Superior Hiking Trail - Day 2

Is anyone surprised that we did not get out as early as intended? I feel slightly more comfortable with the pack on. Mainly in the morning. Each time I take it off and put it back on or stop to readjust it, it gets a little more comfortable and I am figuring out where it should rest on my body. I have slight red marks on my sides where it rests but they are not bad. Well, except when my shirt hiked up and the pack was directly on my skin. That hurt. Then, because my shirt hiked up, guess what happened!? You got it. Mosquito bite! So that was quite irritating for awhile until I just tuned it out. Still... the Deet seems to be working pretty well. When I use it correctly! Arrgh!

As we were getting ready to leave, we both decided it was warm enough for short sleeves. So off came the long-sleeved shirts. I'd Deeted myself up good. On my shirt. So, since I removed my shirt, I had some issues for the first part of the walk. This is all part of the "what should I do and when should I do it?" learning process. As well as not wanting to make everyone stop AGAIN because I forgot to do something. By the time we got to our first rest break, my left shoulder was entirely covered with bites and itching like hell. So I put the Deet on and went on my way.

We walked through a lot of private land today. And meadow. It was really beautiful! Emma was very cute ahead of me in grass that is taller than her. lol There were a lot of rocks and roots, some moose scat as well as moose prints. That was cool! I liked the idea of seeing one though it also scared the hell out of me as well! There were also quite a few climbs today. Some with stairs that seemed to make it more difficult. Though I imagine lots of people sliding down the decline without the stairs. Around noon, we hit a road walk, Tom's Road (something like that). It was really too hot and sunny to be doing that walk at that time. I walked with Emma from shady spot to shady spot. I don't know if all dogs do this, but she has, since she was a puppy, run in the sun and walked in the shade. I think we all just put our heads down and walked this portion. A couple cars passed and the passengers waved. It was a relief to be back on the trail. Though the trail got a lot more difficult after that road.


At some point we climbed up to a meadowy area and got our first glimpse of Lake Superior. That was very cool! Made me feel like we were pretty close to our goal for the day. Which we weren't! lol We walked a little too long today. Pam fell twice. I saw the end of one and her pack hit a tree. I was thankful it wasn't her head!! I'm sure she was too! A second time I came around a corner and she was sitting in a weird spot on the trail. She looked up and said, "This would be where I fell." So that's where we rested.

Eventually we made our way into the Judge CR Magney State Park boundary. But we kept walking and walking... and walking. By this time my feet were getting pretty sore. We started seeing signs that there had been more people in the area. The trail got wider and there were viewing points along the river. Then we ran into a family walking in flip flops. That was a good sign. We turned a corner and all that would come out of my mouth was profanity. There, in front of us, was a staircase steeper and longer than any I'd seen! It turned somewhere up there so I couldn't even see the top of it. lol Emma and I went first. I held my poles in the hand that held the railing. Then I used my other hand to grab the handle on Emma's pack so I could help lift her up a little to make it easier on her. I ran into a photographer with a couple sets of stairs to go and he wanted to stop and chat. I guess I would have thought a photographer would be more in tune to agony on a person's face. But I guess not. So, because I'm "Minnesota nice," we chatted. Until I saw Pam and Milo coming up and then I needed to get out of their way. He was a nice man. From Two Harbors. Had been up to the Canadian border to get some shots. I'd been walking that whole time. (= At the top, I sat with my butt toward the front edge, on a bench. When Pam and Milo got there, we walked again. And walked. And walked. We ran into a few more people. Milo wasn't quite listening to Pam so she was getting frustrated with him. He was attached to her at the point, so when he pulled too hard, she had to step too hard. She got a little cranky with me about the campground location. Which I know is because she was dehydrated and in pain. That's what happens! Eventually we made it to the camp office and did a self check-in. Then we had to climb a final hill to get into the campground. The first campsite didn't have anywhere to put 2 tents so we moved over one. And that is where we stayed! We had been walking for about 8 hours. Does anyone remember me saying that I am not hardcore?? lol But I survived!

We decided to take a rest day tomorrow and just stay in the park for 2 nights before moving on. Then we decided that maybe we should be done with the trail and just camp the rest of the week. And so that became the plan.

Basically the same routine as the previous 2 nights. Though getting water was significantly easier. There was hardly anyone in the campground. But there was a family across from us and the man agreed to take Pam back to her car to pick it up. I had no idea it was as close as it was... driving distance anyway. So that was that. Our backpacking trip is over. And our camping trip begins.

