06-AUG-2006
Day 1 - Sunday, August 6
On this morning, we all meet at 7:15am for breakfast in the hotel dining room. When we're finished, we head out to the only destination at the end of the road--Bowron Lake Provincial Park. The only wildlife we see along the way is a bunny scurrying across the road. We stop at the Bear River Merchantile to pick up any last minute supplies.
06-AUG-2006
Day 1 - Sunday, August 6
Bear River Merchantile is where we begin and end our journey. We'll leave here and go to the Park registration center where we will watch a mandatory short video on park safety and sign in.
06-AUG-2006
Day 1 - Sunday, August 6
While at Bear River Merchantile, we also pick up our PFDs, paddles, bailers/sponges, canoe carts, canoes and miscellaneous other supplies before heading to the registration center.
06-AUG-2006
Day 1 - Sunday, August 6
While Cheryl signs us in, we mingle around the registration center waiting for the video to begin. Note the woman in the grey sweatshirt--she appeared to be in charge but it was her first day on the job! More on this later.
06-AUG-2006
Day 1 - Sunday, August 6
For our first activity, we load the canoes on the canoe carts then load the canoes themselves with all our gear. It's amazing to think that we got all that stuff plus ourselves into those canoes. This is also where our car was left as well.
06-AUG-2006
Day 1 - Sunday, August 6
Our first excursion is a 2.4km (1.49 MILES!) portage to Kibbee Lake. This is where you find out how badly you want to do this trip. Because we are a group, we are allowed to 'fudge' a bit on the 60lb. weight restriction per canoe. Single canoers have their loaded canoes weighted and anything beyond 60lbs. has to be carried. We all must wear a pack of some sort--though not nearly as heavy as they could be--as well as pull the canoes over the portage trail. I can tell you, our canoes weight well over 60lbs. loaded. So the first portage starts out uphill and does not let up for quite a ways and the trail is at times very bumpy from large (foot sized) embedded rocks and tree roots though hardly any potholes or ruts. We all sweat profusely (sweat is running/dripping off me and I should have brought a sweat rag of some sort!) but stop frequently along the way to catch our breath. I wore the top Diana made for me and it was perfect! Some of us take our shirts off. ; ) It's kind of like a Circuit class with the exertion and recovery cycle we go through.
06-AUG-2006
Day 1 - Sunday, August 6
It is wonderful that we are going through the woods, and even though it is relatively early, it is sunny today and that would make for an even tougher portage.
06-AUG-2006
Day 1 - Sunday, August 6
We are all thrilled when we finally see water for the first time. We have reached the west end of Kibbee Lake. Just as we are about ready to head out on the lake, Merlin catches up with us. He had to drive back to Wells to take an axe he borrowed back to a friend. We are all kind of speechless to think that he pulled a loaded canoe BY HIMSELF over the portage we had just completed.
06-AUG-2006
Day 1 - Sunday, August 6
We head out for a 45 minute crossing to our first night's campsite (#2) and lunch. It is near the start of the next day's portage so we have several groups passing through during the day. We have cheese/crackers, PB, jelly, hummus, sausages, green olives, assorted canned fish/oysters, pickles for lunch.
06-AUG-2006
Day 1 - Sunday, August 6
After we set up camp, we get a lesson on canoe strokes/safety, etc. Susan and I decide to practice by paddling along the shore. As it is so quiet, we hear and then see another group approaching. They tell us they saw a moose and calf grazing by the entry to Thompson Lake. We paddle over to investigate--making sure to keep our distance to respect the moose's privacy and the fact that WE are the intruders in its home.
06-AUG-2006
Day 1 - Sunday, August 6
After Susan and I returned from our moose encounter we went for a swim. It was cold but it still felt good. Patty joined us for a bit. After we got out, Patty and I decided to check out tomorrow's portage: Long + Uphill = hard work! A while later, we had dinner: pita pocket bread with spinach, feta cheese, red peppers, red onions, probably other stuff as well, grilled so they were warm. Very good Tomato Basil soup, too. For dessert, we had raspberry cheesecake.
06-AUG-2006
Day 1 - Sunday, August 6
After eating dinner, we all basically turned in. Sunset was well after 9pm, and it didn't ever seem to be really dark. Most of the lakes are home to a pair of loons and their strange cries could be heard over the stillness of nightfall. There are both black and grizzly bears in the park and each campsite had a metal bear cache big enough to hold all our food and anything that might smell like food. A few times, just before going to sleep, I had the sudden realization that I still had something in my pocket (candy bar or lip balm or a snack) so needed to make a run to deposit it in the bear cache. Better safe than sorry. I also let Barry and Patty know that if they needed to make a late night run to the toilet that I would be more than happy to go with. I'd much rather do that than go by myself as you never know what might be around the corner.