TIME ALLOCATION #3 (2:10 am - 7:30 pm)

Lakes/Rivers: (17) Basswood, Sucker, Birch, Carp, Melon, Seed, Knife River, Knife, Little Knife, Ottertrack, Swamp, Saganaga, Granite River, Maraboeuf, Gneiss, Granite Bay, Clove

Portages: (19) Horse, Prairie Portage, Carp Portage, Melon Portage, Seed, Knife River, Big Knife, Ottertrack, Monument, Swamp, Saganaga Falls, Horsetail Falls, Devil’s Elbow, Gneiss Lake, Granite River#1, Granite River #2, Granite River #3, Swamp, Granite #4 .

Camp: Clove Lake. Campsite 440

Miles: 60

Time: 17.3

Rest time: 7.25

MPH: 3.5

The sleep at Horse portage was a god send. I did not waste any time in camp. Once food was in my stomach, off to bed I went. Deke made up a good tent; REM was at hand. Comparatively, I felt pretty good once the Raven called at 1:00 am. Having an ample supply of BioFreeze helped get the muscles loosened up. Again, Deke and I split up chores to make our morning obligations as efficient as our evenings. The crew’s plan was to spend no more than 1 hour between Raven call and being on the water. We did a pretty good job of sticking to that plan.

Breakfast included hot water for me, coffee for the others. Oatmeal for all. Off we went to embrace the suck. All in all, attitudes were still intact. Sure, there was an occasional grouse or snip, but at the time, I think generally we were on the same page. In my mind there is a keen difference between discussing or commenting about the pain, the endeavor, the collective struggle versus complaining about it. The former, to me, can be cathartic and bonding. The later, if employed too often can become divisive and segmenting. I saw more of the former than the later. We signed up for this, nobody made us do this. It’s our job to see it through. Hopefully I was more helpful than hurtful in that regard. The others would know better than me if I was.

As the day progressed, I think the pet shop boys were fighting the good fight. Yesterday certainly took its toll on McPipes and Esteban and maybe even MP. How Esteban sat in the middle seat the entire time is beyond me. He gets an extra star for dealing with that encumbrance. Way to go Esteban! Deke and I traded seat positions between the bow and the middle. We tried to do it every 3 hours when portages allowed, but we switched when it made sense. WW had the stern the entire time and did a great job. Side note: WW goes straight as an arrow when he is not talking…when he’s talking…not so much ??).

BeaV got lost on taking a left in to Granite Bay rather than a right into Cove Lake. We laughed at him. It costs us like 16 hours. Seriously…not serious. It also was also a lesson learned because our boat decided to catch up to BeaV and MAKK instead of meander our way to them. Had we meandered we would not have had to back track. We camped on Clove Lake. I’m feeling good. Let’s Go!!

Camped at site closest to the start of the Horse Portage. Evening was thick with humidity and no breeze. BeaV and JJ quickly make something-boiled supper. In bed at sunset- BeaV and I took the leftover site to pitch our tent (this being the only night we set up on the Challenge). As a result, ground was pitched on a slight incline and the bottom of tent is very slippery and I kept rolling into BeaV most of the night and both of us got very little sleep. Alarm goes off at 1am and I wake up to BeaV sleeping in the vestibule. No others are moving or lights coming from tents so the infamous raven call is given by BeaV and within minutes groans and flickers of light are observed. Everything wet with dew as we packed up. Portage to Basswood in the dark was uneventful.

Basswood Lake- remember following the Luci light in the stern of BeaV's/ MAKK's canoe and just trying to keep it in sight as we wind around US Point etc and not let them get to far ahead which is easier said than done. Water was glass and the clear skies allowed the heavens to be reflected off the water. An experience few get to witness and reminded myself of Rose Lake the year before under similar conditions. As we turned east before you enter the south part of Baley Bay I witnessed what must have been a variable star changing intensity - not a shooting star or International Space Station as this remained in the same location. Never seen anything like this before but it only lasted perhaps 2 minutes and my fatigue and concentration of steering didn't allow me to share it with my canoe mates before it went back to steady state. Just before this - I nearly vomited on a Hammer Bar and JJ asked if I was OK. Everything is fine except these Hammer Bars are getting old. Everyone eating them in my canoe agrees and not again on the next trip. Next thing I remember is we are entering Inlet Bay as the first rays of light are making navigation a tad easier. I don't even remember canoeing through Bayley Bay -- a VERY good thing!!!

At Prairie Portage I think to myself we are making very good time and are likely well ahead of the next planned resting spot (in the Conners Island area, just NNW of Sag Falls). I mention to MeatPuppet that we are going further than Sag Falls area today, perhaps much further

Beautiful sunrise on Birch Lake.

Lost BeaV in the sunlight on Carp Lake. My canoe was going in wrong direction when we heard the raven call which directed us to the next correct portage and BeaV and MAKK.

Changed into shorts right before Knife and the long paddle that was about to start. It's very warm and Knife is like glass. A few hours down Knife (Little Knife area) we started as a group to paddle side by more often. The conversations that take place and being able to look at your teammates as your talk (hard to do with just those in your canoe) really make the time and distance go by much faster. Soon we are entering Ottertrack Lake, one of my favorites.

Ottertrack to SAG port- MeatPuppet falls in the drink of the boardwalk.