I am not sure right now if I'm more relieved or more disappointed. I had wanted to go further. But with Pam falling twice and both of us being so tired from today's long haul, it seems like the safe thing to do. We can always change our minds on Thursday (7.9.9).

To see all the photos, visit flickr.com/photos/twotiredoc

Superior Hiking Trail - Day 1

Steps = 16,163
Mileage = 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

Superior Hiking Trail - Day 0

The preparations are done... mostly. Lorrie and I get out of the house around 8am. We had talked about 7am. But that's all it ended up being. Talk! My family was here for the 4th of July as is the tradition. It was great having them here and everyone seemed to have a good time. But it made last day and last minute preparations difficult. Though, God love my mom, she did help me out! We had to stop at Gander Mountain once we got through St. Paul so that I could stop and buy a CamelBak bladder. I know! I know! It's not smart to buy something like that on the day you need it... unless you love the taste and smell of acid and rubber. Which I don't. But I was desperate and had not been able to find either of the 2 I already owned. So we stopped. And I got one. And some small travel size Nalgene bottles to decrease the amount of liquids I carry. The closer we got to Grand Marais, the more nervous I started to get about this trip. I wasn't sure I had prepared enough. I wasn't sure I'd prepared Emma Blue enough, which felt even worse to me since she had no choice in the matter. I also felt bad that I didn't have my pack ready to put on and go. Lorrie was going to drop us off at the starting point and then take off to Canada for some time with Tori her family... on the beach. (just a reminder... Emma Blue and Tori are our dogs).

So we met Pam at Java Moose in Grand Marais around 2pm. Not too late. I got an iced coffee... figured it would be my last for a little while. Then we caravaned to our ending spot near Kadunce River before cramming all 3 of us plus 3 dogs into my SUV. Funny thing... Emma Blue can be a little aggressive if she feels trapped... so she got the front passenger seat while Pam, Milo, Tori, and I crammed into the backseat. What a little princess! lol So Lorrie dropped us off at 14, Arrowhead Trail. Well, I use "dropped off" lightly. She had to stand there and help Pam and me decrease my stuff so that she could take with her what I don't need. I know she was antsy to get going so I am grateful for her patient nature! And decrease it we did! I won't even list all the things Pam suggested I get rid of. They are too many and I might get embarrassed writing so much! lol But I am inexperienced so I can't be expected to know exactly what I need. Eventually we got it all in my pack. It's heavy... but I have no idea how much weight I'm carrying. We got Emma Blue's awesome Ruff Wear Palisades pack all ready for her. We posed for our outgoing shot by the sign and then took off into the wild. (Hey, good title for a book... and movie! But I digress...)

Lorrie took off... slowly. I could tell. I know she watched us disappear. Because that's what she does. And I know this is an outdoor journal but my life is part of that. And it is significant that in two years, Lorrie and I have not spent this much time away from each other. And to do so without any possibility of communication for much of the time is also significant.

Our first hike was very short. We knew we would be starting late in the day and so decided that just getting into the trail and setting up camp right away would be a good plan. That would also give me practice setting up and taking down when I am not exhausted. So, we went in about 1 mile to Carlson Pond. There was SO much tall grass. Some of it was pressed where tents had been but it was on it's way back up. There was a wooden plank bench all around the fire pit, a picnic table, and a latrine. I got everything set up without issue. The vestibules of my tent were filled with high grass, which actually looked cool from inside. And I liked the swaying sound.

Pam dumped everything from her pack out onto the picnic table. She said she would have to repack everything tomorrow anyway so she just empties it out. I did the same except that I put a lot of mine directly into my tent. I have a 2-person tent while hers is a 1-person. So I have a little more room to maneuver with stuff tossed in.

Time for dinner. I had used "Freezer Bag Cooking" to prepare all my meals. Tonight, it's curry chicken rice for me except that I used tuna instead of chicken. The bugs came out pretty quickly so we were in our tents pretty quickly. You may recall my extreme sensitivity to bug bites from my Boundary Waters trip reports. I brought 100% deet this time... but figured I would just get inside for tonight. It's only about 8pm. I have 1/2 the tent. My backpack takes up a little less than 1/4 of the tent and Emma Blue has the rest. She uses my sweatshirt and other random things as padding and rests her head on my plastic ziploc full of clean underwear. What will she rest her head on in about 5 days?? lol

Tomorrow, we *really* start!


