Training Log Archive: Sid

Event: Barebones
 

Day 6 Isle Royale Hiking Vacation. Daisy Farm to 3 Mile. Easy hike to the most scenic shelter on the trip. Left Daisy Farm at 11:11 am and arrived at 3 Mile at 1:14 pm with 2 stops for water and pictures. Temperature is 25° C and wind is 20 kmh from the east. See squirrel on trail, eating pine cone, not too perturbed about us walking by. Map distance is 4.2 miles, GPS 4.6. We come across a shelter just east of the trail junction and it is great, best one seen so far. The shelter faces the outer islands and towards the water are smooth igneous rocks sloping down. Great for catching a tan, drying clothes after washing or watching the boats go by. The Ranger steams by traveling from the Park Headquarters on the inner islands to rock Harbor. I went for a walk to Suzy's Cave after lunch. One can walk through this naturally formed arc. The Tobin Harbor Trail is quite quiet and easy walking compared to the Roch Harbor Trail to 3 Mile. Easy walk to Rock Harbor to catch ferry tomorrow!

Day 5 Isle Royale Hiking Vacation. McCargoe Cove to Daisy Farm. Depart at 10:40 am, temperature - 8° C. Panckes for breakfast and then off to East Chickenbone. The trail is rugged but mostly interior terrain, once up the ridge from McCargoe. Pass East Chickebone at 11:55 am. Campsite is usual being on a ridge about 1/4 mile above the water. Massive climb from there to the Greenstone Ridge but great view from the top of Thunder Bay and Sleeping Giant. Stopped at 12:40, 4.9 miles for lunch, pepperoni stick and tortillas. High stop with the best view at 7.8 miles, just before Daisy Farrn cutoff. Nice trail on Greenstone Ridge as there was tree cover. Good pace down to Daisy Farm arriving at 3:55 pm. Decide to scout the camp and find 1 shelter vacant but just besides the washroom. Decide to take campsite #15 at the north end of Daisy Farm, just adjacent to the bay. Summy and 25° C at Daisy Farm, wind is from the west so no waves in the channel or noisy surf like last time

Distance - 10.3 miles by GPS, 8.3 miles by map.

Day 4 Isle Royale Hiking Vacation. Lake Richie to McCargoe Cove. Depart Lake Richie at 9:52 am after gruel for breakfast, hoping to get a spot at McCargoe. Fairly flat terrain to start with along the lake and then swings north towards the ridge. Nice pace, 1 hour without rest as the boys hit their pace. Meet many coming the opposite direction including a gentleman with a Tibetan prayer bell, not a bear bell on his pack. Stopped at Lake LeSage to fill water containers and then West Chickenbone for lunch, tortillas and sausage. DIstance to West Chickebone is 5.2 miles by GPS, 3.4 by map.West Chickenbone is a nice spot but the lake has the same green algae as Lake Richie so water is avoided. Back on the trail to McCargoe at 12:57pm. See Thunder Bay father and sons fishing but they are having no luck. They have sailed from Canada and are moored at McCargoe Cove. There are lots of sailing docking locations on North Superior side. Arrive at 2:20 pm at McCargoe to find no shelters, or single campsites. Take a group spot and hope no one reserving it shows up. Dwayne washes with surfactant and Ian takes a quick dip, first ever. Sitting on the beach, a snake with a tadpole in its mouth crawls out between this legs. It slithers into the bank and we watch it inhale the large tadpole. Ian walks to the Minong Copper Mine after without pack to see the old mines. Mined back in the 1890's for 10 years, the ore was transported to McCargoe by rail. Old tailings piles, ome shaft and a surface galey is all that is left. Prehistoric Indian pit mines also dot this area.

Distance today - 9.3 by GPS, 5.4 by map temperature - 28°C high.

