Rock Lake Solo Trip: July 10 - 13, 2007

This is the LONG awaited and much delayed trip log. I apologize for the delay in getting it posted, but I really wanted to be sure all the details were included and took my time doing it. I hope it was worth the wait! Without further delay....here it is!

WARNING: This is VERY LONG...enjoy!

ROCK LAKE SOLO TRIP LOG: JULY 10 -13, 2007 (...at least that was the plan)

Tuesday July 10, 2007- The Trip from Newcastle to Rock Lake

I woke at 3:30 am and went about showering, making breakfast and getting dressed in the clothes I had laid out the night before. I checked the Weather Network site and was pleased to see only a 30% chance of thundershowers. I had already put my gear in the trunk before going to bed, so after giving my wife a kiss (...she woke up just long enough to mumble "love you") then I was off. I pulled up to Tim's and ordered a Large coffee ( 3 milk + 2 sweetener...just in case you're interested) and a toasted bagel. Initially, I was surprised when the girl at the drive-thru told me they don't have bagels yet. "What?" I thought. Then quickly remembered it was 4:30 in the morning after all! So, with coffee already in hand I settled on a bran muffin and left Newcastle eager to get started.

I was renting my solo shearwater canoe from Algonquin Outfitters on Oxtounge Lake and finding it was my first goal for the day. The trip there was fairly uneventful. There were some periods of rain on the way north, but they were brief and since I had already checked the weather report I was not concerned in the slightest. On the way up the truck in front of me struck a deer. It was awful to watch its carcass be thrown through the air and land hard in the tall grass that lined the side of the road. I stopped to make sure the driver of the truck was OK and both he and his vehicle were fine. I thought about going over to see the deer, but chickened out. I had visions of it jumping to it's feet and stomping me to death and I made myself feel better about leaving the injured animal by saying "...what could I have done for it?". That said, I felt bad for not at least looking. On the way up I saw 4 more deer on the side of the road and it made me feel a bit better about punking out.

I arrived at the AO on Oxtounge Lake at 7:15 and since it didn't even open until 8:00 I used the time to take some pictures, write in my journal and study the map. While walking around the grounds I noticed they had these large canvas tents setup along the lake with signs numbered 1-6. I guess they are for rent? Not something I would want to do, but good for them for making money on what would be otherwise unused space. The staff arrived at 8:00 am and seemed genuinely surprised that I was there waiting for them. They took 15 minutes or so setting up their computers and were apologetic that I had to wait. Like I cared....in less then an hour I would be on Rock Lake. The staff were awesome! I had arranged to transport the canoe to Rock Lake using my vehicle ( $5.00 charge) and supply the straps, foam and show you how to do it. They were great and the two young guys ( I forget their names) were more then willing to explain why they do certain things and how to tie the cool knots they used. I chatted with them for a while about my trip and their Algonquin experiences...great guys! A little behind schedule, I pulled out at 9:00, with my canoe neatly secured to the car and headed into the park!

I had not been on Hwy 60 in a long time and I forgot how beautiful it was! As I made my way east towards Rock Lake it was cool to see the signs for all the Lakes that others had mentioned in the countless trip logs I have read since becoming interested in canoe trips a few short years ago. At first it felt a little weird driving with the canoe on the roof. Mostly because I was afraid it would fly off and become a 38 lb Kevlar missile, but it didn't even wiggle!

I arrived at the Rock Lake Permit office at 9:30. The young guy there looked up my reservation and asked all the usual questions,”licence plate number". I responded "XXX XXX". He then asked about my tent colour and I responded with a smile "...I don't have a tent, I use a hammock", trying to make it sound like I did this kind of thing all the time. He asked me a few more questions about the hammock and I told him where I got it and gave him the website. He continued to ask more questions about what it looked like and how it worked, so I gave him the web address for the blog and told him about the video Gerry and I had posted a while ago. He was very appreciative and before long I had my permit in hand and was about to leave the office. As I opened the door I turned back and asked the guy if he could look up the weather for me. He was so eager to help he was almost tripping over himself. He informed me that "... they are calling for a 40% chance of thundershowers this evening". I thanked him again and was on my way!

Tuesday July 10, 2007 - Rock Lake to Pen Lake

At 9:45 I pulled up to Rock Lake proper. I got out of the car and just stared in amazement that I was actually here and this was really happening! It looked just as Mark in the Park had described and now it was official....I was excited! Despite the numerous cars in the parking lot there were not many people at the put in. As I assembled my gear and released the straps from the canoe a small group of kids returning from South Rock Lake arrived and any silence I was enjoying was quickly broken. As I brought my pack down to the dock it was hard not to notice the tension in the voice of one of the leaders of the group of kids. "Don't throw the paddles...what are you doing?" he barked. I laughed to myself and thought of my own kids, much younger, but at times all capable of getting me in the same state. Before I had left, my daughter had drawn me a picture of here to take with me for good luck. I taped my pocked to make sure I had it with me and the crinkle of the paper was assurance enough.

Removing the canoe from the roof of the car by myself proved much easier then I had anticipated. I just lifted it up, took 3 steps back, and then placed it on the ground. Then with relative ease, moved it down to the dock and went about bolting on my cushiony Yoke pads to the removable yoke.

The canoe was light and it was very easy to lift. I was not expecting the removable yoke though, but after seeing that the seat is in the middle (I would find out later that this is standard for solo canoes) it made sense that it had to be removable. Duh! The seat was different as well. It was not fixed and could be slid forward or back....I am still not entirely sure why, but would guess that it would limit the head space while portaging?

This would be the first real field test for several new pieces of gear. The Bent Paddle, Amigo Pro Water filter, Yoke Pads and the Hennessey Hammock.

At 10:05 I loaded up my pack and took a few pictures before climbing in. I looked back at my car, took a slow deep breath and quietly said to myself "you can do this". I pushed off and paddled south.

I immediately felt the speed and ease of paddling that the bent paddle provided. It was almost effortless and I was impressed with how little energy was needed to propel myself with great speed. The paddle was awesome! Phew....I was a little worried about how it would work and with that load off my mind I weaved my way down the narrow waterway into the expanse of Rock Lake.

Before this trip, the only Algonquin experience I had was Access point #27 in Brent. It didn't take long for me to see just how different Rock Lake was from Brent. There was a lot of traffic, motor boats, canoes and kayaks streamed in every direction. Some coming from the beach just off the car camping sites and others from the countless cottages that dot the shore of Rock Lake. I could see the appeal of a cottage here, but for someone like me who only goes to Algonquin for interior trips, they were a bit of an eyesore and took away from the natural landscape.

As I continued south some very dark clouds moved in. Only a few at first, but soon they were everywhere until I could no longer see anything but a sea of gray. Once I was about half way down the lake it started to rain. Just lightly at first and I remember thinking how it felt refreshing. It was at this point that I remembered packing my rain gear in a now unreachable part of my pack. DOH! Well that gentle rain didn't last long. The sky opened up and it continued to rain hard for the next 10 minutes. Oh well, I continued to paddle south thankful that the rain had not brought any wind with it. Then without warning it just stopped and the rain disappeared as quickly as it had come.

I reached the portage from Rock to Pen Lake at 11:45 and man was it busy. There were over 10 canoes and I would guess at least 20-25 people standing, talking and portaging. It was crazy and I had never seen anything like it! I wanted to get out of there as quick as possible, but wanted to find the spring first. I had been told that there was a tapped spring here and I had no trouble finding it. After the first boardwalk follow the path to the right and it will take you right to it. I filled both my nalgene bottles and had a few sips. Ahhh great water!