To see the rest of the photos, visit flickr.com/photos/twotiredoc

Those who can't... Review!

Haven't gotten to do much outdoors in the past couple weeks except working out. I can tell I need to be outdoors when I start browsing REI for nothing in particular. I know I'm really desperate when I start reviewing things I've purchased there! (=

Had a conversation with Pam about our upcoming Superior Hiking Trail hike. That got me more excited about the trip! Then I'll have more equipment to review on rainy days like today! Ha!

My Review of Keen Arroyo Sandals - Women's

REI

Elevate your idea of performance and comfort with Keen® Arroyo hybrid shoes that pair sandal ventilation with trail shoe support and protection.

Keen Arroyo Sandals - Women's

We each got a pair!

TwoTireDoc Minnesota 6/16/2009

5 5

Gift: No

Sizing: Feels true to size

Width: Feels true to width

Pros: Durable, Cute, Breathable, Stylish, Comfortable

Best Uses: Walking, Beach, Travel, Everyday

Describe Yourself: Stylish

My partner and I each had to get a pair of these... and we are not the type of couple that likes to dress alike. (= We needed something that we could canoe the Boundary Waters in, which also meant quite a few portages. These are exactly the ticket! They dried quickly and stayed comfortable. Definitely durable.

()

My Review of Keen Targhee II Mid Hiking Boots - Women's

REI

The Keen Targhee II waterproof day hikers deliver tenacious traction, stability and comfort on the trail.

Keen Targhee II Mid Hiking Boots - Women's

Great all-around boot

TwoTireDoc Minnesota 6/16/2009

5 5

Gift: No

Pros: Easy On/Off, Great Traction, Comfortable, Dries Quickly, Multi-Use

Best Uses: Everyday/Practical Use

Describe Yourself: Avid hiker

No breaking in worries... they were comfortable right out of the box. Great traction for serious hiking but also comfortable walking around in town. I used them this past winter for walking to work and they kept my feet very dry and warm. I recommend these boots to everyone! I'm starting to become a Keen-addict!

()

My Review of Ruff Wear Palisades Dog Pack

REI

Dogs love to carry their own weight—let them do it with confidence and comfort in this full-featured dog pack from Ruff Wear.

Ruff Wear Palisades Dog Pack

Careful with Sizing

TwoTireDoc Minnesota 6/15/2009

4 5

Gift: No

Pros: Fun, Versatile

Cons: Expensive

Best Uses: Everything

Describe Yourself: Long-time Pet Owner

I haven't used this on the trail with my dog yet so I'll have to do another review later. But I think the sizing issue I had is important to get out there. Based on the reviews here and on the size small pack I got my 45 lb Blue Heeler (aka Australian Cattle Dog) a size small. It was WAY too small around for her muscular build and much too short for her body length. Blue Heelers are relatively stocky. That was confusing to me after reading reviews about all the Labs in size small. So, take the measurements but then also look at your dog's build. If your dog is muscular, I'd say the sizing is right on. But, you may just have to take the dog with you to REI, buy the pack, try it in the parking lot, and exchange it immediately if it doesn't work. I think you'll know right away.

Again, I haven't used it on the trail yet. But I think the separate pieces are great for getting my dog used to the whole pack thing. And I'm excited to see how the hydration bladders work out. To be continued...

()

My Review of Sven Folding Saw - 15-inch

REI

This portable, compact saw is ideal for light woodcutting chores.

Sven Folding Saw - 15-inch

You don't even need upper body strength!

TwoTireDoc Minnesota 6/14/2009

5 5

Gift: No

Pros: Easy to Use, Easy to clean, Lightweight

Best Uses: All around tool

Describe Yourself: Casual Adventurer

I looked at numerous saws trying to figure out which I would be able to use when my upper body is not my strongest area. I'm not a wimp, but I knew I couldn't handle some of those bigger saws. Anyway, it was light, easy to use, easy to set up and put away, and cut through wood like it was nothing. After the first time I used it, I turned around to see my campmates sitting there with their mouths hung open at how quick and easy I cut the wood. We'll use this one for both car camping and backpacking!

()

My Review of REI Kingdom 4 Tent

REI

REI Kingdom 4: This family palace of a tent features 2 private rooms, tall vertical walls that maximize livable space, and multiple organizer pockets located throughout.