Day 3 Isle Royale Hiking Vacation. Daisy Farm to Lake Richie. Rained over night at Daisy Farm but no big deal as we were in a shelter. Up at 9 am, breakfast was pancakes and syrup. The Voyager II docked at DF aboput 9:30 am on its around the island route. Most people were already on the trail as we departed at 11:05 am. The weather was sunny and 22°C. The trail to Moskey Basin was quite rugged and we arrived at 1:40 pm stopping for lunch. The map distance was 3.5 miles but the GPS read 4.1. Elevation change 250 m to 192 m. Had lunch on the dock, watching canoe arrivals. The shelters here were very nice on the basin with water views. However, all were full at 12 pm. Filled up the water containers using pump and chlorine as Lake Richie is contaminated. Left the basin at 2:20 pm after seeing the Ranger come through the out islands. On the way to Lake Richie I came across a young guy seen on Day 1 with his father. After a light break, we came across the father 10 minutes later. He stopped for a talk and seemed to be having some knee discomfort. They had gone Rock Harbor to Daisy Farm,,next to McCargoe Bay and were returning to Daisy Farm before a Friday departure. Saw lots of people on the trail with canoe paddles and fishing gear returning from Lake Richie but no fish. Arrived at Lake Richie at 3:40 pm and the lake was full of green algae as advertised. So bad DC would not take a bath. Supper was pasta, pepperoni and sun dried tomatoes. Temperature was 20°C. Map distance to Lake Richie was 2.2 miles, 3.2 miles by GPS.

Easy day after 2 tough ones. Lake Richie did not look too good with the green. Trip total 28.4 miles so far.

Day 2 Isle Royale Hiking Vacation. Lane Cove to Daisy Farm. Up at 8:30 am, the packs are arranged giving Sid more weight, primarily, GORP. After breakfast and water filtration and chlorination, we depart back up the trail at 11:30 am. The route retrace does not seem that bad. The GPS distance to the top is 3.2 miles versuss 2.3 on the sign post. The Mount Franklin to Mount Ojibwa Trail is quite open and very hot under the mid day sun. The ridge trail distance seems more realistic 3.1 versus 2.8 miles on the signs. At the Ojibwa tower I climb and take pictures as DC resrs in the shade. We decide to return across the island to Dasy Farm instead of heading along the ridge to East Chickenbone.Departing at 3:15 pm, we arrive at Daisy Farm at 4:50 pm and find one shelter open #20, not bad but down wind from the privies. Nice stone beach and dock but it is evident that the water is quite low in Lake Superior.With the weight redistributed, it is figured that each is carrying 65 lb. Again the GPS distance was 40% above map distances at 9.8 miles.

Day 1 Isle Royale Hiking Vacation. Rock Harbor to Lane Cove. The Isle Royale Queen IV reached the dock at 11:40 am. We were briefed by Ranger Ellen and started hiking at 12:45 pm. We learn that Lakes Richie & Chickenbone have green algae and it is banned to take water, even filtered and chlorinated from those lakes. The algae is being tested for human toxicity but no results yet. Pack ut going weight, DC - 74 lb Sid - 60 lb. We took the Tobin Harbor Trail stopping for lunch at the Suzy's Cave cut off. Afterwards the Mount Frankin Trail was taken to the top f the Greenstne Ridge. Started down to Lane cove at 4 pm ans was soon passed by 2 people without packs. Killer trail to Lane Cove with many switchbacks. The boys run out of juice but struggle in at 6:15 pm. There is no one else there. No shelters but very nice campsites. One group shows up an hour late. Nice night but with fire ban on the island, little to do. Map distance was off at 7 miles. GPS reads 11.3. We realize that the map distances are likely 40% light.

Event: Laurentian Rogaine
 

Drove from Saginaw, MI to Copper Harbor, MI to catch the Isle Royale Queen IV to the island the next morning. Left about 8:30 am and arrived in CH at 6:15 pm. Nice drive but went through torrential downpour between Saginaw and Mackinac City.

Drive from Mississauga, Burlington to Saginaw, MI. Left at 6:30 pm and arrived at 11:30 pm. Major rain storm on the 402 before Sarnia.

Won the game 3 to 2. Good defensive game.

Last game of the summer season. Lost in a sloppy game in general.

Leg warm up for hockey Tuesday.

Leg workout to stay in condition for hiking this Friday.

Caught Bearskin & AC back to T.O.