I then collected my gear and walked the portage. I decided to double carry the relatively small 375 meter distance taking my pack first. The portage was easy. Some decent inclines at the start, but nothing difficult. This was my first time using the yoke pads on a canoe (Remember the Yoke pad gear test?) and they were great. Worked just as described and before long I was sitting on the dock on Pen Lake enjoying my cheese bagel lunch.

With lunch out of the way I paddled South on Pen lake and spotted a site with an awesome sand beach. On the Algonquin map it is the 3rd site down on the East shore. A bit of a peninsula that from the water looked much better then the site I had planned on staying on which was further south. I paddled over to take a closer look and it looked great, so I decided to get out. What a great site! It had everything you would want, a beach, 2 spots to put in, hills, trees and even a table that was made by tying a board between two trees. That was all I needed to convince me to make this my home for the night.

It was kind of funny how quickly I was able to set up camp. I guess when you don't bring much; you don't have much to set-up! Within 30 minutes I had set-up the kitchen, found a good spot for the food bag, hung the tarp and converted my thermarest into a chair. All I had to do now was to choose where I wanted to have my hammock. I had one place that was protected by the wind, but would not have much of a view. The other spot was on the crest of a big hill and gave views in all directions, but was very exposed to the elements. After a great deal of thought I decided on the hill top because the chance of thunderstorms was so low and I was sure the hammock could handle a minor storm, even if it was exposed.

With the hammock up I made this video tour of the site. This would be the last time I would use my camera today...shortly after this video was shot this turned into one of the most frightening experiences of my life. Please make note to the time near the end of the video...




Tuesday July 10, 2007, - Mother Nature is one Pissed Off Lady

4:35 pm:

I now set about getting diner ready. The fire pit had a great grill so I built a fire and started to cook my meal of Italian sausage on a bun with Pino Grigio. The sausage was just about cooked when it started to rain. A little at first, then an all out downpour. I grabbed the sausage and ducked under the tarp I had set up over the kitchen area. I didn't think much of the heavy rain as I ate dinner. The sausage was a little undercooked, but still good and the wine was terrific. As it continued to rain I decided to read, propped my thermarest chair on a stump and sat with my back to the wind. I continued to happily sip away at my wine as I read, all the while oblivious to what was brewing in the sky behind me.

5:05 pm:

I had been reading for about ten minutes, when I heard a loud rhythmic crashing. I looked up from my book and to see 2 foot waves smashing into the shore just north of the little cove I was in. It was at this point that I looked around and realized how dark it had become. I was thinking " ...that's weird...it's only five o'clock...” when a suddenly a huge gust of wind came out of nowhere and at the time I heard a loud CRACK! I jumped to my feet and looked behind me and was shocked by what I saw. I looked up the hill and witnessed two of the 4 ropes that tie down the tarp covering my hammock being ripped out by the force of the ever growing wind. I sprinted up the hill as the rain started to come hard and the wind continued to become more and more violent. I knew that if the other two ropes holding my tarp to the ground broke before I got there the tarp would be blown into the lake and I would be in real trouble. I was half way up the hill when I hear another loud SNAP and watched as the third rope was ripped away. The tarp, not only held on by one support rope was now being thrashed about by the now gale fore wind. I remember yelling " No....", thinking that it would let go at any moment.

I continued to run up the hill, it felt as though everything was in slow motion. The wind was now so strong that it pushed me back and it took even more effort not to be pushed down the hill. The rain was insane! It was coming down so fast and hard that it actually hurt as each drop struck me like a very truck. It wasn't even raining down anymore; the wind was pushing the rain sideways making protecting myself all but impossible. I reached the flapping corner of the tarp and it slapped me in the face for my trouble. It friging HURT, but I continued to real it in.
It was at this point that I realized three things:

1) I had put my sleeping bag and small pillow in the hammock and it was now as soaked as I was
2) The sky was a dark green colour and this storm was far from over
3) I might be in serious trouble ...

I did my best to hold the tarp over my now wet sleeping bag, all the while fighting with the wind that continued to try and rip it away from me, but I would not let go....no way! I pulled the tarp over my head, desperate to escape the liquid bullets that pounded my body. I had never felt more scared or alone in my life and I questioned why I was here by myself.
I couldn't walk away or seek shelter for fear that I would loose my tarp. After a few minutes I came to the realization that all I could do was to stand there and wait for it to be over.

I could hear faint screams coming from a site just north of me...it sounded like children and I hoped they were OK.

5:40 pm:

The wind, rain and hail continued to pound away for 35 minutes. I stood there with my upper half covered by the tarp until the rain and wind just stopped. I came out and surveyed the damage. Several trees and broken branches littered the ground. With some trepidation I inspected the tarp. The wind had ripped the ropes and the fabric loop that held them clean through. They appeared to be gone. I then spotted a large knot at realized what I was looking at. The wind had wound the three ropes into a hardball sized ball of knots and I spent the next hour and a half untying them. It was no fun, standing there, freezing cold and wet, but the fear of the storm returning was all the motivation I needed to get it done.

7:10 pm:

The ball of knots now returned to ropes. I assessed the condition of the fabric loops, found on the corners of the tarp. Three were ripped away and needed to be sewn back on. One was so badly, torn that I only had a tiny piece of fabric to sew back, but with the weather still holding I managed to sew all three back in place in an hour and fifteen minutes. My fingers were raw and bleeding from the countless needle pokes and I was getting tired, but I knew I still had work to do. I started to think about my family and my home and wished I could be transported there. I pushed these thoughts aside...I had to focus. "...c'mon Jim", I remember saying aloud, and then with tears forming in my eyes, I started to dismantle my hammock.

7:55 pm:

I needed a place with more protection from the wind...make that ANY protection from the wind. I ended up setting up the hammock in the "other location" I had considered when choosing sites just a few hours ago....man...it felt like days ago that all that happened. The bottom third of my sleeping bag was soaked, but my pillow and most of my bag remained fairly dry. Finally some good news! Before long I had set-up the hammock and was preparing to go to bed. I peeled off layers of soaked clothes. They were, so wet you would have thought I had jumped into the lake and it felt good to get them off. I got into my sleeping bag and decided to read to get my mind off of things. I reach into my pocket expecting to pull out my headlamp, but instead a color blotched piece of paper appears. I unfold it to see the picture my daughter had drawn for me, now ruined by the rain. I stared at it for a few moments and I began to feel sad. I missed them. I fell asleep within minutes.

Wednesday July 11, 2007

1:30 am:

I awoke to the feeling of rain striking me on the face. One of the fabric loops had broken again and the tarp flapped in the wind. It was raining, but not nearly has hard as before and I was thankful. I found my headlamp and my sew kit and got out...I had to sew it back on in the rain. It didn't take me as long to sew this one (only about 15 minutes), but I was standing there in my underwear and was now colder then ever. I had been using a lighter to push the needle through the thick fabric and just as I was about to tie it off the needle broke....my ONLY needle. I had done all I could do. I was about to get back in when I thought I would tie rocks to the corner ropes in case the wind picked up again. That way, the tarp would not be wiped around as much. I made quick work of it and by 2:15 I was back in the hammock and drifting back to sleep. I would wake-up a few more times throughout the night...mostly when the wind would rattle the tarp.