REI Kingdom 4 Tent

Exchanged it

TwoTireDoc Minnesota 6/14/2009

4 5

Gift: Yes

Pros: Comfortable, Waterproof

Cons: Collects Condensation

Best Uses: Car Camping

Describe Yourself: Casual Adventurer

What Is Your Gear Style: Minimalist

I bought the Kingdom 4 for my partner for her birthday. We took it out once before deciding that the Kingdom 6 would fit our needs better. That was mainly a size issue. It was put up twice. The first time I put it up alone and it was pretty easy with lots of looks at the directions. I'm 5'9". The second time we put it up together and it went slightly faster but we still had to look at the directions a lot. I can see it getting a lot faster and easier. The weekend we took it out, it rained almost the entire time. We stayed totally dry! There was no wind or anything severe so I can't say how it would handle that. But it seemed sturdy. The only 2 issues we experienced were 1 - There were several little snags or blemishes in the screens. It meant slightly bigger holes in the screen, which I worried might mean bugs getting in easier. It was raining and there aren't a lot of bugs out right now, so I can't say if that would have happened. 2 - When we took the tent down, there was water pouring out of the poles. It must have been condensation because the poles were completely covered by the rainfly. I thought that was a little strange. Overall a great tent. I agree with others that it sucked to have to buy the vestibule. But I did and that was a very very good choice! Especially with the rainy weather and a couple of dirty dogs. It makes a great "staging area" for either going it or going out.

()

Nerstand Big Woods State Park - Day 3

Day 3. The rain seems to have gone. I got up and out first. The fire pit was still a little warm under the ash so I started gathering tiny pieces of kindling. Didn't take much to get it going again. We had a little bit of dry wood left so that helped get it going even more. The wet wood would lay on the grate drying and then when it caught fire, it could go in and burn proper. I made some eggs for breakfast and toasted a ciabatta role over the fire for some toast. Pretty good breakfast. I also reheated Lorrie's coffee from Northfield for her. Nancy strolled over with her oatmeal. Of course, the dogs had their food. The fire ended up being extremely hot so none of us could make ourselves move from it. We sat there for several hours chatting.

I am hiking part of the Superior Hiking Trail this summer and had hoped to do some major hiking this weekend. I know that rain is no good reason not to hike... and I have hiked in lots of rainstorms. But this weekend, for some reason, was more about resting. Which is definitely okay too. I am coming to the end of an academic year and am, understandably, exhausted. So I'm not going to chastise myself too much. How often do any of us just sit around stoking a fire and learning about each other. My answer is .... not often enough!

Lunch was an easy organic mac&cheese. That seems to be a staple nowadays when camping. Nancy had the same but added broccoli to hers. Though she dropped some and that's what Emma Blue got for lunch! lol

Eventually we had to get up and out. Which we did. Funny how well everything fits in the car on the way there and how I have to cram it all in to fit it for going home! lol Rain must have expanded everything! But we got it all in and headed out around 3pm. Nancy left about the same time.

We got home pretty quickly and got everything unpacked. Then the task of laundry and much needed showers. My parents came for a quick visit and then it was time to relax and watch a movie!

We camped a lot in April and at the start of May. Weather was never really great. Since then, the weather on weekends has been incredible. We didn't camp. We waited until the rainy forecast to get out there. One nice thing about that was how few people were out. And though going into town was, for us, like going home while camping, Nancy said she enjoyed it because she had never been there before. So that was a good way to see it. We would have enjoyed it more in a new place as well. Ah, but the drive home was awesome... 15 minutes and we're there! (=

Next time I should hike in the rain!

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park - Day 2

Well, the weather forecasts were right! It started raining very early in the morning. And hasn't stopped yet! We woke up around 7am when everyone needed to use the outhouse. Then back into the tent for more snuggling. The pups were SO good. They just stayed snuggled up in their blankets. We stayed in the tent until about noon when the rain was slightly less a downpour. I went over to Nancy's site and she was putting a tarp over her tent... a leak! Arrgh! I helped her with the tarp and that seemed to take care of it. Then we decided to head to Northfield for lunch and to get out of the rain for a little while. We also decided to stop at Menards for rugs and rope. It's funny to go home in the middle of camping. I'm not sure I've ever done that before! lol

We headed back to camp around 4pm when the rain was mainly a drizzle with spots of actual rain. We were under a lot of trees so that seemed to protect us in one way from the heaviest of the rain. But then after it had stopped raining, the leaves were still hanging on to water so we got dripped on a little longer.

Everyone else on that side of the park had left! The people in the other 2 walk-in sites and all 3 group sites were all empty when we returned. Ha! Wusses!