C • Sounds like a cool trip! 3

Last day of Woodland Caribou Canoe Trip. Up at 8:30 am for gruel. Temperature - 14°C. 9:33 am departure paddling down Onnie for the 625 m portage to the creek beyond. Quite a rugged and hilly trail! Meet a couple going into the park with mega gear, suggesting a 2 week trip; 2 barrel packs and assorted mid sized packs suggesting 3 trips on portages for gear and canoe. Paddled down the creek to a 30 m portage to a small lake. Paddled across to the 300 m final portage to Suffle Lake Road for pick up. Arrived at 11:33 am. M showed up at 12:10 with a 4x4 Silverado crew cab and we loaded the gear after final pictures. 80 km drive out to Cochenour with lots of time to get S to work for 3 pm. Visited the locals for debriefing and beer.

Generally, a pretty casual adventure compared to past trips. Weather was so so with rain two days and wind against us only twice. Overall distance - 120 km in 6 days, 27 portages.

Day 6 ECCH! a rest day on Onnie Lake.. My brother learned years ago on an 11 day trip, I can not stand such. He and I disagreed but it was no contest with the kids voting. I even tried to get us to move just a few lakes over but to no avail. So again a waste day as I call them. The kids boated over to 2 main land campsites and ran through out. I did some light canoeing and fishing but little luck. We caught to 11" Walleye in shallow water but no honking fish. May be should have trawled. Weather was not great with a high of 14°C. May be I should have brought a book.

Day 5 of Woodland Caribou Canoe Trip. Decided to go for the park border and Onnie Lake. The wind is in our favour out of the northwest. Cool morning at 12 °C so we do not get up until 8:30 am. On the lake at 10 am after gruel. Down Glenn Lake we pass two groups of fishermen from fly cabins. The first portage is 275 m to a small lake and another 275 m to Optic lake. We head up Optic Lake though the north wind is a bit against us. At the narrows in the lake are a cow and calf moose that we approach cautiously, taking pictures and video. We get pretty close until K dog notices the animals and decides to bark. Once above the narrows the wind is near against us and black ominous clouds soon mean rain. A down pour lasts 10 minutes as we turn down the down to the portage. This portage leads to 2 smaller lakes with 100m portages and finally Telescope Lake. The sun comes out again but ominous clouds and gusty winds abound. Stopping at Telescope for lunch the rain gear is soon on as torrential rain occurs for 15 minutes. Telescope Lake is long, calculated at about 9.5 km. Heading out at 4:15 pm the canoes head for the far end. The large bay at one point blows the Tripper to the south shore but the lake narrows further on, blocking the wind and S & I reach the far end at 5:45 pm. The portage to the first of the 3 Halmarj is 150 m. More rain falls at the portage end. K dog almost decides to swim the lake but finally gets in the red canoe. S has decided to bet T on boat speed but the yellow kevlar canoe is quicker. A 200 m portage leads to the second Halmarj Lake with a stop to see the Indian pictograph and a finally 200m to Onnie Lake at 6:15 pm. We pick up some wood for the fire as the island campsite may be bare. Arriving at 6:45 pm all the kids footwear is wet. Corn beef hash with dehydrated cream style corn is a welcome meal. A large 6 litre pot of this canoeing speciality is soon consumed by the four paddlers.

The GPS distance is 36.1 km, perhaps a new record. A large fire is built to keep warm but rain starts so we crash at 9 pm. Being our 5th day out, we are used to the exertion. It would have been difficult to do earlier in the week or with bad winds. Generally, though it is felt the senior members are stronger from swimming and others may not be able to sustain the efforrt.

Day 4 of Woodland Caribou Canoe Trip. Late start on Hansen Lake after long distance canoe the day before. S with R and the dog and T with I depart about noon. We had been traveling down river from Dunstan to Restoule but Hansen was the first upstream lake of a few. Up creek towards Glen Lake a small swift is encountered. Not quite able to paddle up it, R does a small portage on the north side and I line our boat through on the opposite shore. K dog realizes we are on the far bank and with T's cheering tries to walk across the swift but gets swept away. Now it becomes an intelligence test to see how many things K will attempt the crossing. #2 is unsuccessful. R thinks she will not go 5 times. Sure enough the 3rd attempt fails and K has to helped out the eddy below the sift. 4th Attempt our cameras are set for video. K makes a valiant attempt almost reaching the far shore below the swift but eddies out again. T tries to encourage one more attempt but K goes half way before the small pea brain has had enough. The crew are besides themselves with laughter until R inadvertently knocks S's hat into the drink. Going through the rapids, it is never seen again though a search party spends some time.