8:30 am:

When I woke I was pleased to see that my tarp had held and was quite proud of my idea to tie the rocks to the corners. (I would find out later that had I read the instructions, I would have already known that this is exactly what Hennessy Hammocks tell you to do in high wind...Doh!)
I was alarmed to see that my canoe had been flipped over by the wind and had a large branch in it. I approached it fearing that it had caused serious damage. The branch was 6 inches around and had landed directly on the seat, crushing it in two. The canoe however, looked fine. I took the canoe out and was relieved that it had somehow escaped without any damage. Phew! I used duct tape to piece it together and then put my nalgene bottles under the broken seat. Presto! It was a little wobbly, but it worked.

The weather was better. Still the occasional dark cloud, but no rain to speak of. I made breakfast (chocolate protein powder and Quaker instant Oatmeal....Yum!) then sat and considered my options. I still wanted to continue, but with a broken seat, damaged tarp and me being more then a little gun shy about the weather, I decided to head back to Rock Lake and go home. I then began packing up.

11:30:

After I had my bagel and cheese lunch, I took a few pictures, loaded up my canoe and pushed off. I paddled out a bit and looked back at the site...did all that really happen? Just crazy!

The paddle north on Pen was fine. The wind was high and blew me around a bit, but the waves were still manageable. I pulled up to the dock at the portage going into Rock Lake at 12:45 and there were many people just as eager to go home. I single carried this portage and at the other end a young woman helped me, put my canoe down. She took one look and my blood and dirt stained clothes and said ".you must have been on Pen Lake to?” I introduced myself and her name was Cathy. We shared stories of our experiences the night before and it turned out she was on the site just north of me with 15 kids and 3 other leaders. The screams I had heard were when one of their tents had blown into the lake...no kids in it, but the tent and the gear of 4 kids were gone. We talked for a while and she wished me well...nice girl!

The portage was even busier then when I had been here the day before. I put my canoe in the water and pushed off. I had to navigate around some guys fishing from a motor boat. They pulled out their lines, so I could pass and I waived in appreciation.

The trip back was fast. I put the bent paddle to the test and made it from the portage back to the Rock Lake take out in and 65 minutes. Funny....as I was pulling up to the dock the same fisherman that I saw at the portage were just motoring by and yelled " Nice Job buddy!", noticing how quickly I had made it up the lake. This made me puff up with pride and their were a number of people at the take out that looked in my direction after that. Very cool!

After a change of clothes. I loaded the gear, strapped down the canoe and before long I arrived back at AO to return my canoe. A young guy came up and began to help me un-strap the canoe and as he did casually asked me "Where are you coming from?". "Pen Lake" I responded. He stopped what he was doing, looked at me and said “You were on Pen Lake last night?". "Yeah" I said, half wondering why he was staring at me as though he had seen a ghost. He continued to stare at me a blurted out "...there was a tornado there last night!” Then it hit me like a hammer...green sky, sideways rain, gale winds, hail...oh my god of course it was a tornado!
As we started to remove the straps again, he asked me a bunch of questions about what it was like and I answered as best I could. I helped him carry the canoe over to the shop and told him about the seat and how it had happened. He didn't care about the damage in the slightest and we talked for a while, before I left to go settle up in the main office.

This was the official tornado warning:

5:20 PM EDT Tuesday 10 July 2007

Tornado warning for
Fenelon Falls - Balsam Lake Park - Algonquin Park- Northern Kawartha Lakes -

At 4:40 PM radar showing rotation in a line of severe thunderstorms from east of clear lake to near bolsover. Storms are moving eastward about 80 km/h.

This is a warning that severe thunderstorms with tornadoes are imminent or occurring in these regions. Monitor weather conditions. Take immediate safety precautions.


The girl in the office had pulled my reservation and had just said "...oh, you're back a couple of days early...", when the young guy that helped me with my canoe burst in saying “He was on Pen Lake last night!". Then all the 5 staff wanted to hear all about it, so I told them all the full story and they all looked at me with amazement. This single experience made the ordeal almost worth it! I then settled up and left for home.

Before pulling out of the parking lot I called Tanyia to let her know that I was OK. My fear was that she had seen the tornado warning for that area and was worried sick about me.

RING...RING...

Me: "Hey Tanyia....fist off I am OK and everything is fine."
Tanyia " OK...why are you back"
Me:" There was a tornado on the lake I stayed on last night....you didn't know?"
Tanyia: "No...I didn't want to know, so I skipped watching the weather"

Funny! Well, at least she wasn't worried!

I arrived home and my family was there to see me! I hugged and kissed them all and decided to spare the kids from hearing the details, but spilled it all to Tanyia. After I was finished she gave me a hug and said " ...you smell, go have a shower"...she always knows just what to say! LOL!


What I learned:

My goal was to learn about myself and although I didn't go the full distance, I feel I learned more about myself in 24 hours then at any point in my life. I was able to make decisions on my own, prioritize and when needed fly by the seat of my pants and these were all things I was unsure about before. I have always been an insecure guy and to some degree, probably always will be, but this experience left a positive imprint on me that have changed me for the better. I find I don't second guess myself as much anymore and I answer others with more confidence that my decision is the correct one. When I am wrong, I don't get upset about it like I used to...I just try to learn from it.

I guess the most important thing I learned was not to put limitations on myself, like " I can't do this or that because I know that if I could handle all the problems that occurred on my trip and still come out smiling...then maybe I could handle anything that came my way.

Where has the time gone?

The last week has gone by in a blur, but I have not forgotten about updating...I've just been a bit distracted. I don't have much time today, so I will just do a bullet point update for now...

• My first Triathlon 5 days away- This Sunday Aug 19th I will be competing in my first ever Tri. I feel ready and look forward to the race. Tanyia and I will be going up Saturday evening (it's in Orillia, Ontario) and staying overnight. This will be one of only a handful of times that we have had a full night to ourselves, but no alcohol for me, so Tanyia will have to drink for both of us. The race starts at 8 AM and I have to be there for 6 to do all the prep and sign in stuff. I have trained for almost 6 months for this, so despite how I may finish, in my mind I have already won

• Solo trip write up still coming- I wish I could tell you it's done, but I still have some work to do on it before it's ready.
  

• CC 2007 was Awesome- I haven't started the trip log for it yet...but it is on my to do list. It was by far the best trip to date and was filled with fun and interesting times. I took a great deal of video and will be editing and posting in the very near future...Friday maybe? I will post as soon as it is done.
  

We leave for CC2007 today!

Well.....all our new methods and equipment will be put to the test tommorow morning, but we leave for Mattawa in a couple of hours! We will stay the night at the Welcome Inn and I am sure visit McCools for a drink or two!

I wish I could say my back is in better shape, but it's not and I am more then a little nervous about how it may effect our trip. Last year my back was much worse and it was brutal dealing with the pain on out first day out. I guess I just don't want a repeat of that. Either way, I can deal with the discomfort....I am in Algonquin after all!

Things we hope will make our Trip from Brent to Robinson Lake a little easier this year:

1. Bent Paddles- I tried mine out on my solo trip ( Trip report still to come...) , but this will be the first time Gerry has used his. I am looking forward to trying them out with both of us using them...mostly 'cause I was told that we will "rocket" accross the water.
2. Yoke Pads- These are awesome and should make those long portages more managable
3. Lighter Load- We packed much smarter this year and are mostly bringing what we need and a few luxery items. That goes for food too.
4. Experience- Last year was our first time and it showed. We wasted a lot of time trying to figure out what we were doing, so I expect that it should only take us about 12 hours to get to robinson...maybe less?
5. Water shoes- I bought these cheap running shoe type water shoes, so I can keep my comfy hikers dry.
6. Water Proof Digital Camera- My camera this year is a light, shock proof and WATER PROOF camera. In the past I have always been a little nervous about pulling the digi cam out while out on the water... no worries anymore! It's also lite and only needs one battery instead of the 12 AA's my old one uesed. It has a 2 gig memory, so I plan on taking some video as well.
   