Lorrie and Nancy went into their respective tents. And I tried my hand at hanging a tarp that we could sit under if it started raining harder again. I've never done it and I'm not the greatest at "mechanical" type things. But I make up for my lack of knowledge with patience and creativity! It was a little low... but it worked! Lorrie and I had a place to sit while eating our hot soup... that we'd also gotten in town.

I decided I would try to start another fire even though a lot of the kindling would be wet and even some of the wood was wet. Ah well, we just kept lighting our little orange firestarters and throwing them in until the kindling was dry and then burned. It turned into a great fire that lasted several hours. Lorrie sat by the fire holding Tori all cuddled up in a blanket like a little baby. Very cute... and a little weird! (= Emma Blue laid nearby on her little pad. She's not fond of the popping fire sounds so she gets only as close as she needs to feel some warmth.

It's amazing what people will talk about around a fire. There is just no limit to the topics... our lives, politics, movies, animals, parents, and on and on. And sometimes it was just quiet. I like that too!

Eventually Lorrie got tired enough that it was time for bed. So she took the dogs in... they will go in as soon as a person does! Emma Blue would have been in bed at 8pm if she'd had choice! So Nancy and I sat out for awhile until I started blinking away sleep. Tonight is VERY dark! Especially compared to how bright it was last night. Lorrie said she felt a little nervous walking over to the outhouse but was glad Emma was there to protect her. I thought I would do fine with my flashlight and headed over on my own. I got to the little roadway and realized, "Wow! I is *really* dark out here! Honestly, I got a little freaked out. So I went back and got Emma Blue... and some laughing from the others... and she came with me. It is definitely less frightening with a protective dog nearby!

And then there was one. Nancy stayed out for awhile... I can hear the fire poking and see the light of the flames through the tent walls. (= No reading tonight... just sleep.

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park - Day 1

My first organized group outing for the Minnesota Outdoor Women group. Lorrie and I headed out after work. I have everything pretty well organized so we can just throw it in and go. But our brains seemed to not be working very well this afternoon after work and it took us a little while longer to make sure we had everything. I hadn't rolled up the sleeping pads last night and I hadn't organized the food as well as usual. The food, I think, is what threw us the most. And making sure we had enough warm stuff for the dogs. Tori just got her hair totally buzzed and she has recently gone blind from cataracts, which we just found out is because she is diabetic. So we wanted to make sure was very comfortable.

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park is so close by that we got there at a reasonable time. Nancy had already been there and set up. But she wasn't around when we pulled in. So we got started with Lorrie's new tent and getting the pups settled. After we'd gotten the tent laid out, Nancy walked over so we could meet and chat for a minute. So, the "group" was the 3 of us! (= It's a start, right? We got the tent up without much ado and settled in. It's really an awesome tent, I have to say! I got a fire started so we could make some dinner. Originally hamburgers... but decided "organic grass fed free range beef" hot dogs were easier.

The rest of the night was spent sitting around the fire chatting. Gotta love that for a Friday night! Neither Lorrie nor I generally have much energy on Fridays so this was perfect. And the moon was, if not totally full, very close to full and very bright. When we did finally get into the tent, I thought we'd left a light on on the picnic table or something. Nope, just the moon.

So far, I am very happy with these walk-in sites! Nancy had WI02 and we had WI03. There is a lot of room and underbrush between them. 02 and 03 are probably the closest to each other so were good in this situation. We couldn't see the tent or people in 01 from our site. Nancy said she could hear but couldn't see the people in 04. 01, 02, and 03 are reservable and 04 is non-reservable.

Rain forecasted tomorrow!

Myre Big Island State Park Camping

We did sleep in the tent all night! Emma Blue was a little turd several times. She slept part of the night on my feet, which was not comfortable! I don't know if she's cold, scared, or just being a turd! lol But it was all good. We got up around 8:30am and took down camp right away. Then drove over to the shower building... first time it's been open for us this year! We went in as grimey campers and came out ready to go to church and see my parents for Mother's Day! Amazing! Though it did take a little longer to get the site taken down so I didn't get to wash my hair. First thing my mom said was that it smelled like a campfire! lol Ah well! Church and then out to lunch with my parents. Chinese Buffet... mmm. heheh Not really. But they did have crab legs, which I like very much! Spent the afternoon with them and then headed home to unpack. It was strange to start unpacking camping gear in our church clothes! lol

Myre Big Island State Park

Another camping excursion! We had planned to leave Friday right after work but the weather did not look like it was going to cooperate. So we stay warm and dry in our house and decided to take off on Saturday morning. This morning came and it wasn't clear whether the weather was going to cooperate at all. So Lorrie decided to clean the carpets before we left! That way they would have time to dry while we were gone. Smart woman! While she did that, I got everything ready to go. Good timing and we were out the door by about 1:00pm. A little later than intended but the weather was finally getting sunny if slightly cool.