Two further portages and the group is at Glenn Lake, stopping for a snack. It is 2 pm and it is decided to trawl for walleye through the northern Glenn channel. Many fish have been caught here on past trips and R calls the section, Walleye Alley. With the wind behind us T & S are rigged with diving Rappelas. The combination of wind and paddling should allow the lures to reach the bottom for fish. S catches a pike and T a 17" walleye. S catches a similar Walleye and another pike. The boys reel in at the narrows but release after. The plan is to have a shore lunch and continue through towards Optic lake. S catches another 18" fish and T a monster 23"er as we round a point. The group eddies out behind the point where there is supposed to be a campsite but there is none. Roy cleans the fish after pictures but the wind soon picks up and it begins to rain heavy. I put up the tarp for protection but the weather persists. It is decided to head back to an island campsite across the bay for the night as wind and rain is a bad combination. On the island there wind is quite high and the temperature has dropped to 10 °C. With 4 fish and 6 pork chops, the crew has lots to eat. In full rain gear, the boys eat supper and dry gear as the wind drops somewhat as it gets dark.

The plan is formed to paddle all the way to Onnie Lake tomorrow. This is to give an idea on how far one could go if conditions are favorable. Wind direction is important. Onnie is a good starting point for park access. If one could paddle to Glenn in one day, prime fishing areas could be quickly reached. Low mileage today though.

Day 3 of Woodland Caribou Canoe Trip. Sunny but breezy morning on Gammon lake. The wind has changed overnight to northwesterly from yesterday's south easterlies. The temperature is a warm 20°C and the 3 plus dog start out about 10:20 pm after a pancake breakfast. The satelite phone is working and it is learn that it is too windy for the float plane but an afternoon attempt will be made. We tell L that we will be camping on an island in the south west end of Hansen Lake so now have to get there. The first section is along a scenic river connecting to Hammerhead Lake. The area is very picturesque but 5 portages over some very rugged terrain tempers our spirits. There was an alternate route with 2 very long portage but a large basin in between. The river was recommended. Takes 2 hours to reach Hammerhead, heading south to the portage to a smaller lake. Navigation is tricky as we are in the edge of 2 top sheets. Portage to Restoule Lake for the long crossing. With wind behind, we reach the portage to Hansen Lake at 5:30 pm. With the float plane leaving about 5 pm from Red Lake, the group wants to on a lake for easy spotting. Hustle through the portage and come across a group of 4 heading the opposite direction and camped for the night. On the water by 6 pm, we do a quick stop for pictures at the Indian pictograph and then paddle on. We get about 3 km down the lake about 2 km above the campsite when a plane is heard overhead. Soon identified as L & S the plane lands and taxis close. L jumps out but s is a bit apprehensive when it is revealed that he has a sore wrist and an arm in a sling. R agrees to let S come on the trip though he is unsuitable for paddling. However we also get the chicken and pork chops. L departs and I have the wingless S in the front on my canoe. We reach the island campsite at 7:15 pm. GPS distance - 30.1 km Scott reveals his wrist is okay. Just a ruse cooked put by his mother but good for interesting discussion later. Ahh! Chicken on a stick for supper. Cool night, temperature dropping to 9°C.

