July 23. Other parts of the 3150 metre trail from 'unnamed lake 6' to 'unnamed lake 5'. Amongst the tall grass there are some hard-to-see holes so I have to be extra careful portaging the three loads after breaking camp 20. Another clear hot day reaching 32℃.
Even with the lighter load, I still have to start the canoe farther down the channel. Reaching camp 21 (old camp 4) on 'unnamed lake 5', from my journal: "Arrived by 9 a.m., excellent time indeed. Thought it was lunchtime already - three 3+ km portages will do that to you. Disappointed that it wasn't even close to lunchtime." I have travelled 3½ km, including the 3150 metre portage.
After camp set up, from my journal: "Then a nice bath ... yeah! Very nice here, more big trees and shade. Initially thought to pre-portage three loads across the next trail, but then older me said 'That can wait till tomorrow as staying here tomorrow anyway.'"
After camp set up, from my journal: "Then a nice bath ... yeah! Very nice here, more big trees and shade. Initially thought to pre-portage three loads across the next trail, but then older me said 'That can wait till tomorrow as staying here tomorrow anyway.'"
July 23, after lunch I take canoe out to fish, expecting to catch pike but I get and unexpected treat of a 32" (81 cm) lake trout, caught relatively shallow on a red and white spoon in 'unnamed lake 5'. Note how orange the flesh is, compared to the white flesh of a 26" (66 cm) northern pike, indicating a diet rich in fresh water shrimp. Even without a side dish at supper except for a salad, I can only eat 3/4 of the fried trout, saving the remainder for breakfast tomorrow. Because of the heat, I boil the diced pike to store in the moss "fridge" for tomorrow, even better than frying it.
The top section of my new fishing rod broke landing the pike. When I return home the section is replaced under warranty because the break is a clean straight one indicating a flaw in the carbon fibre layup.
July 24. Video of camp 21 layout, an excellent site in a beautiful location. Note the thunderstorm midway through the video.
After breakfast, I canoe the short distance to the lower end of 'unnamed lake 5' and pre-portage three loads across the 650 metre trail to the next lake. On the last return trip I pick three fireweed salads, then back at camp, sweat-soaked in the 28℃ heat, have a bath before lunch. Interestingly, just after lunch the temperature rises to 33℃, a wind gust bringing a sudden 5℃ increase that I could feel dramatically. Now after eating, I am sweating doing nothing. Using the fly swatter, I am killing many biting horseflies to no end, ants hauling them away. Thunder and lightning all round me, I sure wish it would rain.
After breakfast, I canoe the short distance to the lower end of 'unnamed lake 5' and pre-portage three loads across the 650 metre trail to the next lake. On the last return trip I pick three fireweed salads, then back at camp, sweat-soaked in the 28℃ heat, have a bath before lunch. Interestingly, just after lunch the temperature rises to 33℃, a wind gust bringing a sudden 5℃ increase that I could feel dramatically. Now after eating, I am sweating doing nothing. Using the fly swatter, I am killing many biting horseflies to no end, ants hauling them away. Thunder and lightning all round me, I sure wish it would rain.
Second video, forest fire smoke across the lake right after the first video was taken, started by a lightning strike in the thunderstorm. It sure did not take long to start a visible smoky fire. My younger self is overly concerned about such a close forest fire and wants to move on. However, at 3 p.m. it is late, and I would have to break camp then portage to the next lake across the 650 metre trail and continue canoeing down two more lakes to reach a decent campsite. My older self prevails to stay in camp overnight, especially as chances are it may rain yet, one more obstacle to moving on now. With luck, rain would dampen the fire or maybe even extinguish it.
Finally by 6 p.m. it starts raining steadily in camp, temperature falling to 25℃, feeling so much better. From my journal: "Hopefully rain puts fire out or at least slows it down. Depends if still just in a tree and will take awhile to spread if surrounding area is wet. I actually packed sleep gear. Finally older self said this is crazy - flee the fire and get hit by lightning or at least get soaked when it hopefully continues raining." Now I have to lay out sleep gear again after eating a cold supper in the tent.
By bedtime at 7:45 p.m. the rain has slowed or stopped. Before putting on my bed sock, I check the right big toe after removing the moleskin on the toe beside it. The toe does look and feel somewhat better. The only dressing I use now is the Gold Bond® powder. It seems that everything I have done has helped, but it is still not completely better by any means, still taking at least 30 minutes in the morning to be comfortable when bearing weight on it.
Finally by 6 p.m. it starts raining steadily in camp, temperature falling to 25℃, feeling so much better. From my journal: "Hopefully rain puts fire out or at least slows it down. Depends if still just in a tree and will take awhile to spread if surrounding area is wet. I actually packed sleep gear. Finally older self said this is crazy - flee the fire and get hit by lightning or at least get soaked when it hopefully continues raining." Now I have to lay out sleep gear again after eating a cold supper in the tent.
By bedtime at 7:45 p.m. the rain has slowed or stopped. Before putting on my bed sock, I check the right big toe after removing the moleskin on the toe beside it. The toe does look and feel somewhat better. The only dressing I use now is the Gold Bond® powder. It seems that everything I have done has helped, but it is still not completely better by any means, still taking at least 30 minutes in the morning to be comfortable when bearing weight on it.