7. Amingo Pro Water Filter- I already fell in love with it on my solo trip, but can't wait for Gerry to try it out. Last year we used a hand pumped MSR filter and it was good, but took forever! It needed to be cleaned after filter only a liter of water or it jammed. Gerry ended up pumping most of the water and by the end of it I could tell he wanted to chuck it! This year all we have to do is scoop up the water and let gravity filter it. It does about a liter a minute! Not only will it make camp life easier, but it is also about a quarter the weight of the MSR.

Well that's it for now! We leave in about 2 hours and I want to spend a little more time with the kids, so wish us luck ( NO Tornados this time would be nice...) and I will report it all when I return next week!

Lastly, I just wanted to say a word of thanks to all of you that read this blog. I know I am not the greatest writter and that my spelling and grammar are far from perfect, but I love Algonquin and this place gives me a place to share that passion with all of you that feel the same way about the park. Thank you all!

Brief Update

My laptop decided to have a meltdown on Friday morning, so don't think I have jumped ship! I will post with more detail once it is up and running.

CC2007 Update:

• Jerky is made


• Food is packed


• I still have some minor packing left to do , but even that is all but completed.


• The Weather for Mattawa ( closest town to our Trip) is calling fro thundershowers on Sunday. ...I hope that changes!


• Strained my neck and lower back yesterday and it is causing me significant pain today. It is all muscular and I positive it will be healed before we leave, but still has me a little concerned.

Have a great day and say a prayer to the "computer gods" for me!

UPDATES!

In preparation for CC2007, which we leave for in just 8 days, I have been reading some of my older posts in hopes of hitting the "refresh" button on some of the details for the trip. After reading about 10 or so of these posts from last year, I started to noticed how the style of my writing has changed from a fact based style to more of a rambling first person narrative. Personally, I enjoy both, but lately I have found it hard to find the time to write it all out and it has greatly reduced the number of times I post. So for now.. I will return to the points, but don't worry, I am far too long winded for it to last long!

1. CC2007 Prep: All the lists are made, the food has been purchased and for the most part I am already packed. All I have left to do is grab some dehydrated mango and GORP from the Bulk Barn, buy some baby bell cheese ( my IGA doesn't sell it...PS- they suck!) and a few minor items from Crappy Tire and I am ready to go! As I write, 3 lbs of inside the round beef is marinating in the fridge and will be jerky by this time tomorrow. My excitement level for this trip is at an all time high and neither of us can wait to get it started!
2. How I make Canoe Trip Lists: As many of you will already know, I am crazy about lists! Much of this stems form my need to always be prepared and my fear of forgetting something important. "....I thought you brought a lighter?". Call me obsessive, neurotic or a control freak, but in my life I just feel better when everything is written out and canoe trips are no different. For our trips I have 4 main lists: Gear List, Grocery/Packed list, Meal Plan and To Do list. Here is how I do it. First thing I do is create a meal plan...nothing crazy here just 3 meal a day and what snacks and beverages we will have. From that list I then create the Grocery/Packed list that I use to buy what we need and then check it off as it is packed. The to do list is just a list of things I want to remind myself of....like " pack the freezer food" or "charge camera batteries" or "grab paddles in garage"...that sort of thing. I find this list very helpful for those little jobs that may get lost along the way. The last and most important list is the mighty Gear List. I do my Gear list a little different. I break the list into 6 headings: Clothing (including clothes worn), Kitchen Equipment, General Equipment, In my Pocket, Top of the pack and Other considerations. I then assemble everything on my dining room table ( ...my wife HATES that part) and scratch off items at they are packed. Anything that can not be packed then (like my glasses for instance) I circle, so I will notice it later.
3. Harry Potter: As I have mentioned many times, I am a total geek and just in case you need more convincing....I was in the line at midnight to pick up both my copies ( one for me and Tanyia...did I mention she's a hot geek?) last Friday night! I love the books and I am already about half way through it. It makes me a bit sad that this is the last one though and even though I am sure this is it, I am still holding out hope for another one. "...hi, my name is Jim and I am a Potter-a-holic"
4. Training: Not to sound arrogant, but I am kicking ass on the ground and in the water! My running and biking are going well, in fact, I have already bettered ( is bettered even a word?) my projected times for both. But it is my swimming that I am most proud of! I have been doing a swim program that over 3 months escalated in distance, intensity and speed and for the first time I swam the full distance, without breaks, at "race speed". I finished in 13:22 seconds which would put me in the top 100. It is just under a month until race day and I am looking forward to scaling back my workouts after the race. It has been awesome, but after doing 2 workouts a day, 6 days a week for the past 5 months I think earned a bit of down time.
5. Solo Trip Write Up: First off, thanks to everyone that has inquired and I am pleased to let you know that it about half done and I hope to post it before we leave for CC2007. The experience I gained solo has changed how I look at tripping and I hope that by doing an honest and at times embarrassing account of my trip, that others can learn from some of my mistakes.
6. History of Brent: I had intended on posting this a while ago, but never got around to it until now. It gives a brief history of the town of Brent (access point 27) and has some great pictures. Thanks Gerry!
7. Gerry's Car: As Gerry discussed in a recent post, he accidentally caused some costly damage to his car. In hopes of making him feel better about it, I figured I would share some of my more embarrassing car related mishaps. Like the time I backed out of my drive way and rammed in to my next door neighbours car causing $1000 damage or the time I rear ended an SUV at a stop sign because I had to go the the bathroom so bad I was about to pee my pants. This one caused $3700 damage to my car and nothing to the other vehicle! Another good one was while traveling through Quebec Tanyia suggested I slow down and while pointing to the busy highway, I said to her "Look at all these cars...what are the chances of me getting caught?"....5 minutes later I was being written a $300 speeding ticket. See Gerry, stuff like this happens...and fortunately for you, it seems to mostly happens to me!

Solo Trip was a bit on the crazy side..

The trip was a great learning experience and turned out to be more then I thought it would be. That said, I ended up coming home early because of damage caused to my canoe and my hammock when a tornado touched down on the southern part of Pen Lake....that's right, I said a tornado! I will do a full write up about the experience in the next few weeks, but for now I am focused on CC2007!

Gerry and I had planned on staying at the hotel across from McCools in "downtown" Mattawa, but it's completely booked. Who would have guessed Mattawa would be such a popular tourist destination? Anyway, we have booked at the Welcome Inn (same place as last year...) for the night of August 2nd.

I don't have much time today, but I promise to update on Friday!

It's 4 AM....I must be leaving for Algonquin!

I am just about to leave, but I just wanted to post one last time and I will update when I return.....I am off to Algonquin!!!

Canoe Quote

"What sets a canoeing expedition apart is that it purifies you more rapidly and inescapably than any other travel. Travel a thousand miles by train and you are a brute; pedal five hundred on a bicycle and you remain basically a bourgeois; paddle a hundred in a canoe and you are already a child of nature."

Pierre Elliot Trudeau

What does that mean?

Ever wonder what the weather man really means by scattered clouds? I found at the National Weather Service site...

PRECIPITATION
Technically, the Probability of Precipitation (often referred to as a "POP") is defined as the likelihood of occurrence (in percent) of a measurable amount of liquid precipitation (or water equivalent of frozen precipitation) during a specified period of time at any given point in the forecast area.

The following are precipitation probabilities used by the National Weather Service.