Day 2 of Woodland Caribou Canoe Trip. Decamp at 10:45 am and proceeded south. Overcast skies looked ominous to the north. Cruised down to 40 m portage, through lake to a 125 m portage and onto the largest portage on this trip a 900m journey to Royd Lake. Finding the trail was a bit tricky as the blazes were old. Checked satellite phone at the 125 m portage but reception was bad. The 900 m portage had a nice flatter start but then became quite rugged and up and down with fallen trees everywhere. About 12 pm a float plane is heard overhead as I am about 3/4 of the way through the portage. L is expected to be dropping off S. The plne continues south as we trudge on. A major tree over the trail cause a detour. I take left but right was better at the opposite end. Finish the portage and hear the palne again. I wave from the portage end to a white palne with a lower yellow stripe but a response. The plane turns about 100m away and heads down Royd. Returning for a second gear load light rain starts but not enough to break out the rain gear. Art 1:45 pm we are finished ferrying gear and stop for lunch. The wind is usual from the southeast. Without a bow person, the yellow kelvar Tripper is difficult to handle in the wind. I keep get blown to the west shore and at one point have to go in reverse. Get a bit confused at the bottom of Royd but find the portage. Realize that maps are not always prefect from orienteering experience.

R gets satellite phone to work and learns the earlier plane overhead was to drop off S but they could not find us that morning due to some confusion on where the portage was. Also we were on the edge of a storm system making flight a problem in the small plane. We continue on after the portage to Gammon Lake and camp on an exposed island in east end of the lake. Arriving at 6:30 pm, we are a little light on food as the float plane was to drop off chicken and pork chops. T & I try some drift fishing for walleye but have no luck. Dinner is scalloped potatoes and brownies. There were emergency rations in case we never connect with the float plane. The Sandbank 10 blows about, exposed in the wind with little tree protection. The gear inside is the only thing keeping it down as the thin moss cover provides little purchase for tent pegs. Total distance travelled today 18.5 km.

Day 1 of Woodland Caribou Provincial Park canoe trip Started at Dunstan Lake after a 81 km float plane ride from Chimo airlines and pilot, Dwayne. Myself, R, T and K dog travelling in two canoes, R's red fibreglass unit and my yellow kelvar version. Travelled to 750 m portage at bottom of lake. This area has been named the "Enchanted Forest" and is known as prime Woodland Catibou feeding ground. The area was relatively flat with even spaced trees and heavy moss and lichen ground cover. Possible caribou tracks noted at one point.

Across a small lake we entered a beaver channel creek. Practised my dam busting skills at the top to increase water flow but was soon in low water and major quagmire. Channel was windy and K was excited jumping on off each boat and in as she got tired. Mucky poling condition required 1.5 hours to get through the 1.2 km section. Ended in a small pond with a vertical portage to the next lake.

Out an inlet onto the lake, our speed picked up. We stopped to check out a campsite near the end. R had a 45 minute sleep beforee T decided the spot was not suitable. There was not a great spot for the tent.

Back on the lake we traversed a 40 m portage skirting a narrows. to a second lake. A campsite below the portage did not look much better so contine to one past two more points. Quite nice with a rocky promintry, flat camp spot and a narrows for fishing. T caught 3 pike, myself 2 pike a perch bait fish. At night the temperature dropped to 8°C. The Sandbank 10 takes a large footprint but will stand with pegs as the rock was mossed covered but little more.

Arrived in Red Lake for canoeing trip in Woodland Caribou Provicial Park. Weather looks good but a bit cool tonight. Plan to fly in to Dunstan lake tomorrow by Norseman. This is a new area we have never been to. After 11 years of canoeing in the park, it is getting difficult to find something new.

MTC Swim with Coach Ken. Warm up 2 x [300 pull, 4 x 50 m 0:30 rest] 3 x [Kick with fins 100m back, 100m rhs/lhs] 20 x 25m free fins 0:45 pace, 2 x 500m locomotive, cool down, 25m br, 25m free, 25m bk, 25m free, 25m fly, 25m free, 25m bk and 25m bk.

Feel kind of tired and speed was not the greatest. 100m pace was at best 1:55. 50m on 0:50.

Lost the hockey game. Really ugly!! Ice was crap and my skating was off. Oicked up the pace later on but was too late.

