Les Misérables
"Please see below for the final version of the trip report (Post #29)"
A blur of oranges whipped past as I sped along the black ribbon of Highway 60 up into the Algonquin Highlands. In the distance, muted orange hilltops rose up from dark green valleys. Looking closer, the uppermost tops of the maples were now mostly bare leaving the forest floor in a carpet of orange. Even a few days past their full autumn prime, the hardwoods of Algonquin were still majestic.
Familiar landmarks flashed past; the Smoke Lake lookout, the signs for the Canoe/Smoke Lake Access Point signs, and eventually the Lake of Two Rivers where the highway comes to the water's edge. It wasn't long before the Rock Lake sign appeared and I exchanged asphalt for gravel. The forest closed in around me as I worked my way along the wash-boarded route until at last the campground signs diverted me to the parking lot of the Rock Lake Access Point where our adventure would start. As I pulled in I could see a collection of canoes and faces. The rest of the group were ready to go and I was a little late. Keewaykeno, Quiet and Sknox stood around talking as Cruiser51 and Brantwing, who had pulled in a few minutes earlier, were still unloading. It wasn't long before Lipstick and my gear were down by the water, ready to go.
Our plan for this year would be to start off on Rock Lake and then take the three kilometer portage into Lake Louisa for two nights. From there we'd loop down through Rence, Harry and Welcome lakes where we'd spend another night before continuing on to Pen for the rest of the weekend. All told we'd be covering close to 40 km including 8 km of portages. As a slight twist, Cruiser51 and Brantwing would be heading directly down to Pen to set up a base camp. To help lighten the load of the "loopers", they offered to carry half of our rations and any extra gear down to Pen for safe keeping.
As I was carrying my gear down to the water I noticed that a chap walking towards me looked familiar. "Are you Larry, Larry, um ..... Larry Hyett?" I asked. I got a big smile in return and he admitted that he was. We talked for a while and I told him that I had enjoyed their YouTube videos for years and after a thanks Larry said that he and his brother Steve were just getting ready to head out for a week in the Park, on Lake Louisa of all places. Fortunately the rest of our group had managed to chat with the YouTubers. I was also told that I had just missed Scott of YouTube's Drenalin Adventures who was returning from a few days outing. Quite the collection of celebrities.
Canoes packed, we made ready to push off. Keewaykeno was paddling a Keewaydin that had been loaned to him by Swift where his own canoe was still being built. Cruiser51 and Brantwing were both paddling lovely cedarstrips built by Cruiser51 himself, canoes so beautiful that they almost have a life of their own. In fact, Cruiser51's canoe seemed to be so eager to get underway that it floated away from the dock all by itself. You just have to admire that kind of enthusiasm. Keewaykeno reached over from his canoe to stabilize mine as I contorted my legs under my new kneeling thwart. Once settled, we were off.
Finally paddles pulled water and our six canoes were off, first down a short meandering river section of what I think might be the mighty Madawaska, and then out onto Rock Lake itself. To the left were Rock's drive-to campgrounds, suprisingly full while ahead and to the left, Booth's Rock rose up to look over the lake. It wasn't long before Keewaykeno, Cruiser51 and Brantwing pulled far ahead, leaving Quiet, Sknox and myself in their wake. Cottages slid by on our right as we paddled south down the lake for a few kilometers before we bore right past Picto Bay towards our first portage, the dreaded 3K into Louisa. All the while, the Hyett brothers had paddled alongside our little flotilla.
By the time I approached the shore, I saw Keewaykeno shoulder his big pack and set off into the woods. Brantwing and Cruiser51 were standing by the shore, ready to lend a hand to those of us who were pulling in. After uncontorting my legs from that gosh-darn kneeling thwart I climbed out onto shore. Truth be told, that kneeling thwart has really changed my paddling. For years I've used a milk-crate as an impromptu seat and for years my ankles would stiffen to the point that it often took over five minutes for my feet to be flexible enough for me to stand up. The kneeling thwart seems to have solved this problem and now, once untangled, I'm up and out of the canoe like a shot, or at least an aged lump of clay. Cruiser51 and Brantwing returned to their canoes and waved as they headed south to Pen. We were on our own.
The portage from Rock Lake to Louisa was to be the main obstacle in our loop. Personally it would be the longest portage I've ever attempted. Given it's length we all chose to double-carry the portage, taking our gear across in two trips. This turned a portage three kilometers long into something closer to nine kilometers! An alternative to double carrying is to leapfrog the portage, carrying half of one's gear a short way before dropping it and going back for the rest, repeating this process until the end of the trail. While it might take a little longer than a long double-carry, what with all the extra time spent dropping and picking up gear, any extra time is compensated for by more rest periods along the way.
The portage itself was beautiful and generally as flat as a trail winding through the autumn forest can be. Blanketed in an orange and yellow carpet of leaves it was a pleasure. We had a sprinkle of rain that just served to cool us off. I managed to carry my packs all the way along the seemingly endless portage to Louisa but my second trip with the canoe was much more challenging. I was quickly becoming exhausted. With my energy levels dropping precipitously I decided to drop Lipstick somewhere around the midway point and return to my packs on Louisa with Sknox for something to eat and refill my tanks. Sknox offered to swap loads with me, but I told myself that all I needed was a little more energy.
Back on Louisa the Hyett brothers were just pushing off. I collapsed by my bags and fished out a Snickers bar. Keewaykeno and Quiet, who had just finished the portage themselves, ordered me to sit and rest as they turned to go back for my canoe. A while later, after their prescribed rest and some water, Sknox and I got up and returned down the trail to help bring my canoe across only to discover that Keewaykeno and Quiet had already come most of the way. Keewaykeno refused my offer to carry my canoe and continued on to the forest road where Quiet then shouldered Lipstick and finished the walk. I was admonished for the weight of my canoe, fully double that of Keewaykeno's own and I resolved to look into finally trading Lipstick in for a lighter model. It's a humbling feeling, but I was grateful for their help. I would have much preferred to make it through on my own steam, but I had to be careful. Thanks guys.
We had only a couple of hours of light left and need to push on. We loaded up the canoes and pushed off into the eastern reaches of Lake Louisa. On the first significant point along the north shore, just out from Martin Creek, we passed the Hyett brothers in the process of setting up their camp. Larry had mentioned that they were hot-tenting in his canvas campfire/baker tent and wood-stove, a heavy load that would pay for itself in the upcoming days.
We continued down the lake but given the time of day, chose not to push on to the islands that were our original destination. Instead we stopped just short at one of the campsites on the north shore just north of Mildred L. over the hills to the south. Up on the site we found a small supply of firewood on hand and were thankful to those who had been here before us. We quickly set up camp, Sknox spread a tarp by the fire area and we settled into the chores of preparing dinner. A grate was placed over the fire and it wasn't long before Sknox's huge steak and my little lamb chops were sizzling away over the coals. We reaffirmed the age old wisdom of not mixing religion or politics and settled on the things we had in common, our love for canoeing and the great outdoors. We were graced with a beautiful sunset that turned the sky a deep shade of pink and then it was over. One by one we climbed into our hammocks and closed our eyes just as the first few drips of rain began to patter on our tarps.
End of Day 1
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