#FrameItFriday (week 32 season 5)
#FrameItFriday (week 32 season 5)
Although my alarm was set for 5am last Saturday morning through all the excitement, I found myself awake at 3:50am! 3:50am for heaven's sakes! That's not me, an early bird, except when we're going somewhere exciting! I had my car packed and topped with kayaks and decided to just leave early and cruise along highway 60 that cuts through Algonquin Park. I was meeting my kids at the Tim Lake Access Point #2 which is northeast of Kearney, Ontario. Perhaps in my early morning travels I'd come across a big bull moose dining in a marsh like everyone else says they see them. Nope, not a single creature in site, the whole highway 60. I'm cursed I tell ya! I did however get a chance to see the sparkling clean bathrooms at the east gate and again at the west gate as I made my way to Tim River. Sidenote: there wasn't one single coffee place open on the way from Tweed until I got to Bancroft! Also, wtf Tim Horton's, by toasted English muffins I do not mean "blow your hot breathe" on it and call it toasted ok? Untoasted English muffins are awful. ANYHOW.....Being a long weekend there were quite a few paddlers gliding in to the launch and many on shore waiting their turn to head in to the back country. I queried every paddler "what lake you going to?" as I wanted to know our competitors for campsites on our lake, Rosebary. There was 1 other group headed that way and would most likely snag the coveted primo site (there's 6 total on the lake). Other than look on the map, I never really paid attention to the distance we had to go, I just knew the lake name and that there was only one short 120m portage. Excellent. Off we paddled down a short winding section of the Tim River (no moose and folks always say, lots of moose there) headed across Tim Lake and searched for where the Tim exited the lake. Our campsite competitors who left just before us were floating in an open area smoking a joint as we glided past them eating our lunch. We made it to the "short" portage, other than a short root staircase, it appeared to be pretty level. We slung our packs and gear over our shoulders and followed the path to the end of the portage. The end was more like a cliff with spots to grab on to as you lowered your vessel into the continuation of the Tim. "Lots of leeches" a fellow camper stated as he clambered up the cliff in the opposite direction. Oh my friends, these leeches were more like baby water snakes squiggling with excitement somewhat like seagulls do when you have a box of fries. Replace those fries with toes. Needless to say not one single one of my toes dipped in that water, I managed to get in the kayak straight from shore, phew! Off we went, still on the Tim but it was a lot narrower and even more serpentine (reminded me of that road to Hana on Maui if you're familiar). Still no moose. Seven beaver dam crossings later and couple of patches of river hair we popped out on to our lake. 5 straight hours of paddling we searched for an empty site for another 1/2 hr and finally paddled towards it. How tired was I by then? Shock time, so tired I paddled past 4 loons that were grooming themselves and could care less about us. I was that tired. Also, I couldn't hang out with the loons and have my crew set up camp themselves, that's so not fair. I figured I'd see them the next day. The campsite was superb and the thunder box had a scenic view, home for the next 2 days. Thanks to my superman son for his help along the way and my daughter and daughter-in-law for all their hard work too, teamwork, we had made it safely to our little slice of heaven in the middle of the wilds! Our muscles were sore, we were all sweaty and decided that the next day we'd paddle to the beach a short distance from our site and spend a few hours chilling and swimming....I'm out of time now so I'll finish this next week but can any of you possibly guess what we named the beach? Also, did I or did I NOT make a bonehead move the first night we arrived? Oh and who knows how to "lift a curse"?
TO BE CONTINUED.......
Peace, love and kumbaya,
Heather
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