ARC Midland Adventure Race. Boy was I rusty after the COC's. The area was relatively small so the race was not expected to be too long. There was a new wrinkle added to the race. We were just given brief instructions at the start area, no maps. The race started at 9:15 am with a run on a twisty green arrowed trail ending at the far side of a walkway over a large section of the marsh. Maps were stapled to a bridge. The first question was where were we? We received a local ski map and a more general topographic map. After much consternation, we desired the white line through the swamp was the broadwalk we were at the end of. CP 1 was on the topo map in an area of temporary swamp. We took trails to the ski trail leading to a river near the control. The plan was to follow the river to the marsh edge and walk along the edge to control. However, near the bottom of the river, the marsh edge was not apparent and we soon ran into a series of rivers and streams criss crossing. Thinking we had go through the temporary swamp into the actual swamp, we took a bearing along the edge but saw nothing and finally angled back to the original trail. The question was whether we were on the right river or not so it was decided to head further along the trail. Ian checked the parallel but higher Ganaraska Trails on an old rail bed and head a trail sign. It was apparent that the first river was correct so we back tracked. It was decided to take a bearing right at the control. On the bearing, we came to an orange ribboned cut through the dogwood and the control in the lush deep green on the other side. In orienteering this control would has been illegal, as not on a definite feature but A/R is different.

The next control was 2 km away and it was decided to go on a bearing past a series of trails and up a hill to a clearing marked on the top map. Going up the hill after the trails proved to be an error as to was not possible to get a good bearing through the dense bush and elevation. Also there was a series of trails going every which way that made navigation confusion. At one point we find a control but it is CP6 on the ski map and not on the top map. Finally coming out in a series of rugged fields we dried to locate the control to no luck. Finally we bailed to a road. Once there, it was seen that we had veered off our bearing to the east. Walking the road we easily hit the control though the open area on the top map was covered with sumac and other bush. That plus there was many stone and wire fence not on either map but that would have been on a O map.

On to control 3 and the canoe section, Silence Beckons takes a bearing to the rail trail, veers off on a snowmobile trail and follows the Wye Marsh property fence to the control. Again this was a bit intuitive as fences are not on topo maps. A cool swim across the river was required to reach the control and transition. In the canoe, SB heads north to CP4 and back to the start area. Many trees over the river required the team to limbo under them. A few minutes is realized as CP 4 has been moved but the original circle is still on the map. The new circle is further up with a badly drawn arrow to it. This is noticed on further examination. Without map preparation before racing, navigation tends to be point to point without looking ahead much. After CP4, the team cruises through many channels to a lily pad choked section of water and the canoe take out. Back to the start/finish line, the transition to bikes is made. The race director, BM is there discussing the early problems.

I overshoot the first trail required in the confusion of trails at the beginning. Only the ski ones are marked on our map but there are many others unmarked. The rail trail is starts out not bad but becomes deep in sand soon making uphill progress slow. Still we reach CP 6 though there is some issues as some of the trail junctions are not marked. The next trail junction leads to CP 7. Now we have no direction again, just know that CP 8 is on a road and trail junction. We decided that the extension of the rail trail on our map will get us there but pass a trail on our way. Of course the rail trail dead ends just after we get on it and with no other option go back to the other trail which of course leads to the control.

Returning from CP8 its just a matter of navigating the ski trails for one last control and on to the finish. A young team almost blocks the path in front of us but we just miss them at a junction. We finish 15 out of 20 teams, 3rd masters. Not bad but with over 1.5 hours of mistakes on the navigation not very satisfying. While have to think straighter in the future!!

MTC Swim with Coach Stephanie Warm up 10 x 50m pull turn and touch 25m, fist 25m. 10 x 75m Front scull 25m, 50m finger drag. 6 x kick with fins 25m right side, 25m left side & 50 m front 4 x 100m descenting by :05 starting at 2:20, 4 x 50m fast on 1:05 and 4 x 25 no breathe. 400m pull breathing 3, 5, 7 & 9. 4 x 50m back/breast. Back and double arm cooldown

Felt good after resting last night after the Wednesday morning swim.

Hot dusty game but we won though it was tight.

MTC Swim with Coach Ken. Make up swim for the Tuesday that the pool was closed. Warm up 200m pull, 200m BK/BS, 200 BS/FR and 8 x 25m 0:20 rest. Kick with fins or board 150m fly, 150m back, 150m breast and 150m free. 400m board vertical BK/FR and 200m IM. Board vertical 4 x 50m breast and 3 x 100m free. 200m swim back/free.

Pretty tired after this week's workouts. Cut routine down a bit.