I got back about this time last week

[catsittingstill]

And I need a vacation to recover from my vacation.  Actually, more to recover from driving to and from my vacation, but you know.

It was wonderful.  At some point I intend to tell you all about it, but I just want to cover one high point now.

I went canoeing in Quetico Provincial Park.  Out in the roadless wilderness, where the only tracks are the portage trails.  It was wonderful.

And Patience did great.  She kept up with my brother's Minnesota II (big, fast tandem canoe).  When the wind came in with a two mile fetch across Bailey Bay and the waves kicked up to a foot and a half or two feet high, she did better than the Minnesota II (not too surprising; tandems, with the weight at the ends, don't rise to waves as well as solos, with the weight in the middle).  Patience may not be tame, but I never felt afraid--at least not afraid for me.  There were times when I felt like now would not be a good time to quit paddling to look at the map, but with the paddle in the water I always felt--not safe, but competent.  In control; on top of things, solid and sure, having fun, even.  If I hadn't been so tired by the time we got to our camp spot I would have gone back out into the waves just to dance on them.

She got a lot of compliments too.

And now I've got boat fever, but bad, and I want to build another one.

Comments

[karinny.livejournal.com]

have you heard the song Quetico by Sally Rodgers and Claudia Schmidt?

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

No, I don't think so. It sounds interesting, though :-)

I actually worked on a song about it on the way home... not about Patience, so much, but about Quetico. It's not ready yet, but maybe in a few days.

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

*smiles* you and your canoe, and me and my motorcycle... both with the Zen, and the compliments.

Our respective addictions seem to be progressing well. :)

[randwolf.livejournal.com]

Welcome back.

...so what does the next boat look like?

[bigbumble.livejournal.com]

There were clearly two of you in that canoe. One, the careful builder, spending hours designing, dreaming, measuring, cutting, sanding, and finishing. The second, the adventuress, thinking, reacting, paddling, and observing. Both are a mixture of Mind, eye, hand and soul. Together you both conquered and conjoined with Nature. It is no wonder you have a drug like high from the trip. (Only much healthier!)

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

I'm glad your trip was satisfying in so many ways for you!