Howdy howdy
Well I made Grand Portage last night. Seeing the big Lake at the end of a 9 mile portage sure is swell. The portage was pretty grueling. Anyone who has ever portaged a kayak before will tell you they just aren't made for it. I guess I'm something like a voyaguer now, the Grand POrtage was considered a rite of passage back in the fur trade era.
Each time I start a new leg of the trip it is bittersweet. I love the northern lake country. The wildlife is incredible: moose, bear, beaver, loons... I would venture the Boundary Waters is the most peaceful place in the lower 48. On op of that I met some ery nice people who really helped me out. The maps I picked up in Fort Frances only took me to Big Saganaga Lake. On that lake I met an outward Bound group who gave me maps to Lake Superior. Pretty good Karma eh?
The paddlin was something fierce, I've not had such scenery to paddle through on this trip yet. Cliffs as tall as 100 feet, water so clar you can see 30 feet down. I dig it.
Of course the portaging was a bit of a pain. I had a 655 rod portage before the Grand. I have never slept so well in my life. For those unfamiliar with canoe country, a rod is 16.5 feet (the length of a canoe) and there are 320 rods in a mile. Some of the trails hadn't been cleard for years, others were fairly well maintained. On Fowl Portage (300 rods) I had to step over a fallen tree every 20 feet. My legs felt like lead after that one.
The weather was prime. I had maybe 2 half days due to weather. Otherwise it was sunny skies. Got burned a little bit one day, but I wisened up after that and put on the sunscreen. I have to take some time off now here in Grand Portage. Dirty desperately needs some TLC. I only hope she'll make it the last little bit back home. I'm so proud of her and I've grown quite fond of her. I realize it's slightly absurd to be so attached to an inanimate object, but I find it hard not to be; we spend every minute of every day together.
Anyway, I made the trek from Fort Frances to Grand Portage in 11 days (3 days faster than I expected). The distance is actually 300 miles. I hope to make Duluth within a week and take some much needed time off. I haven't taken a layover day since Winnipeg.
Morale is as high as ever and after this bush jump I feel like there's nothing I can't handle. I'm sure Lake Superior will throw some big waves my way, but I can take 'em
Peace,
Rutherford
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