POP Percentage	Expression/Uncertainty	Areal Qualifiers
0 Percent	None	None
10 Percent	ISOLATED or None	ISOLATED or None
20 Percent	SLIGHT CHANCE	ISOLATED
30-50 Percent	CHANCE	SCATTERED
60-70 Percent	LIKELY	NUMEROUS
80-100 Percent	(none)	OCCASIONAL or PERIODS OF

SKY CONDITION
Forecasts normally include a sky condition unless it is implied from another part of the forecast. Below are terms we use to describe the sky condition:

Descriptive Term	Predominant or Average Cloud Cover
CLEAR or SUNNY	No clouds
MOSTLY SUNNY or MOSTLY CLEAR	1/8 to 2/8 clouds
PARTLY CLOUDY or PARTLY SUNNY	3/8 to 5/8 clouds
MOSTLY CLOUDY (sometimes CONSIDERABLE CLOUDINESS)	6/8 to 7/8 clouds
CLOUDY	8/8 clouds
Also used: INCREASING CLOUDS DECREASING CLOUDS

Weekend Update and I Leave Tomorrow

This weekend was awesome!Friday night Tanyia and I decided to stay in and rent a movie. I looked at the new releases, but there was nothing that really interested me. Although Hollywood can still occasionally hit a home run, I have found that most new movies are predictable and poorly written. The slide in quality started about 10 years ago and it's not that all new films are bad...it's just that most use the same plot line and that's just boring! So, with me unable to find a suitable movie, I decided to rent one that I had seen, but Tanyia had not. The movie Lucky Number Slevin is one of my all time favorite movies. In fact it is number 2 in my top 10, second only to The Shawshank Redemption my perennial number one. Anyway, Tanyia loved the film and I loved seeing it again. If you haven't seen it, you may want to rent it if you should ever find yourself lost in the sea of Blockbusters yellow and blue.

Saturday Gerry and I went over to his brother-in-laws place to watch the UFC event. He has one of those "Free-to-air receivers" and after seeing it in action I am pretty sure I'll get one. The fights were the best yet and it was great to spend some time with Gerry.

Sunday was split between training, my final preparations for the trip and family stuff. I weighed my pack and it came in at 52 lbs . That's food, gear and even my life jacket! I wondered how this compared to our packs from last years trip and so I looked it up in an old post.

Gerry' Pack 53 lbs (with full water bladder)
Jim's Pack 47 lbs (with empty water bladder)

Food Bag 30 lbs!

I thought that my bag was lighter then last year, but considering I am carrying everything myself I think I did a good job of keeping it fairly lite. The food is bag weight is hilarious. After seeing that we brought 30 lbs of food last year I had to see what my food bag was. Including 750 ml of wine, all meals and snacks it weighed in at a whopping 5.5 lbs! I learned a lot last year and so I only brought what I needed plus snacks, wine and an extra days food should I get wind bound.


All weekend they were predicting rain on 2 of my 4 days in Algonquin, but that all changed this morning when I checked the weather network site for Dwight....nothing but sunshine all week! I am still prepared for the possibility of rain, but let's face it....the trip would be much better without it! Keep your fingers crossed for me.

I will try to post again before I leave, but just in case I don't get the chance I will post pictures and of course keep a journal of the trip and post upon our return. Lastly, thanks to everyone that has taken time out of their day to check out my blog, it makes keeping it up to date so much easier with all of your help. Thanks everyone!!!

Awesome Gift

Like many people, I love coffee. The aroma of fresh pot of java is one of those things that can make me feel at home, regardless of where I may be and our canoe trips are no exception.

We have tried a few different ways of preparing coffee while in Algonquin. The first was the French press which worked well, but is just not practical for interior camping. We have also used these little bags you fill with coffee, then using a little stick hang it over your mug. This worked OK and was light, but it was too easy to get coffee grounds in our mugs. It seemed there was not a perfect solution.

That all changed yesterday when Gerry arrived at my place with a gift he had picked- up from MEC. It's called the GSI H2JO! Coffee Filter and it's a metal coffee filter that converts any Nalgene bottle into a a simple coffee brewer! I plan to try it tonight, but it looks amazing and will no doubt become a staple on all our trips.

Thanks Buddy!

Rain Rain Go Away...

Yesterday the weather for my trip took a turn for the worse. In the area surrounding Dwight (closest town to Rock Lake) they were calling for rain for most of next week....DOH!! Not that big a deal, but when I imagined my evenings to be spent by the fire, with a wine in one hand and a book in the other, not hunkered down under a blue tarp.

This morning though, everything is looking up! They are now forecasting for rain most of the weekend and clear sunny skies for my trip....YEAH! It seems funny that the weather can change that much in such a short time. It makes me wonder how accurate these "predictions" really are.

Rain or shine I leave in just over 3 days...

Fishing Cedar Lake

Someone mentioned that Jake Pigeon has a map on display where he has circled all the best fishing spots. Something Gerry and I should check out when we are up there for CC2007.

Here is the quote:i

"...Your best bet for information is to talk with Jake or Bonney Pigeon who run the store for Algonquin Outfitters at Brent. There is a map displayed under glass at the counter that shows where to target for what species. They won't give you a copy (for good reason) so you'll have to do your best to remember those that are close to where you are camping."

A few links for Rock Lake Solo

1. Driving directions
2. Mark in the Park Rock Lake trip log

9. Rock Lake (Copied from Algonquin Adventures trip logs)

(9.1) Loop: 3 - 5 days - via Pen, Welcome, Florence and Louisa Lake - Margaret Kean's "Visitors". (Brief text account, with e-mail contact)

(9.2) There and back: 2 days - to Welcome Lake - Cheryl's "Rock Lake to Welcome Lake" trip-log. (Substantial text account with three photos and email contact)

(9.3) There and back: 3 days - to North Grace Lake by way of Louisa Lake - Randy Born's "Rock, Louisa and North Grace Lakes - May 8-10, 2004 " trip-log. (Text account with three photos)

(9.4) There and back: 4 days - Pen, Clydegale, Welcome, Harry, Rence, Clydgale and Pen Lakes (with detours to Galeairy Lake) - Randy Born's "May of 2004, Phase Two" trip-log. (Text account with six photos)

(9.5) Loop: 5 days - Pen, Welcome, Harry and Louisa Lakes - May 12th to 16th, 2005 Markus Rubino's "Pen - Louisa Loop" trip-log. (9.6) There and Back: 3 days - north of Highway 60 to Redfox and Hiram Lakes - extensive portaging by logging road - May 21-23, 2004 Markus Rubino's "Hiram Lake Portage" trip-log.

(9.7) There and Back: 6 days - South to a basecamp on Pen Lake, with daytrips to Clydegale, Welcome and Harry Lakes "Rob W's Algonquin Spring Fishing May 9 - 13, 2005 trip-log. (text, photos and website).

(9.8) There and Back: 4 days - Portage to Pen Lake, with daytrips to adjacent lakes Mike and Laurie’s 3 Nights On Pen Lake trip-log. (text & photos).

(9.9) There and Back: 6 days - to Pen and Welcome Lakes, with a daytrip to Harry and Rence Lakes - Tom Yates' "The Yates Group Trip 2006". (text & photos).

(9.10) Loop: 5 days - solo "folbot" trip through Pen, Welcome, Harry, Rence, Frank, Florence Lakes and Lake Louisa - Jim FitzSimmons' "Algonquin Journal - 2006". (text & photos).

"What canoe did you rent?"

