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10/07/2015 3:17 pm  #1


Crazy, psycho, rabid chipmunks and 3 days on Rain Oct 4-6

So I changed my plans. I had originally planned on visiting Penn Lk on Sat the 3rd but the forcast was calling for 36km wind gusts and our daughter surprised us Fri night with a visit from university so I decided to go Sun. I also changed my direction, thinking it would be good to stay away from Hwy 60 so I headed up to access 4. The drive was uneventful until I pulled into the access and unloaded the canoe. You know that point when you say " somethings wrong"! Ya THAT point. I opened the rear hatch and reached for my paddle, the one I left in the garage! I loaded up the canoe again and headed to Kearney to rent a kayak paddle. Boy did that rental make me appreciate my Werner carbon shaft paddle! Anyway, I was back at the access and on the water by 11:00. True to its name, Rain Lk was rainy that day, drizzling on and off. I made my way slowly down the channel enjoying the paddle and passing w/e travellers as they left. I set my sights on the S side island campsite as "Peek" had mentioned in an earlier post that it had a "surprise" and I was curious. I knew there were only 3 other campers booked on the lake so I had a good chance of getting it. Sure enough, it was vacant. I quickly set up camp and built a fire. Now, I don't know if "Peek" was refering to the crazy, psycho, rabid chipmunks or the "other" surprise but both were cool although the chipmunks were more entertaining. They ran under my tent fly, climbing my tent and peering down at me through the mesh tent, they ran of with my salt and pepper shaker (  I did get it back ), they climbed up and down me, I found one in my pot moments after I sat it next to me. It was licking up the remnants of the scrambled eggs. And one particular, little, rabid monster, bit me when he jumped into my lap. Just for the record, I did not feed them or entice them.

"You got grub lady?"




I went to bed at 7:30, reading until 8:30. It rained through the night which I love, it lulls me to sleep. I didn't wake up until 9:00 Mon morning. The forcast was bleak with overcast skies all day, so I decided to do nothing. I drank wine ( a nice Valpolicella " Rapasso" which  I paired with apple pie and smoked cheddar cheese mmmmmm. I sat and read in my chair. That was my day! I did have a "first" when at around 4:00 pm, I heard wolves. It came from across the water in the direction of Hot Lk.  It started with one wolf and was then joined by a chorus of wolves slighlty more East  of the first wolf. Very cool. I went to bed at 8:30 and read until 10:00. Morning dawned and I awoke at, drum roll please.............10:00 am lol. Seriously, I did not drink that much wine. Really! I just really like the peace and quiet.
The forcast called for sunshine so I packed a bag a set out. I first stopped at a small nameless lake ( or is it considered part of Rain ) that is fed by Dolly Lk. Then I headed down to the Sawyer Lk portage. The eight minute walk was filled with the fragrance of leaves that had given up the last of their chlorophyll and fallen, sighing, to the forest floor. Autumn in the woods is a feast for the senses. The portage itself was relatively easy beginning with a rock-enfused ascent, then levelling off and finally descending over pine roots to a flat sandy beach.

put-in at Sawyer

I paddled across the quite water, the only sound was the wind moving through the trees. There was no sign of life. Colors of fire bounced of the tops of the hills in the distance behind the pines lining the shoreline. I approached the portage to Jubilee, the sand beach reminiscent of tropical locations, with pines bending over the water in place of palm trees. The portage was alternately ascending up and down and took about 12 minutes. The put-in to Jubilee was a masterful example of beaver engineering. It was impressive to see how formidable a pile of sticks can be when placed a right angles to one and other.

put-in at Jubilee

I paddled through and around Jubilee, encountering no-one but myself. As I made my way out at the west end of the lake, again I heard the sound of wolves. This time it rose like a buzz saw. A great riot of sound as several wolves joined voices in primitive song. Finally its feaver pitch over, it decended in yips and barks and yowls. They were close. ,closer than they had been yesterday. I left Jubilee and headed back for camp arriving at 4:45. I had paid to saty until Wed which gave me the option to not take down my site until I left late on Tues. I immediately began tearing down my site and by 6:00pm was at the water. There was a little breeze breaking across the lake but nothing too extreme. I had little time left to make it to the parking lot by dark. I paddled with purpose across the lake. I haven't paddled at night but as I entered the channel where the water slowed to dead calm, the light overhead dimmed and everyting stood still. I paddled slowly through the channel enjoying the quiet. I made it to the parking lot as the last light slipped away and loaded up in the dark. I drove slowly down Rain Lk Rd watching for wildlife but all were sleeping.

