five days in the BWCA where we canoed over 30 miles and portaged 5 combined miles. On the last day and only a mile from 'civilization' I managed to put myself in one of those rare situations that could go horribly wrong - or with the right people, be able to sit back and write about.
During the last leg of a short portage I was carrying the canoe (45lbs), Duluth Pack (50lbs?) and day pack (5lbs?). I stepped onto a large rock (normal for the BWCA) but slipped off and with the weight of the gear and 2' fall managed to break my leg in two place (a Pilon fracture). As I was falling I saw the lower part of my leg bow in an unnatural fashion outward, as the canoe and gear fell ontop of me. I think the sound of the bone snapping was covered by the canoe and gear hitting the rocks (and my horrible screams).
After a minute of adrenaline pumping screams i was able to calm myself down. Thanks to my son and good friend they immediately went to splinting my leg using tree branches, sweatshirt and electrical tape.Not knowing the specific's (but i was 99% sure it fractured). They loaded me into the canoe and we moved on. We only had a short paddle up creak to reach the next portage which was less than 10 rods. I was able to hop and use the canoe paddles as crutches.
The next paddling section was less than 200 yrds before we reached the final portage of 160 Rods, uphill and through mud. Once again, my group fashioned a portable chair using two wooden canoe paddles and some rope (Thrashing). We were able to go 20 yds then i would hop 20 yds and then they would carry me again. It was going well until one of the paddles broke. That sent another blood curtailing scream through woods as my 'bad' leg instinctively tried to catch the fall. After a short recoup we just made our way, should on shoulder until we reached 'civilization' (the car).
My next decision was whether to get treated at the Ely Hospital (after making a quick stop at the DQ for a bacon cheese burger, Smore Blizzard and some fries (remember, we had been living on filtered lake water, noodles and fish). Keeping a close eye on my toes (see photo above) I was able to determine I was maintaining good per-fusion, mobility and sensation (PMS) so the decision was made to keep driving towards the "Cities" (Mpls/St.Paul)
In route the pain was surprisingly manageable. Not sure if was shock but the last blood curtailing scream came about 4hrs into the drive when my right calf cramped into a rock solid softball - anyone who knows about cramping calf's is the first reaction is to flex the ankle/foot to counteract......wrong move on a potentially fractured leg. Between my screams to "Stop" the calf from cramping and the NO - Keep driving to the driver it took me a few minutes to recover from this episode....which happened two more time in the ride.
6 hours later we finally arrived at Tria Orthopedics. After careful consideration I decided to go to the place that specializes in athlete injury's versus the 'general' hospital (Methodist) where I would be competing for attention with people suffering from illness, colds and other maladies. 
At Tria I was seen right away and there were kudo's on the quality of the splinting. The leg definitely had a deformity and the foot is a bit askew. So the prognoses....Not Good. CSCAN today.
Meet with Surgeon on Thursday. Surgery in 7-10 days. No driving, No Fire Department, No running, No Cycling, No Walking, No water skiing, etc......... for a while.
I am told that I have one of the 'worlds foremost expert' on this type of surgery.
So, for now I am set up in my 'home-office' with leg elevated, laptop on lap, phone in hand and a loving family to help me get around.......plus a good mix of pain medications.
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