I was just asked the following question:

"Hey, for your solo trip, what canoe did you rent? Like size and weight? I am wondering if I should rent a solo, or a 15-16 foot lightweight. I am leaning to the latter. Thanks."

I considered renting a larger canoe, but it can be difficulty to maneuver a tandem canoe solo and I wanted it to be lite. The best compromise of weight and stability was the Swift Shearwater Kevlar fusion and it weighs in at a slender 38 lbs!

For any other details on the Shearwater click HERE and thanks for your interest!

Robinson Lake...Hammock?

A few weeks ago Gerry pointed out a potential problem with our using our Hennessy Hammocks while staying on Robinson Lake. Gerry said "...I wonder if there will be enough trees"....DOH!

We had spotted this site while on the 2006 trip, but that was almost a year ago and I couldn't remember the size of any of the trees. But while I was sifting through some of our pics I came across the ones we took while surveying the site and the answer was clear.

It will not be an issue....

Solo Trip Countdown Continues...JUST 5 DAYS!

Last night Tanyia and I took the kids to see the new kids movie Ratatouille. As we sat in the theater Tanyia leans over to me and whispers in my ear "...a week from now you'll be in Algonquin", then smiles. She knows how much I have been looking forward to this and she has been so supportive. I reached over and gave her hand a little squeeze in appreciation. Even before she said it, I knew it was just a week away, but at that moment it really struck me...in a week I will be in Algonquin...alone. In fact, this will be the first time I have ever been alone for more then a couple of hours. Earlier I wrote about how I was feeling anxious/excited about the trip, but over the weekend any anxiety was devoured by my excitement as I did the bulk of my trip preparations.

Gerry was kind enough to lend me his dehydrator, so I could try me hand at making beef jerky again. This was the 3rd time I had made jerky and by far the best. I used the same soy sauce based recipe that we enjoyed last year, but kept a real eye one the beef this year to avoid over drying. Gerry also suggested that I rotate the rings of the dehydrator every couple of hours, moving the one closest to the heat to the top. I also used a bit of the hot sauce that I had left out last year. All of this, combined with a 48 hour marinate in the fridge produced my best jerky yet! It is almost the perfect texture... not to wet or dry and the flavour is awesome. After a couple of bites you stat to feel a bit of heat coming, but just as you think it might get hot, the heat pulls back. PERFECT! Here is the Recipe if anyone is interested:

INGREDIENTS:
2 pound eye of round
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoon brown sugar
2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

I also spent the weekend packing all of my gear and most of the food. The pack is already so much lighter then last year, but I will weight it and post the final total a little later in the week. I have decided to bring a few luxury items, like my hard cover of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, three 250 ml tetra packs of a very nice Pino Grigio from Three Thieves and the Therm-a-rest chair..thanks Gerry.

The weather for my trip is looking great! No sign of rain and sunny every day. The only down side is at night is will drop to just 9 Celsius, which seems pretty cold for July, but who cares I will be asleep. With the temps dipping that low I imagine the night sky will be clear for stargazing.

At this point I have done everything I can do. I've realized that I need this level of preparedness to feel confident I can handle a trip like this. The last thing I need is to get out there and realize I forgot to bring *BLANK* and that *BLANK* would have made the trip so much better. So...my obsessive compulsive personality compels me to make lists, then triple check the lists to make sure I haven't forgotten anything. Once this is done, all I can do is worry I left something off of one of the lists in the first place...but that would never happen right? ....RIGHT?

Things that make me smile!

I haven't been feeling myself lately and can't put my finger on what (if anything) is wrong. It's not that I am feeling unwell at all, I just don't seem to have the same drive to do the things that usually make me feel happy. In an effort to snap out of this mental funk I thought I would put together a list of the things that make me happy.

NOTE: I have omitted my wife and kids as they it should go without saying

1. Hockey Night in Canada Theme Song - It still gives me chills.
   
2. Cleaning my Home- When the house is spotless I am at peace...crazy but true!
3. To Do Lists- I have so many lists and each time I scratch a completed task off it makes me smile...I know this too is a bit crazy
4. Singing while Driving- Few things make me this happy...not so good for anyone else in the car. To quote Gerry "....so you think you're a good singer eh?".
5. Post workout Glow- Must feel endorphins!!
6. Going to my Parents home- They are everything to me!
7. Watching my Kids play sports- I am the annoyingly loud guy cheering every moment of the game
8. When the Leafs Score- Everyone gets a high five...even the dog! (family tradition)
9. Gerry- We don't spend as much time together as we used to, but I enjoy any time we hang out
10. Algonquin- Going to the park, reading trip logs or writing about it here.
    

Going Solo in Just 10 days!

In just 10 short days I will be leaving on my first solo trip and I am feeling an odd mix of nervous and excited. This will be the first time I have ever gone on "vacation" by myself and it will be interesting to see how I react to that kind of solitude. I have always been a fairly insecure guy and throughout my life I have surround myself with people with strong personalities to help me make the best choices. It's not that I can't make up my own mind, I just prefer to have someone give a second opinion and more often then not, this gives me a little extra confidence that I am making the best decision. Needless to say, second opinions will be in short supply on my solo trip, so my ability to make decisions without any back-up will be put to the test and it has me feeling kind of scared. I just hope that these feelings are all part of a process that will have me return a more well rounded tripper and person. Hmmm....still not 100% convinced I can handle being alone for that long, but I am eager to find out either way. 10 days and counting!

I plan to do the few things I have on my "to do" list this weekend. Nothing to crazy, but it all takes time and since I have a 4 day weekend I figured it would be better to get it out of the way now.

Solo Trip To Do List:

1. Clean camera memory
2. Charge camera batteries
3. Make beef jerky
4. Do final gear assembly
5. Weigh pack
6. Food pack up (minus freezer stuff)
7. I am sure there are a few other things as well.... :)
   

While I was checking out my gear the other day I discovered that I have lost both of the carbon fiber stays to convert my thermarest pad into a chair. I called the company, but they were no help, so I will have to buy a new one before CC2007. Gerry is going to lend me his for my solo trip so I won't have to sit on the ground. Thanks dude!

I had ordered a pair of amphibious sandals from MEC and they arrived yesterday. They are just awesome, but they have given me blisters on one foot. I called the company and since they don't make half sizes there was not much they could do. I love the sandals, but can't deal with blisters, so back to MEC they go.

This weekend it my second favorite day of the year! Yes, Sunday is the first day for NHL's Unrestricted Free Agents and it is always an exciting day. I am not sure what the Leafs will be doing, but I have heard that they are very interested in signing Ryan Smith. Coverage begins on TSN at 10 or 11 am and I will be watching and praying that the leafs can sign some big names and unload some of there garbage IE Pavel Kubina.

My tri training continues to go well, but I have been getting a little bored with biking, so I decided to mix it up a bit. On Tuesday I went for an 80 km ride to my parents place in Uxbridge and it was just what I needed to add some excitement back into my workouts. On all my rides I attach my Garmin Forerunner to the handlebars and it tracks my heart-rate, speed and all the usual GPS stuff. In all I burnt 2800 calories and It took me 2 hours and 30 minutes. On one hill I reached a top speed of 56 km/hr...on a bicycle! It was so awesome! Tanyia and my boys drove up to have a swim before we loaded up the bike and made our way home. What a great day!

Hennessy Hammock Gear Test Video

Last Friday evening Gerry and I did a complete set-up of our hammocks and caught it all on video. This video is not exactly a gear test....it's more of a way of showing anyone who might be interested in buying one just how easy they are to set-up.