I have a co-worker who is leaving next week and I needed to pick up a perennial for our gift. So we stopped and did that on our way out of Northfield. Which meant we needed to go back home and drop it off. So a little starting and stopping happening. But again, on the road! I have to say, the dogs, who do have human responses, were quite confused when we pulled up at the house with our car never having been unpacked! lol

We chose Myre Big Island State Park, which used to be Helmer Myre State Park when I lived down that way, because it is close to Albert Lea and we could see my mother on Mother's Day. We got there and drove around to the two different campgrounds. Big Island seemed very crowded, especially compared to the past month when we've basically been the only tents around. There were a lot of RVs in the first part and tents in the back area. But too crowded. So we went back toward the entrance to White Fox Campground to check that out. It was much less crowded and there were only RVs on one side where the electric sites are. No other tents. We drove slowly and chose Site 89 for it's Aspen wind breaks, the sun, and the nice grassy place for the tent. Back to the office we went to check in. I got a little anxious that someone else would come along and take that spot, which is funny knowing how empty it was! But we had that happen at Interstate State Park and it wasn't fun!

That done, we picked up a State Park sticker for the bullet, a couple Snickers bars, and some wood. Then off to set up camp. Which took no time. It was windy but sunny so the temperature was great! We took off for a hike to see the Remote Sites that you can't drive too. They were beautiful! Right on the lake with spots to pull up in your canoe if you don't want to hike. Nice! R4 was the best... but it's unreservable. So we'd have to race for it! The hike was about 1 1/2 hours long and gorgeous. Emma Blue had a blast sniffing everything and running around. Her only unhappiness was that she couldn't jump into the water.

Back at camp I built a great, if I do say so myself, fire while Lorrie rested. Somehow our roles while camping totally switch. It's interesting. After the fire, I started on dinner. I bought some *stuff* to "make meat." lol It's really just a bunch of beans that you add boiling water to and then form into burgers. Well, it ended up being lentil soup. Maybe that's why Lorrie does the cooking at home! lol Though it was *good* lentil soup! I also made mac&cheese, which seems to have become a camping staple for us lately. It ended up being a tasty and filling, easy to make, dinner. We also tried out Lorrie's coffee press, which is actually a tea press. That worked very well! So that was a good purchase!

Got the dogs fed... though they have become picky eaters when we're camping. Isn't it usually the opposite? So we added some cheese to their food and that seemed to work pretty well. With the cold nights, I worry when they don't eat enough. But I think they stay warm enough with their fur, blankets, our clothes, and Emma's own sleeping bag! lol

So we settled in for some relaxing, reading, fire poking, and full moon watching. The moon was incredible tonight! The sky was so bright that we didn't really need flashlights outside. So amazing and beautiful! The temperature was also great. It was probably in the 50s most of the night and we could tell when it started to dip... when we'd get cold away from the campfire. We stayed out later than we usually would because of the weather and the moon but we ran out of fire wood so it's time to get into the tent and get the girls comfortable.

Hopefully we'll sleep in the tent tonight and not the car!! heheh Click here for that reference! lol

Rice Lake State Park

We decided that we needed to get outside some more today. Lorrie was still obsessing about the Pileated woodpecker so we decided to return to Rice Lake State Park. We drove around to all the possible camping areas just to see what was there. Really, the only thing we hadn't seen yet were the "Cart in" sites. We didn't want into them, just went to the parking lot. I think I do that so I can give people directions later. Somehow my little excursions become helpful at a later time! lol

We ended up parking in the picnic area where we had a little bit to eat before setting off for a hike allllll the way around the park. There was water, meadow, forest, road, pretty much everything but mountains. We also saw these little crablike things that I are unfamiliar to me.... except from being in Houston and LA. So I'll have to look up what those things are! The ones we saw were all dead so I'm sure the photo doesn't show their "live coloring."

After the hike, we hung out at the picnic area for a little while so Tori could spend a little time outside. I can't wait to get her leg fixed so she can come along on more of these hikes! (=

Rice Lake State Park and RAIN!