Sunset along the channel


Getting to the parking lot in the dark

I was home by 11:00. With the season ending I hope to have one more 3 day trip to end the year later this month. Happy travels all!


"Anyone can make love in a canoe, it's a Canadian who knows enough to take out the centre thwart!        Bahahaha!
                                                                      - Philip Chester
 

10/08/2015 6:32 am  #2


Re: Crazy, psycho, rabid chipmunks and 3 days on Rain Oct 4-6

Thanks for sharing Kelly; this was an enjoyable read! All the best in planning your last trip of the season.

 

10/08/2015 10:01 am  #3


Re: Crazy, psycho, rabid chipmunks and 3 days on Rain Oct 4-6

Thanks for the fun report!

One of my favourite parts of a backcountry campsite is the critters (we never feed or entice them). I always give the regulars names (Wanda the red squirrel; Max the Chipmunk, Susan the campsite mouse, etc). 

In fact, on our last trip we were on a site that seemingly had no critters and it was quite disconcerting.

 

10/15/2015 8:19 pm  #4


Re: Crazy, psycho, rabid chipmunks and 3 days on Rain Oct 4-6

Thanks for sharing Kelly.  Always something memerable on these trips

 

10/15/2015 10:14 pm  #5


Re: Crazy, psycho, rabid chipmunks and 3 days on Rain Oct 4-6

Thanks Ron. I've just managed to figure out how to post pictures lol. Now I can start posting some trips. I want to enter one in the trip log contest but I read the previous post from someone claiming it was too difficult to post anything under the restrictions which kind of scares an un-techy person like me 😜

K


"Anyone can make love in a canoe, it's a Canadian who knows enough to take out the centre thwart!        Bahahaha!
                                                                      - Philip Chester
     Thread Starter
 

10/16/2015 8:54 am  #6


Re: Crazy, psycho, rabid chipmunks and 3 days on Rain Oct 4-6

Hi 'Kelly' .. the Trip-log Contest isn't entered by posting text and photos on the forum. Rather it's entered by email. The details are located at .. http://www.algonquinadventures.com/triplogs/tlfr5000.html
The text and photo requirements are structured to result in similar 'formats' between entries .. allowing the story-telling content and photo content to be judged on a consistent baseline. I've just added a 'clarification' which includes the link to the free download of a 'photo-resizer' program. I'm not adverse to discussing the resizing process over on the forum's 'Photography and Videography/Equipment and Technique' section. Hopefully that will enable more participation in the contest.

 

10/16/2015 9:12 pm  #7


Re: Crazy, psycho, rabid chipmunks and 3 days on Rain Oct 4-6

Thank you for the info. I will give it my best effort but don't anyone hold their breath lol

K


"Anyone can make love in a canoe, it's a Canadian who knows enough to take out the centre thwart!        Bahahaha!
                                                                      - Philip Chester
     Thread Starter
 

10/19/2015 4:19 pm  #8


Re: Crazy, psycho, rabid chipmunks and 3 days on Rain Oct 4-6

Great report Kelly! Glad you enjoyed the surprise - I think it's pretty cool.

As for those chippies.. wow - the look on the one little guy's face is priceless.. looks like he's ready to take you down if you have no food!

Had a mouse actually chew through the mesh liner of my tent last October on Ragged Lake.. found out by waking up to a mouse loosing it's mind in the tent trying to find a way out. Woke up my buddy and said 'hey, there's a mouse in the tent!' this guy laughs a little then turns over and continues sleeping. The next morning he said 'I knew you'd deal with it'  haha jackass.

Really enjoyed reading your report - some beautiful shots and looks like you had some decent weather – rain at night is always better than rain in the day!!. And personally, having owned the exact same boat as you (Pack 13.6 in Emerald Green/Champaign bottom) it's kind of Nostalgic to read your reports and see that canoe. Gawd I miss that boat.

thanks for taking the time to put this together - great read!

 

 

Board footera

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