One of the things perspective Hennessy Hammock owners can' t fully appreciate from the video is how comfortable these things are. Once I got over my fear of the whole thing crashing of the ground I was able to lye back in absolute comfort as the breeze gently rocked me back and forth. After 5 minutes I was starting to feel like a 220 lb infant and had to get out to avoid falling asleep.

We are both very excited to use these on our trip this year and without further delay, here is the video...

PS- Make sure you listen carefully to here Gerry scream like a girl with excitement...and no, I am not kidding. It's just that good!

Leave No Trace

I found a great site that descibes the 7 elements to the "Leave No Trace" method of camping and conservation. It's a great summery and I figured some of you may be as interested in it as me.
Leave No Trace Principles

The Leave No Trace Principles of outdoor ethics form the framework of Leave No Trace's message:

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
4. Leave What You Find
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
6. Respect Wildlife
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

Plan Ahead and Prepare

• Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you'll visit.
• Prepare for extreme weather, hazards, and emergencies.
• Schedule your trip to avoid times of high use.
• Visit in small groups when possible. Consider splitting larger groups into smaller groups.
• Repackage food to minimize waste.
• Use a map and compass to eliminate the use of marking paint, rock cairns or flagging.

Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

• Durable surfaces include established trails and campsites, rock, gravel, dry grasses or snow.
• Protect riparian areas by camping at least 200 feet from lakes and streams.
• Good campsites are found, not made. Altering a site is not necessary.
• In popular areas:
• Concentrate use on existing trails and campsites.
• Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or muddy.
• Keep campsites small. Focus activity in areas where vegetation is absent.
• In pristine areas:
• Disperse use to prevent the creation of campsites and trails.
• Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.

Dispose of Waste Properly

• Pack it in, pack it out. Inspect your campsite and rest areas for trash or spilled foods. Pack out all trash, leftover food, and litter.
• Deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6 to 8 inches deep at least 200 feet from water, camp, and trails. Cover and disguise the cathole when finished.
• Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.
• To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Scatter strained dishwater.

Leave What You Find

• Preserve the past: examine, but do not touch, cultural or historic structures and artifacts.
• Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
• Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.
• Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.

Minimize Campfire Impacts

• Campfires can cause lasting impacts to the backcountry. Use a lightweight stove for cooking and enjoy a candle lantern for light.
• Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings, fire pans, or mound fires.
• Keep fires small. Only use sticks from the ground that can be broken by hand.
• Burn all wood and coals to ash, put out campfires completely, then scatter cool ashes.

Respect Wildlife

• Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them.
• Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers.
• Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash securely.
• Control pets at all times, or leave them at home.
• Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter.

Be Considerate of Other Visitors

• Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.
• Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.
• Step to the downhill side of the trail when encountering pack stock.
• Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors.
• Let nature's sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises

We lost the contest?

OK so we entered the Algonquin Adventures photo contest and neither of us won. I am surprised that either Gerry or I didn't win something, as I thought our pics were good....but I guess not good enough? I think I was looking at our photos through the same eyes as a new mother would look at her ugly baby. Does she ever think her baby is ugly?

The ones that one were great and I begrudgingly congratulate all the winners.

CLICK HERE to judge for yourself.

If this doesn't get you missing Algonquin...

Found this great video on youtube of two friends trip to Crow Lake. It includes some wild video of the climb up the abandoned fire tower and the view from the top. There are also some great shot of the tow of them that has given me some great idea for my trip with Gerry.

Take a look!

It's official....I am getting excited!

With only 24 days remaining until my solo trip and just 48 days before Gerry and I leave for CC2007 it is all becoming very real. Until now I have been able to distract myself making lists, collecting gear and reading the countless trip logs available, but with just a few weeks before I go on my first ever solo trip the reality of what I am doing has started to set in.

Solo tripping is going to be very different then what I have done in the past. I have always had someone with me and almost every time, that someone has been Gerry. Having a friend like him is like being able to pick someone to be a member of your family. We have a "brother-like" friendship that is perfect for canoe tripping and despite our relative inexperience, there was always a feeling that together we could face whatever challenge stood before us. I found I was able do things collectively that I am not sure I could do on my own. So in many ways, my solo trip is as much about testing my abilities then it is about seeing a section of the park that is new to me. I am feeling a bit anxious about being alone for that long and what feelings that may evoke. I remember a section of Chris Lawsons trip log of his first solo trip and where he was trying to sleep, but his mind kept racing with every bump in the night. I have a feeling I will be much like that for the first few nights and plan to record it all for a trip log of my own. Here is an exert:

"At around 1:20am I was just coming out of my third or fourth abortive attempt at sleep. I desperately wanted the night to be over so I could get up. Not since I hit puberty have I ever left bed willingly to say nothing of longing for it. I heard a wolf howling off in the distance.

But then I heard what seemed like half a dozen wolves howling in response. Only these were close. From what I could gather from the direction, they were maybe across the river from my site, maybe 50m away? I could hear their footfalls. Some were howling, some were whimpering. I could hear one (some) growl while others cried in response. Clearly there was some disagreement going on.

This went on for a few minutes. Distant howl, next door neighbours' chorus. Then I heard a splash. One or several or all were coming across to check out the food smells from my site. And when they found nothing but granola and cocktail rye, were they going to be pissed. Maybe the one that lost the fight was coming over to pick on something easier. Like a chipmunk, or me.

Of course, wolves don't attack humans. They just howl a lot and chase the things they like to eat. And it's estimated that there are between 30 and 35 packs of them ranging throughout Algonquin Park. And had I been in a better frame of mind, I might have just considered myself lucky to have encountered them and might have longed for an actual sighting.

But I wasn't. I was scared. The howling stopped after a few minutes and I hazed in and out of consciousness.

I recall spending borderless periods of time analysing noises: stubble scraping sleeping bag. Breathing through nose impeded by slight congestion. Stomach grumbling. Breeze rustling tarp. Squirrel climbing tree - fuck there he goes. Oh well, just so long as he spares me a tablespoon of coffee.

The next thing I remember is needing to go to the bathroom, being overjoyed at the fact that it was 6:10am. And my food bag was still intact. Hallelujah. "


I will be bringing my small waterproof point and shoot camera and my other digital camera that has a viewfinder. The waterproof Olympus is a far better digital camera, but I have found it difficult to frame a subject given the glare on the 4 X 3 screen. Anyone have a suggestion? The point and shoot also has a fairly decent video mode and I plan to shoot as much video as possible....maybe even a video diary.

I have been thinking about getting a small USB voice recorder to track my progress/feelings on the trip to use when writing the trip log and maybe a podcast.

My kids are a little to young to do any serious camping, so we are pulling them out of school next week and taking them to Sandbanks Provincial Park for 3 days. We are all very excited and looking forward to spending some time together without any distractions. I booked it about a month ago thinking the kids would be done school by then...but it turns out they are. Oh well, all the grades are already in and they don't get homework for the rest of the year anyway. I plan on bringing my Hennessy Hammock and giving it a real test drive one of our 3 nights as well. I just hope the weather at Sandbanks remains as nice as is predicted.

The countdown continues....thanks for reading everyone!

Fat Rage

Gerry wrote in a recent post about how athletic types are likely to voice there intolerance for fat people. We had recently talked about it and when the subject was first brought up I figured it would be directed at those that are overweight and chose to do nothing about it. But if seems that it is a much broader then that. Gerry points out that for many of these people they walk a thin line that at best is intolerance, but at times boarders on hate. Hate of them being at the gym, exercising, dieting or doing anything to change the habits that contributed to their obesity in the first place. Huh? How the hell are they supposed to lose weight then? It even

I have observed it happening a lot at my gym. These uber fit guys quietly (sometimes loudly) make fun of the fat people working out. It's just disgusting!

