And Into The Bush We Will Go
Trip Start
Feb 21, 2007
1
29
51
Trip End
Ongoing
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Algonquin is the quineseential park in Ontario. It has more than 1,600 kilometers of canoes routes and more than 400 lakes that make it the perfect spot for canoeing. The routes lend a chance to take a few days' canoe trip up to several weeks. It's all flat water except for Petawawa River where there is some whitewater. Algonquin has portage routes from 100 meters (nice and easy!) up to 5000 meters! You don't want to have to double back on the last one. No way! Diverse wildlife and beautiful flora make it even better.
Check out the Virtual Canoe Trip in Algonquin.
"Algonquin Park is massive. At over 7,700 square kilometers, it is larger than Banff National Park or the entire province of Prince Edward island. Carved out of the rocky landscape of the Canadian Shield, it contains over 2,400 lakes. It is home to roughly 2,500 moose, 30,000 beavers, 2,000 black bears and 300 wolves. While highway 60 cuts across the southern part of the Park, the vast interior is accessible only by canoe." How good does that sound? I'm hoping we'll see a moose or two. They are magnificent.
We're heading up early tomorrow morning. Yesterday and today are all about The List. Mike and Barb make The List because it comes so easy to them. They've done it a thousand times! We've planned our meals and broken everything down to who brings what. Since it's the four of us we have some community gear and then the rest is up to each individual to pack. That's the easiest way.
The portages this year are (much) shorter then last year's grueling, yet satisfying, hours-long trek through beautiful forest, uphill and down all the way. Beer breaks. It's all about the beer breaks! I'm not talking getting sauced or anything, just a good motivator. Especially when the guys are each carrying a 60-some-odd-pound canoe plus a whack of gear! Mules I say! It's incredible. I liken Jeremy to those Machu Picchu porters. Nuts. I don't know how anyone can have that much energy. Barb and I carry gear too but strapping on a 60 pound canoe on top of that is a bit too much for us!
Our trip last year was great. There was one hitch for Mike though. He kept raving about this ancient (cedar I think ) forest that is supposed to be amazing. He was so excited about making the trek there. It was past the island we portaged to and camped on. It was so beautiful and felt like it was in the middle of nowhere. We did a day trip over to see the forest. We took the canoe and covered a fairly large lake before we arrived near this magical and incredible forest. We were five in one canoe. It was so funny. The water was up to the edge by the time we all piled in!
We hiked in and took some wine and cheese to celebrate this magical experience that was looming. We arrived. We were all excited after listening to Mike talk about this for weeks. The forest was wiped right out! It looked like there had been a massive storm. It had taken out all the trees and they were snapped like twigs, lying all over each other. The Dead Forest. Mike was SO disappointed! It was crazy because these trees were not just ordinary trees, they were absolutely HUGE. Well, yes, were.
So, this year, no magical forests! If Mike has a story I'm not listening! :) I can't wait to get back outdoors and soak it all in. Things lately have been exhausting and challenging. I need a break! The world away from deadlines, telephones and computers. I will not forget the camera this time as I did last w/e while in Ottawa. Grr. I'm hoping to do some painting which I'm pretty excited about too.
Thanks goodness for trips out of the city and into the bush. You gotta love Canada.
