6:30...up after a good night's sleep at last. Leben had an accident at1:00, but it took one minute to deal with and I was back to sleep in a flash after a prayer to St. Ambien.
Fortunately, the bear Erde started to track last year in the snow here never showed up this year. Either that or Erde slept through his visit.
Took the dogs for a brief walk to the beach. Later took the dogs for a stroll around the camp. Checked out site 148, which is situated in an isolated spot down a steep hill, on a small peninsula of fir trees jutting out onto the bay. Great spot for merits, which is why I would have taken it if it had been available.
Since I had a short drive of less than 200 miles, I took my time breaking camp. Met a gentleman from Winnipeg who had just hiked the coastal trail to scatter his dog's ashes where they had hiked together before. I can relate to that.
Got on the road at 10:30 to the sounds of Pete Seeger s This Land is Your Land, with which I start each day's drive. I sing along, but change the geographical references to Canadian. Did I tell you that when I grew up along the Hudson River in New York I could see Seeger's property across the river from my bedroom window?
1:30. Time for out 3-hour pit stop for the dogs. I was getting ready to pull into the same parking lot with a picnic table in a small town that I stopped in before, but then decided to treat the lit stops as I do camp sites, if it is not good enough for the dogs, I move on till I find one. Just about the road I came to Aquasablon Falls, a great spot. Had to hike down a long, twisting, elevated wooded path to get to the overlook and Leben took it quite well. I had to winch him back up, though.
4:30 Time for the dogs' Frosty Paws stop, or whatever passes for a Frosty Paws treat on the road, usually ice cream. I may be vegan, but the dogs are not.
5:15. Pulled into Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. the circumstances were a lot better than last year. Got assigned one of two last sites, site 160, on the water, just down the way from my previous sites in 2000, 2001, 2011. We ended our trip here in 2011 when Leben's skin infection was getting out of control. So this also is the starting point for this journey. If the rest of this trip goes as well as the last 8 days, what a journey it will be.
5:30 arrived at camp site after dropping off laundry to save time. Had to make two visits back, but instead of taking 2 hours to do the Landry, it took 20 minutes. This will be my new routine.
Took the dogs for a walk a short distance to the boat launching site where they swan as 4-month old pups 12 years ago. I think they remembered. Both launched themselves into the water immediately, with the Sleeping Giant resting peacefully in the distance.
Leben's sprites skyrocketed today as I have finally learned to manage him without overdoing it. He likes the sites near people so he can watch the comings and goings.
We had two encounters with wildlife here this evening. As Erde sat quietly minding her own business (a rarity), a chipmunk walked up behind her and started to poke her. She turned around abruptly and was so startled, she did not know what to do. The chipmunk took advantage of those precious seconds and made haste to exit.
Later, as I was ready to take the dogs for their final walk, a skunk wandered into he campsite. I quickly changed plans and beat it into the tent with the dogs and closed up or the night. A similar thing happened here in 2000 when Sonntag was in the tent with the door open. It was i that night who got sprayed. Not wanting a paralyzed, skunk soaked dog on my hands, I quickly grabbed the pepper spray and walked around the tent creating a skunk-free zone. But when finished the circuit, I walked head first into the pepper still lingering where I sprayed it. That skunk had the last laugh as I tried several measures to rid my eyes and nose of the spray, pepper spray, not skunk.
On the lake, I can hear the lone loon with his plaintiff cry in the distance. I think it may be the same one from Labrador, following us. Better a loon than the pack of lynx that was here two years ago.
I made up 2 days by staying only and day each here and Brent Camp. I also saved a day by foregoing one day side trips to Fushimi Provincial Park way up north and Lake Bukemiga, also way up north. I was hoping to revisit those splendid places, but decided that my focus has to be on getting to Alsska.
10:30 p.m. Time for taps. I have no idea where we will end up tomorrow night, but I might want to put some miles on the road, and just may have to stay at a roadside private camp since all the parks are full on weekends this time of year.
Still no profound thoughts to report. On the road all day, working in the camp in the morning and evening, and living amidst such natural splendor are enough to clear one's brain of any serious thoughts
Ed.
Below...Leben and Erde enjoying the view at the Aquasablon Gorge rest stop.
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