July 15 at camp 16, up at 3 a.m. to break camp. Mosquitoes very bothersome, so I do not bother with breakfast, should have eaten in tent. After the first portage on the 1600 metre trail to camp 17 at 'unnamed lake 13', I erect the tarp shelter as it sure looks like rain. On the third and final carry, I start the fire and put the four pots of water to boil. Weary, I eat a late breakfast before putting up the nylon tent, lay out sleep gear and store gear in vestibules. My right knee is sore and maybe I should rest it, but it will rest in bed tonight.
After lunch at 10:50 a.m., I pre-portage three loads (two barrels and canvas Tent/stove) across 'unnamed lake 13', then the 1500 metre trail to 'unnamed lake 11' where I cache the gear. I canoe an extra two km to pre-portage. For all carries, I don my headnet, the first time this year, as blackflies in the hundreds swarm around my head. Thankfully camp is on a raised plateau close to the lake somewhat exposed to a nice breeze so the bugs are not too bad. On the walk back to the canoe, I make a short detour where the trail almost touches 'unnamed lake 12' to check it out. It would be a nice spot to camp. When I get back to camp, I erect the clothesline to hang up my sweat-soaked clothes and change into a dry shirt and socks.
July 16, is a rest day for my aching knee and sore toe. At 3℃ and foggy, a warming fire sure feels good at breakfast. A gray jay murmurs softly nearby while a red squirrel chatters and scolds me. I catch up on some mending, sharpen the axe, have a bath, re-bandage my foot, hang bedding in sun, read some Reader's Digest, do some puzzles, nap. Temperature rises to 29℃ so I move to the shade of a group of spruce and pine trees near the lake. Interestingly, my toe aches all day. It seems to like it better when boot laces are tight and I am bearing weight. Thankfully it has not limited me, just sore when I start first thing in the morning, more aggravating than anything. One thing I find helpful, is using "mindfulness" to focus on a sore area, "minding" it to relax. Of course could just be in my head ... wait ... it is mainly in my head.
A cow moose skull. How did she die?
Beautiful sunrise at 5 a.m. on July 16.
An ant drags one of the dozen horseflies I killed under the tarp shelter. It is amazing how the ant can drag an object that is at least four times its size, climbing over, not around, obstructions.