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Hadn't been in ages. Woke up to a beautiful day. Remembered Fern Lake near Cumberland Gap National Historic Park. Dithered over whether to drive the canoe up there when I didn't know if I could actually get access to the lake. Decided to go anyway, rationalizing that if there was no canoeing available I would just go hiking in the park instead. Tried out new canoe brackets I got for Christmas; they attach to the bars of my Yakima rack and cradle the canoe so it can't shift from side to side. It took me an extra 20 minutes or so to put them on, but they worked very well indeed. Speed approached 70 mph in some of the good stretches of highway, and the canoe showed no sign of shifting around (I still strapped it down properly, of course; it wasn't *all* the brackets.)
Lovely day, trees changing colors, beautiful blue sky. Couldn't access Fern Lake; apparently it's privately owned. Though the park may buy it soon they don't expect to allow people to put their own boats on it, as they're worried about invasive non-native species. Though, frankly, Patience is clean as a whistle, but never mind.
Five miles north was Cannon Creek Lake, reachable off a small back road (thank Garmin the not-Lost for guiding me in and out.) Only one other boat on the lake, quietly fishing. One group of campers with a single tent. What kind of weirdos would go out to the wilderness and then run a generator the whole time--I ask you. But it was possible to explore the inlets and byways of the lake and get nicely away from the noise. I filled up my ears with birdsong and treewhispers and the gurgle of water around the paddle and under Patience's hull. It was one of those days when both the shade of the hills and the golden wash of sunlight were pleasant in their own way. The water was very green, but reasonably clear for this area. I took some pictures; nothing special, I don't think; just hills and trees and lake and such. If they turn out well, I may put some up.
Then I went back to the car and filled up a whole garbage bag with trash people had left lying around the boat ramp. Sigh. But I do think the place looked much nicer when I finished.
Now my back is sore. But I'm glad I went. It's only about 60 miles away; I expect I'll be back.
Lovely day, trees changing colors, beautiful blue sky. Couldn't access Fern Lake; apparently it's privately owned. Though the park may buy it soon they don't expect to allow people to put their own boats on it, as they're worried about invasive non-native species. Though, frankly, Patience is clean as a whistle, but never mind.
Five miles north was Cannon Creek Lake, reachable off a small back road (thank Garmin the not-Lost for guiding me in and out.) Only one other boat on the lake, quietly fishing. One group of campers with a single tent. What kind of weirdos would go out to the wilderness and then run a generator the whole time--I ask you. But it was possible to explore the inlets and byways of the lake and get nicely away from the noise. I filled up my ears with birdsong and treewhispers and the gurgle of water around the paddle and under Patience's hull. It was one of those days when both the shade of the hills and the golden wash of sunlight were pleasant in their own way. The water was very green, but reasonably clear for this area. I took some pictures; nothing special, I don't think; just hills and trees and lake and such. If they turn out well, I may put some up.
Then I went back to the car and filled up a whole garbage bag with trash people had left lying around the boat ramp. Sigh. But I do think the place looked much nicer when I finished.
Now my back is sore. But I'm glad I went. It's only about 60 miles away; I expect I'll be back.
