Wednesday, June 24, 2009 ********** -We leave the cities at 730a. -Pick up permit at Isabella Ranger Station; nice lady there. -3 adults, 2 kids and 2 canoes put in at 34-Island River at mid-day. Picturesque locale; placid river… lily pads. -The river paddled easily; water was high enough, but flow was reasonable. -Gorgeous weather; blue sky, hot… but not too hot. -Run the 1st two (gentle) rapids. Portage the next 2 rapids; now everyone knows what its like to portage & to paddle up a wonderful river.

-Find campsite on Isabella; on west-end peninsula (island was taken); has plenty of room, cedar trees; eastward facing. -Wind is mild and out of west; bugs are bad. -My new Taj 3 sets up lickety-split. -Supper is ham and Asian noodles; so far, they like the cook.

-Hang my new Byer Amazon hammock; it is awesome! -Catch a largemouth and a pike; Skip catches pike; I let my pike go; other pike & largemouth escapes thru weaknesses in the fish pen (that Skip warned me about) that the kids completed. -Kids name resident chipmunk “Chippie”; we never feed him, but he must think he’ll find something; he’s there dawn & dusk. -Hang the bear ropes and the food; using 5-gal bucket for the food works SWEET! -Short campfire; too warm for long one. -Go to sleep giving Isaiah (my son) a long backrub; he can’t fall asleep.