Year 7 Day 3

Greetings from the Boundary Waters in Northern Minnesota! What an amazing place. Imagine it as a road system between here and Canada. An expansive system of lakes that connect to other lakes either by a small waterway or by a short walk/ hike. You jump from one lake to the next to the next. The section that we were in does this almost all the way to Canada. Amazing.

We rose with the sun. It was a no makeup / no fuss kind of day. Some outdoor clothes and off we went. Attempting to pack some food so that we could stay on the water all day, we stopped by a local grocery store called Zaps. Im not sure what exactly we walked into. Instead of end caps, there were old shopping carts packed with particular items. We were directed to sandwiches that looked as if they could run around on their own. We opted for some bagels for breakfast, a loaf of bread and some packaged lunch meat for lunch along with a slew of snacks. Our drive took us out into the woods which is my favorite place to be. It feeds the soul. It doesnt matter where the woods are as long as I am in them.

We parked our rental car loaded down with canoes and headed to the trail. Now mind you, this is not a normal canoe adventure. The lakes are secluded. They are not drive up to a ramp and put in lakes. They are nestled in the trees among the untouched natural surroundings. They are hidden gems just waiting to be discovered. So this is how it works. You unload your canoe and supplies and then carry them to the water. In our case the trek was about 1/4 mile. This may seem trifle but I tell you carrying a 45 pound 17 foot long boat on your shoulders down a rocky wooded trail is not as easy as one may think. Its tough work, but for the beauty that is hidden down these damp small trails, it is worth every step.

We visited three lakes today. Its called a portage when you have to carry the canoe. We did this twice. Beauty abounded along with lots of fishing and lots of solitude. Halfway up the second lake was a pictograph carefully drawn many moons ago by an Indian tribe. The third lake was the perfect lunch stop. We saw few people all day and each greeted us with the same smile and joy in their voice. Nature does wonderful things for all those who visit and listen.

As the winds picked up and the clouds started drifting in, we headed back to the first lake where we explored an island and finished up some snacks. The uphill climb out was a bit easier with the canoe on my back this time. Maybe I built up some muscle with all the paddling my husband around while he fished. Maybe the fresh air rejuvenated me.

Tomorrow we head toward Wisconsin. Im sad to leave this beautiful state and the incredibly kind people in it. I will be back someday for a week or more of exploration.