Steps = 16,163Mileage = approximately 6.4 miles (per my pedometer, Pam thought it closer to 5.5)
Camp: Hazel Campsite
I didn't sleep much at all last night. I wasn't feeling nervous at all but that doesn't mean I wasn't. We did go to bed pretty early so that may have affected me. I am more of a night person. It didn't get dark ever really but it got most dark around 10:30 or 11pm. The last time I saw was about 3:30am and then woke again around 6am. That didn't seem to affect me too much on the trail though. It was just frustrating.
I also woke up with a mosquito bite on my left eyelid. So I look like I've been in a fight or something. I find this one funny. But it's a reminder to put the bug repellent on first thing!
We got on the trail around 10am. I know this is late for hardcore people. And I'll try to do better in the future. But I, as those close to me know, am a futzer. Unintentionally. Though with this situation, I don't believe I am actually futzing. I believe that I am still learning what needs to be done and how to do it. And therefore should get some slack regarding the amount of time it takes me to get ready. lol Pam was very patient and seemed to be trying to pace herself with me. But she knows what she needs to do and when so I'm sure that was hard for her!
The hiking is hard! Surprise! lol Emma Blue is doing SO great!! Milo, Pam's dog, a retired sled dog, leads us, then Pam, then Emma right on Pam's heels. And then I come along about 20 yards back. I stop to take photos and am being extremely mindful of my steps. There are a lot of roots and rocks hidden under high grass. Pam stops about every hour for a break, which works great for me. The first stop was at another part of Carlson Pond where Emma and Milo could sortof play in water... though mainly it was mud. We refilled water bottles even though the water wasn't the greatest source. But out here you never know when you'll get another source. Pam has tablets to treat the water and I have a filtering system. So we are okay even if we have to drink this water. The dogs drink freely. We didn't stop too long. Though I did take time to put a mole skin on a scar I have on my foot that seems to be rubbing or something. Nothing major but I don't want it to turn into anything major either. Off we go again... same order.
Lunch was at yet another side of Carlson Pond, which had a campsite. It was nice to have someplace to sit and eat lunch. There was also nicer access to the lake so we got rid of the other water and filled up with this water instead. If nothing else, at least we have more for the dogs before it gets treated. For lunch I had a curry tuna wrap. Once I had everything out and was adding the curry, I realized I'd had curry last night. I'll have to make a note to spread that out so I can enjoy the spice a little more. I like not having to think about my food though. It's already prepared. I just have to reach in the appropriate meal bag and pull out one of the freezer bags.
After lunch, I'm not happy to be putting that pack back on. I haven't gotten used to it yet. However, my hip flexor's seem surprisingly happy about this new movement and maybe even the weight. I find that interesting and enjoy the feeling for quite a while. Maybe they have missed cycling more than I have! I make a mental note to get back on that bicycle as soon as I get home and recover.
I am starting to notice my enjoyment of this quiet time. I can see why people who spend so much time in the outdoors and alone write so much. Not saying that I'm coming up with brilliant world changing theories or anything like that. But I think about my life and the direction it's
taking. I think about my personality and how it affects my interactions with others, which of course affects my life in general. Most of it is good but there are places I think I could make some changes. I realize, yet again, how much I love being outdoors. Then I start analyzing why I don't spend more time out here. And I have this epiphany that, for me, it is just as important who I am with as it is where I am or what I'm doing. I've done a lot of things on my own. And I've enjoyed them. But the things I have enjoyed the most have been with others. This confuses me... as I've never considered myself a people person. Not anti-social in the slightest. Just more introverted. And I do enjoy quiet time alone and with Lorrie. I conclude that I could never be one of those adventurers who goes away from family and friends for extended periods of time on a regular basis to pursue the next adventure. Unless my family was with me... then I'm off to Everest as soon as we can get the gear together! (=So, this is backpacking. Walking. With a heavy pack on my back. Thinking. Stopping periodically to look around and take photographs. I like all of it except that heavy pack. Though I know I can decrease the weight of this pack with some experience.... or I could just buy a smaller pack! lol
We walk up a Sled Dog Training Trail. Pam says that Milo flinched and started moving a little quicker to get away. lol He is a retired sled dog. He didn't like it. He won a lot and apprently was quite talented. But he was miserable. So the owner gave him to Pam so that Milo would be happier. And I'm sure to make room for another dog that actually wanted to sled. (= We rest along the road, have some water and a snack. It's a little hotter and I think I'm about ready to be done for the day. We turn off the double track to more singletrack and in another hour or so are in camp. By 4pm. I didn't think that was too bad.
Basically the same routine as yesterday. Got my tent out and set that up right away. Then started emptying some things in there. But I was hungry so everything else was put on hold while I got my water boiling. I got Emma Blue fed though she was much more interested in Milo's food than her own. Pam gives him venison with his protein-heavy kibble. Emma thought that was fabulous. So she got some venison in her food too. Funny thing about dog nature, Milo was more interested in Emma's kibble. So we did some mixing and matching and both ended up happy. They are perfect travel companions. Neither of them likes dogs who are in their faces and sniffing them all the time. They leave each other alone for the most part though seem to check on each other periodically. It's relaxing for me not to have to worry if Emma is going to snap at him or not. She just doesn't seem inclined to.
At each camp there is a "Bear Cord" sign. Yesterday we did our own (I should say, Pam did our own) bear lines and hung the food. Today she saw that "Bear Cord" meant they had hung strong cord or wire or something across the trail to make it easier for us to hang our food. Awesome! It took less than half the time to get everything hung tonight.
I have been a little worried about water. Probably with no reason. But my trips like this have mainly been in the Boundary Waters. Water was never an issue. So I'm not sure how low we can get before we need to be careful. Pam checks out the map and sees a "Reference Point" a little beyond our campsite. She thinks it may be water so we take a walk toward it. It ends up being a nice cool creek. So she fills some bottles and break out my Katadyn Basecamp and we fill that up. With the water from that we are able to fill up my hydration pack, and 4 or 5 other bottles. I am relieved! I also learned an excellent lesson about reading maps after we've stopped for the day and going beyond the campsite to check for water.
We again don't stay up late after we eat. I need to determine if this is what I like or not. It's Pam's preference and I'm certainly not going to try and keep her awake to entertain me. But I might have liked to build a small fire. As it turned out, I have been laying here reading and writing. Then Emma perked up. She didn't look startled. Curious maybe. So we sat there a moment and listened. Nothing. So I let her out of the tent to explore. She went over to Pam's tent and said hi to her and Milo. Once I was decent and had shoes on, I peeked out. I don't know if it's what she was sensing, but one of the half-burned logs left on the fire from previous inhabitants was smoking. There was no flame and no risk of anything that I could tell. But my pup would not know that. So I put it out and she came back into the tent. Interesting.
Still not dark. But we are going to try to get out of camp earlier tomorrow morning. 9am is the goal. And yes, again, I know that is not kosher for the hardcore. By now you should have figured out that I am not hardcore. (=
Later in the night, or maybe it was still evening, there was a surreal howling/barking... pretty close by. And then definite howling... a little further. And then more definite howling... even further. Emma sat up and listened. Then laid right back down. I figured if there was any danger Pam or Emma would let me know. Turns out the first "noise" was sled dogs barking. Apparently Milo freaked out a little by that sound! lol Poor guy! Pam knew it was sled dogs because they all sounded different and were not in sync. The other 2 were wolf packs... definitely in sync. It was amazing to hear... though a little disconcerting. We are definitely in the wild now!
To see all the photos, visit flickr.com/photos/twotiredoc
No comments:
Post a Comment