Geezer trip....7-17-19

On Wednesday the seventeenth Ruth and I paddled into lake one to establish a base camp for the others that are to arrive later in the week.  We had the same campsite we had last fall when a bear ate all our food. Even though it was in a bear resistant barrel  he knawed his way through it.   We had two blissful days of watching the lake and meterological phenomenon that is the show of a wilderness lake.   On friday elizabeth and perry paddled into camp.   It was a joyous reunion after not paddleing together for a year.  The yoders read books and so did ruth.   I took a nap.   Later that afernoon ruth and i fished and explored the Lotus garden....  it was beautiful to be out of camp for a while.    That evening Yoders prepared brats for supper. They were delicious.    on saturday we packed up and paddled out.

May 10-13, 2019, with the bill club.

We got an early start and were at our favorite campsite by 10:30 am.  We all got busy  hauling packs up from the beach and pitching tents and tarps.  Norm helped me with the tent and tarp while Doug and Ross pitched a huge tent.   Cooper and Larsen had a huge tent to pitch too.   Norm had his own tent up before anyone else. Everyone brought their own snacks for lunch.  I retired to my tent for a welcome rest after a busy morning.   Supper was provided by me..  I grilled steaks on a wood fire that mark provided.  The steaks for the 6 of us turned out perfect.   we also had sweet corn and salads. All good.   we rounded off the evening with cigars and wine.  I didn't have any wine but the cigars were delicious .   That night i woke up shivering.  So i bundled up and went back to sleep.   I think it got down to freezing. 

Slept till seven am and had a wonderful breakfast provided by Doug and Ross.   Scrambled eggs and bacon,   Later that morning Norm and I fished the bay to the west.  We trolled with a jig and a rapala. no luck though.   It was beautiful to be out on the water.  Cool and breezy with partly cloudy skies.  After lunch i took another nap.   the other guys fished all day but with no  luck.   For supper mark grilled brats.  I had a steak and salad.   It was another evening of stories around the campfire, and because i bundled up i slept warm all night.

Sunday was a repeat of Saturday except that cooper caught 3 lake trout.  Cooper roasted two of them over the campfire while wrapped in tin foil.  He took the third one home.   That evening coop and  i stayed up late talking around the campfire. It was a good evening.  Later that night i swore i hear a bear in camp twice.  I got out of my tent both times and saw and found nothing.     It didn't worry me because it was our last night.

Hoping to sleep till 7 or  8  i was disappointed to hear everyone moving about at five thirty.  Coop made pancakes and eggs and it was the start of a beautiful day.   I packed up and Norm helped me.   we launched with a photo session of us in our canoes.    I paddled the first 1/2 mile to only realize that i was exhausted from the short night.    Norm did 90% of the  paddling on the way out.   Again it was a beautiful morning.