Day 2. Woke up in the car around 5:30am. I slept pretty well. Lorrie did not. She was playing on Facebook on her phone when I woke up. Poor thing! We got the dogs and our stuff and went back into the tent. Somehow having a lighter sky felt safer. It had rained a little but was just a sprinkle at that time so it wasn't too difficult. I'm sure the dogs were slightly confused by this whole thing! lol But they were good sports.

Once in, the downpour started. We slept on and off the rest of the morning. The dogs didn't like the thunder so Emma Blue curled up between us on her sleeping bag and Tori was scratching at her camping kennel to get out. So we let Tori out and she curled up next to me... and then behind me on my pillow. lol Very cute!

When it was clear that the rain was going nowhere, we decided to make a run for it and take down camp. We waited until it seemed like there was a break and then moved. Fast! Lorrie took care of the tent and what was inside it. I packed up the dogs and started sticking what was outside into the back of D'Azul. We didn't actually get that wet. Good teamwork!

So we headed into Owatonna for a warm breakfast! In a downpour. As an aside, Owatonna is pretty dead on Sunday! But we found a Perkins-like place out by the interstate and ate well. Then home for warm showers, cleaning up, and vegging on a rainy day!

Upon reflection, we both felt a little silly for sleeping in the car. BUT... we also agreed that if something *did* happen, when people read the news story, they would inevitably say, "Well, what did those two girls think they were doing going out there all on their own?" And no one likes to be the cause of questions like that! Well, no one that I know anyway.

Rice Lake State Park

We slept in but were able to get things packed and ready pretty quickly. Of course, we forgot a few things and just had to toss those in on their own. We recently switched from using the big plastic tubs to using a fabric cargo container with 4 bintos. Each binto has its own theme... blue = dogs, green = cooking, etc. We wanted to test that out and see if we felt more organized. We stopped at the Co-op for some organic mac & cheese in a box, yogurt, almonds, Lorrie's favorite spicey trail mix, and some drinks. It's only 1 night so it's not like we needed to plan for much food. And we already had hot dogs and eggs in the cooler. Off we went. We took I-35 straight down to Owatonna and then followed the signs to Rice Lake State Park from there. SO easy! We drove through the 2 loops and decided on Loop A because no one was there yet and there were a few RVs with families in Loop B. Then we chose A13 because of it's view of the lake and because it was a little higher than some and we were expecting rain. Back to the Information Center where we paid for the site, got some wood, and were told where Lorrie could go to have the best chance to see a Pileated Woodpecker (the one Woody was based on). Then back to our site to set up.

And then we commenced our relaxation! I was going to hang my hammock but (tmi) I was PMSing and didn't think I could deal with all those little intertwining strings. I'd not put it up before so I figured I should wait for a time when I wouldn't toss it in a lake or rip it apart! BUT... I did have my new Slackline and there were some perfect trees for that. So we did get that up. I got a little frustrated with the whole ratchet system but Lorrie was there to figure it out. That wasn't PMS... that was my lack of mechanical skills. (= So we got that up and played with it for a little while.

The rest would be quite boring to read about so suffice to say there was playing with dogs, playing with fire (not at the same time!), reading, cooking, eating, talking, and just general good energy relaxing. A nice night!

So then... we decide it's getting a little cold and it's time for bed. So we're covering things up with the tarp. I was brushing my teeth and I saw a car driving around to Loop B. Then Lorrie saw something else and said, "Get Emma and get in the car" in such a way that I was not about to ask questions... though I had them. Eventually she got in the car too. And we watched as flashlights danced in the woods around us. It was a little strange. Could have been people on a hike. But they were only out there for about 10 minutes. The stranger part was that there seemed to be more flashlights going out and fewer coming back.

Okay, so I'm a big chicken. Sometimes I can't believe how much I like to camp because I often have a very vulnerable feeling and a dangerous imagination. When I'm with someone else, that decreases significantly. But Lorrie doesn't get scared. So, because she was freaked out too, we slept in the car.

Jennifer - Slacklining... or "Slacker Lining" as we say
(see more photos at my Flickr site)

Lake Maria State Park and St. Cloud OUT Film Festival

Woke up from deep sleep around 1:30am. Freezing! The mattress was situated so the breeze went right down our sleeping bag. Made the 0 degree bag worthless! We were too disoriented to change the mattress around. lol So we put on hats instead and I put on my Mexican sweater and some socks. Then we hunkered down. At some point in there, Emma Blue made her way in the sleeping bag with us. More warmth!(= I put another blanket in for Tori too. Awake every 2 hours or so until we got up around 8:15am. Around 5am a great drizzling rain started that lasted about 2 hours. We liked that! Got up and packed before our 9:30am goal. A first!