I have my own issues with people that are overweight, but only for those that are doing nothing to change. For example, anyone that is overweight and is suffering life altering or even potentially life ending health problems as a direct result of being fat should be doing WHATEVER IT TAKES to address the problem and if they do I applaud any effort....even one that fails. But if someone decides to do nothing to change their, smoking, diet, activity and lifestyle......then just shut up and live with the decision you have made. Don't whine to the rest of the world how unfair it is that you can't have another triple bi-pass surgery....please just shut up and quietly wait to die.

Stop bugging me!

It's no secret that Gerry and I love Algonquin Park. The Lakes, wildlife and unspoiled wilderness are just a few of the things that keep us coming back year after year. The only down side are the relentless army of mosquitoes, black and horse flies that also call the park home.

We have been fairly lucky when it comes to bugs. Most sites we have had are exposed and windy, so the bugs are not a factor. The same can not be said for the portages and I have found them to be much worse when I am carrying the canoe and unable to swat them away. This is where repellent is a must.

There are lots of repellent products that have DEET in them, so I thought I would collect some information that would be useful to those considering this product or that.

Which insect repellent is most effective?

DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide, N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide) is the most thoroughly studied insect repellent, and is considered to be the most effective agent available.

Is DEET safe?

DEET is considered to be very safe when used as directed. Few reports of serious problems with DEET exist, and most have been associated with long-term or excessive use.

Are there non-DEET alternatives?

Citronella oil, lavender oil, and p-menthane-3,8-diol are also registered insect repellents available in Canada. While they have been shown to provide some protection against mosquitoes, they generally do not provide the same level or duration of protection as DEET.

How long do insect repellents protect against mosquitoes?

Approximate protection times against mosquitoes for registered repellents are listed in Table 1. For DEET, duration of protection is related to its concentration in the repellent. Products with 30% or less DEET will provide sufficient protection against bites. Higher concentrations may be associated with increased health risks when used long-term. This is why Health Canada is phasing out repellents which contain more than 30% DEET.


• Products containing 30% DEET provide up to 5 hours of protection.
• Products containing 20% DEET provide almost 4 hours of protection
• Products with 10% DEET provide almost 2 hours of protection
• Products with 5% DEET provide an 1 hour of protection.

Solo trip Meal Plan

Four Day Meal Plan for Solo Trip

Day 1:
• Breakfast- ON THE ROAD
• Lunch- Bagels with deli meat, cheese,
• Dinner- Sausage on a bun, White wine, flakie
Day 2:
• Breakfast- Protien/Oatmeal, coffee
• Lunch- Bagel, bacon, cheese
• Dinner- Side Kick/ TVP, White wine
Day 3:
• Breakfast- Protein/Oatmeal, coffee
• Lunch- Tuna Wraps,
• Dinner- Side Kick/ TVP, White wine
Day 4:
• Breakfast- Protein/Oatmeal , coffee
• Lunch- English Muffin, Bacon
Snacks:
• Jerky
• Dehydrated Mango,
• Flakies
• Granola Bars
• Oatmeal/Protein
Liquids:
• Coffee
• Crystal Light
• GORP



Grocery List:
1. 3 – Bagels
2. 1/4 lb. Ham
3. 4 oz Cheese
4. 2 – Sausage
5. 2 – Buns
6. White Wine
7. 1 packs – Pre-cooked bacon
8. 4 servings of coffee, whitener, sweetener
9. 4 servings of green tea
10. 2 – Side Kick Pastas
11. 2 – Servings of TVP
12. 12 – Instant Oatmeal
13. 6 – Servings of protien
14. 1 – Tuna in a bag
15. 2 – Whole Wheat wraps
16. 1 Lg Pack of Beef Jerky
17. Dehydrated mango
18. Dehydrated Watermelon
19. 6 Flakies
20. 10 Sweet and Salty bars
21. Crystal light crystals
22. 1/4 lb GORP

Absolutely Hilarious Canoe Related Stand-Up

Why... Why...Why?

"Why would you ever want to do a canoe trip like that?"

To anyone that has experienced the many things Algonquin has to offer this may seem like a strange question....or at least I thought so, when asked recently. The funny thing is it wasn't the first time I have been asked this and I am sure it won't be the last either. As Gerry and I can attest, once you have been exposure to the natural beauty that the park has to offer there is no escaping its lure, but trying to explain that to someone that hasn't... is almost impossible. Since the main reason why I love our trips is based on the feelings they evoke, I am at a complete loss to explain all of that to anyone hasn't done it. So I have a simple way of answering...

Some people really "get" canoe tripping and some really don't. For my part I am glad both Gerry and I do.

Albert Einstein, although not talking about canoe tripping, sums it all up quite well...

"A human being is part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. We experience ourselves, our thoughts and feelings as something separate from the rest. A kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from the prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."

Albert Einstein, 1954

Meal Plan Finalized.....Again

Gerry and I have finalized our meal plan for CC. 2007. It was actually done some time ago, but either our palates have changed or the fact that we leave in in a mere 57 days has forced us to take a hard look at what we need and not got caught up in last years trap of "...this would be nice".

So without further delay, here is the Final (...I hope) meal plan for CC 2007 and below that you will find our Grocery list. At a glance it would appear that we are bringing about 1/3 the food we did last year, so that equates to about 10-15 lbs of food. Compared to the whopping 36 lbs of food we brought last year, of which we ate less then half and even that was often forced down.

C.C 2007 Five Day Meal Plan

Day 1

• Breakfast- ON THE ROAD
• Lunch- Bagels with deli meat, cheese,
• Dinner- Sausage on a bun, White wine, carrot cake


Day 2:

• Breakfast- English Muffin, eggs, bacon, hash browns, coffee
• Lunch- Bagel, bacon, cheese
• Dinner- Ham Steaks, instant mashed potatoes, White wine

Day 3:

• Breakfast- Protein/Oatmeal, coffee
• Lunch- Tuna Wraps,
• Dinner- Steak , Side Kick Pasta

Day 4:

• Breakfast- Protein/Oatmeal , coffee
• Lunch- English Muffin, Bacon
• Dinner- Pasta Side Kick/ Textured Vegetable Protein

Day 5:

• Breakfast- Protein/Oatmeal
• Lunch- ON THE ROAD

Snacks:

• Jerky
• Dehydrated Mango, Watermelon
• Flakies
• Granola Bars
•Oatmeal/Protein

Liquids:

• Coffee
• Gatorade Crystals
• GORP



Grocery List:

1. 4 – Bagels
2. ½ lb. Deli Meat
3. 8 oz Cheese
4. 4 – Sausage
5. 4 – Buns
6. White Wine
7. Small Carrot Cake
8. 6 – English Muffins
9. 500ml – Flavored Egg whites
10. 2 packs – Pre-cooked bacon
11. 3 cups – Hash Browns
12. 14 servings of coffee, whitener, sweetener
13. 6 servings of tea
14. 2 – Ham Steaks
15. 1 – Side Kick Mashed Potatoes
16. 2 – Side Kick Pastas
17. 12 – Instant Oatmeal
18. 2 – Tuna in a bag
19. 4 – Whole Wheat wraps
20. 2- Steaks
21. Roast for Jerky
22. Dehydrated mango
23. Dehydrated Watermelon
24. 8 Flakies
25. 26 Sweet and Salty bars
26. Gator-aid crystals
27. ½ lb GORP