Isle Royale!!

Long ago, when Keith was planning the trip, he started to think more and more about this island in Lake Superior (part of the U.S.)--Isle Royale.  We both thought it would be pretty neat to go there on our journey across the continent.  Well, since we had come down through Michigan, South of Lake Superior, going through Isle Royale using their ferry system was the only way we could get back to Ontario and continue the trip past Thunder Bay, otherwise we would have to stay on the U.S. road system until half-way through Manitoba.  Since Keith is doing a report for all of the Provinces for the Adventure Cycling Association, we figured we'd better see the rest of Ontario.  Also, we just really wanted to see Isle Royale, let's be honest.  So, we had decided to pay for expensive ferry tickets to Isle Royale from Copper Harbor, Michigan, and from Isle Royale to Minnesota (right on the boarder of Ontario on the other side of the lake).  Problem:  The ferry tickets were all sold out for the day we wanted to go to the island and the day we wanted to leave.  They don't go every day.  So, unless we wanted to spend a whole week on the island, we had to make special arrangements with the captain of the ferry.  He was going to be taking a bunch of hikers from one side of the island to the other side on Sunday and would then have room for us to the mainland from that side of the island.  The island is 50 miles long and there is a trail system that goes all the way through.  Thing is, there are absolutely no bikes allowed on the island.  If we wanted to do this, we were going to have to hike the 50 miles in three days to catch the ferry on the other side (our bike would be kept for us and put on the ferry to meet us).  We did NOT have the right gear for this.  We picked up an elementary school girl's backpack for me to use at Goodwill (it still had crayons and sequins in the front pocket).  Keith had to carry the large waterproof dufflebag we have (the B.O.B.) with the handles used at straps for his back...  We took the cleats out of our biking shoes (not worn in for this kind of thing) and made do with that.

(This is the ferry at the dock in Copper Harbor, a great morning to start an adventure.  We actually got our first flat tire this morning, ironically, while biking a block down to the terminal from where we were camping.)

Tons of high school age kids go there each summer for week-long camping/hiking trips.

It is so hard to remember you are on a lake!!  It feels just like the ocean-- I kept catching myself searching the horizon for whale blows.  But, as Keith noted, the wake from the motor behind the boat looked less foamy.  That's all fresh water!!  Coming up to Isle Royale...

Keith barely made it through the "orientation."  I had to hold in bursts of laughter myself, really, as this dutiful young ranger explained the hazards of "angry loons" and the potential of "experiencing trees" if we chose to do any back country travel.  They are serious about their Leave No Trace stuff here-- but it is  nice and clean!

DAY 1: 12 miles  (started in the afternoon after getting everything  ready at the ranger's station)

Don't worry, I didn't lose half a leg, it's just behind me on that rock.  I have to wear those dorky knee braces--I hate that I have to wear them, but I am thankful for them
.

Keith's first dip on the Isle during a snack break on this very hot day... 

Keith's hiking pack--note the pads (that we use for sitting on) he has tucked under the straps to make it bearable.  We got some funny looks on the trail, me with my little kid's backpack, from all these fancy backpackers with real backpacks.  haha we looked like we had no idea what we were doing!

Cold, clean, clear water of Lake Superior.

Had to snatch some of these along the trail!  Delicious low-bush blueberries!

There were TONS of loons that came out on the lake while we were eating dinner.  The males were fighting/ dancing on the water and they were all making very loud, interesting calls (not the usual eerie loon call, but all kinds).  It was neat!

That first camp we were in (they require you stay at various campgrounds around the island, you make a plan with the ranger before you leave and tell him which one you will be at for each of the nights) had nice three-sided plus a screen shelters at each of the sites.  We had a beautiful view from the shelter out across the little "basin."  It is $4.00 per person per day to be on the island--the camping is free from there.

Washing my face.

Day 2: 14 miles -- blisters the worst I have ever had in my life, I felt like I was stumbling down the trail rather than walking.  It was slow goin!  Just had to keep moving my very sore feet, one in front of the other.

 

Early morning dip--- Keith tossed me the walking stick because under the water there is a huge slab of stone that slopes down covered with algae and once you start sliding down into the deeper water there is no stopping... until you use the stick.  Keith didn't quite know what I meant until he tried after and the same thing happened to him :)

Breakfast!

Maybe Keith should be a wildlife photographer :)

We did not envy these guys!  We passed them as they were going up some steep steps... a little further down the trail we heard what sounded like a wooden canoe clattering to the ground, either that or a moose with a big rack charging through branches.  Many people canoe around the island and portage between the various lakes within the island on the lake. 

We waited to have lunch until we got to this little stream so we could soak our hurting feet.  This stream reminded me of a large floor puzzle of "Pond Life" my brother, sister, and I used to love to put together :)

Coming to the top of the Greenstone Ridge.

You see, we've discovered the importance, not taken for granted now, of the walking muscles we use day to day.  Keith and I have been biking everywhere all summer and now on this hike have found those subtle muscles of walking motion in our feet and calves have greatly degenerated.  Our calves, for the remainder of the crossing, were SO tight and sore and the muscles in our feet just ached!  Added unto the numerous blisters.  The skin on Keith's shoulders and an area on my lower back was rubbed totally raw by our inappropriate packs.  Nevertheless, our surroundings were beautiful and we enjoyed it very much, also the challenge of it.

Thimbleberries!!!!  These are our new second-favorite berry! (after Raspberries, of course :) There were tons of these along the trail on this farther side of the island!  All day Keith was leaving me some (he was in front) as precious little encouragements.  That night (there were a ton around our campsite) we picked a bunch and I made a tea by seeping them in boiled water from the lake.  It was SO So good.  The warm, tangy, sugary juice hit the spot. 

Hatchet Lake.

I was SOOO glad our second nights' camping spot was a great place for swimming!  We had a good soak at the end of this hard day :)

Steps down to the swimming spot right below our tent site.

Day 3: 17 miles -- I felt much like a hobbit this day, having given in to try the walking stick and still taking pretty feeble steps.  I decided to call this day "There and Back Again, A Hobbit's tale by Michaela Larsen"

I found two wild strawberries!  "Cute" but Scrumptious, only one made it up to where Keith was.

Big Ol' Toad.  He was So squirmy too!  Didn't want to hold still to get his picture taken...

We walked through the most beautiful forest this day!

Third night's camp.  The campground we had selected was a dud.  No lake, tons of bugs, and we wanted to go a little further anyway so we broke protocol and hiked a few more miles before making our way off into the trees to hide out for the night.

Cooking the Mac & Cheese.

Even sticky, tired, sore, blistered, bug-bit people can appreciate how wonderous it is to be in a place like this.  What a perfect little tent.

Day 4: 6 miles

Check out this Huge "bear bread" next to me!

Cool fungus.

Oh how lovely was the morning!

Look Mom!  I found a "Hobby-Horse tree"!!  Keith didn't lift me up there either!  (He did point out the best ways to go as I climbed over there though).

"Rock of Ages" lighthouse.  We have learned that there are more lighthouses on the Great Lakes than on all the sea coasts of the United States!  Tons of major ship wrecks on the lakes... hard to think about!  Well, we made it to the other side well before the ferry arrived and were joyfully reunited with our bike and ferried across to the Northern side after enjoying an afternoon sitting in the sun and swimming again in the lake.