We went directly back to I-94 so that we wouldn't get lost. Well, except that we did get turned around at one point on our way to the interstate. lol We stopped at Nelson Brothers outside of St. Cloud for an awesome breakfast! Then got cleaned up at the next exit rest area. Perfect! By then it was about 11:30am and we had to hustle to make our 12pm movie in St. Cloud. That was the whole reason we were in the area so it would have been bad to miss it! We got there with 5 minutes to spare... after getting a wine and a coffee. lol Gotta like a movie theatre like that! Except that it wasn't a movie theatre at all. It was a Playhouse/Music venue called Pioneer Place on Fifth that they'd rearrange to play movies for this festival. So we saw Training Rules about Rene Portland who was a homophobic coach at Penn State for about 25 years. It was part of the St. Cloud OUT Film Festival. After the documentary, home. No stops! 3pm. It took the expected 2ish hours this time. Phew!

So we got to have a nice afternoon at home before going back to work tomorrow. Good start to our camping season!

First Outing of 2009 - Lake Maria State Park

We got a later start than usual. A "serious talk" kept us occupied in the a.m. Packing took little time before we headed out. But we had to stop at the Co-op for organic beef hotdogs, organic chilimac, and some Izze drinks. Then a stop at Caribou for road coffee and a quick detour home to pick up a couple things we'd forgotten before *really* heading out. It was noon. A stop at Target in Lakeville for yet another air mattress (this one with built in air pump) and we were *really* *really* off. We were headed for Sand Dunes State Park. Mainly interstate. When we were about 20 miles outside St. Cloud, I asked Lorrie to pull out the Mapquest printout. Oops! We had passed our exit. We're wanderers so we decided to give it a shot without turning back. That was our second mistake. Before setting off further, we stopped in Monticello to share a huge burger and some fries. Then we were ready to find our site. But... as there usually is a but... we were detoured very slightly because I saw one of my trucks in a parking lot. For sale! And unlocked. So we got some photos of that! Back on track... sortof... Birkoff, my phone navigation system, led us very far astray and we ended up in some small city park in Big Lake, MN. I think that's where we were anyway. A police officer, who we agreed was cute, saw us pass by a couple times and then stopped to ask if we were looking for something. We told her and she radioed in for directions. It's a huge park so the fact that she didn't know offhand was pretty telling about how far off we were. Those directions were errant as well. lol Lorrie finally pulled out the antiquated folded paper map and we used that. To find nothing! lol Because it's Sand Dunes State Forest now. So we found that and we found the Reserve that it's a attached to. There was also our back up plan campground, Ann's Lake Campground, which actually did end up being within Sand Dunes State Forest. Very confusing! According to our handy dandy book, The Best in Tent Camping: Minnesota: A Guide for Car Campers Who Hate RVs, Concrete Slabs, and Loud Portable Stereos, the campground is open all year. Wrong! Closed until May 1st. Arrgh! All that driving around.

So, on to our backup backup plan. We usually aren't this prepared with backup plans so this is a good thing! Maria Lake State Park was the destination. We used the paper map though still got turned around slightly at one point. We got there safe and sound. It was self check-in and all hike-in/backpacking sites. We drove to the parking area for the site we paid for (B3) and walked to it with Emma Blue. We decided it was way too long for Tori to walk or for us to carry her. So, though we paid for the walk-in site, we set up in one of the group sites near the parking area. Tori was able to walk that distance pretty well.

We got Lorrie's tent set up then she took care of inside the tent (mattress, sleeping bags, dog beds) and I started a fire and dinner. Hotdogs over the fire and then cut up into our chilimac. Yummy! Then we chilled, talked, played with the fire, etc. Seemed like it was going to rain so everything went back to D'Azul or into the tent. 9:30pm and in we go.

An early night after taking about 4-1/2 hours to complete a 2-hour drive today! Crazy!

Hiking at Rice County Park

We needed to get outside and the dogs *really* needed to get outside. So we took a little hike just outside of town. Not many leaves on the trees yet so it looked pretty barren. But the weather was awesome and it was just nice to be outside. Emma Blue was thrilled to be out! Tori could only be out around the car as she can't walk well enough anymore to hike. But she seemed pretty happy to get out too!