After a grueling Day 1, we awoke rested and both agreed that we had a good night sleep. In talking about our options for the day, we decided to pack up the tent and move on. Hjalmar Lakes were the first points of interest on the radar. For breakfast we had instant oatmeal, and while searching through the food pack, Greg was starting to panic that we might have left the oatmeal behind. He was sure that he had packed it. With his head in the pack he came up for air and yelled “Where are the Pancakes!” I immediately started laughing and in Greg’s frustration he was able to locate the oatmeal. (“I’m rolling in the tent laughing as I write this”) Breakfast was quick and we were on the water by 9:00am. There wasn’t a ripple in the water for miles. If I were upside down, it would be hard to distinguish the top of the trees or the rock bed. I was able to see a 100 yard Dragon equipped with spikes and a tail along the shoreline. This reflection looked like the Dragon was floating next to us and keeping up to us while paddling onward. Similar to how people can spot images in the clouds, I was spotting images in the shoreline reflections this morning.

The Sun was out and I decided to get my line in the water for the first time this year. Greg offered to paddle while I fished so I took advantage of the opportunity. The canoe has a solid bar in the bow and I was able to use that as a rod holder as we paddled on. There was a sudden bend in the rod and I quickly grabbed the rod checking for a fish. Greg started to laugh as he pulled on the line and saw my reaction. It wasn’t one minute later and BAM! Fish On! Oh how I longed for this day to come and I got a real fighter on the line. We were trolling and the line must have been out 75 feet behind the canoe. There was a splash when she reached the surface and the fight was on. It was a Northern Pike, dark looking skin and thrashing the water. At this point, I had just got a shot of adrenaline and cast out my line again. Greg and I are nearing the next portage and it’s like a game to see who can spot the portage first. There was another tug on my line and I yelled “Got One”! Greg guided the canoe to the sandy shore of the next portage and I climbed out of the canoe with a Pike in my hands. Very satisfied and smiling from ear to ear, I was quickly becoming impressed with the fishing and wanted to catch more. Greg said “I knew you would like Woodland Caribou”.

It was about Noon and we were getting hungry, Greg got out some cliff bars and I wolfed one down while walking back for the last pack on this 100 meter portage. Onto Telescope Lake, we set out with a nice steady paddle and I had to throw my line in the water again. After all, we were in a new body of water. Came through the first passageway of this 10 mile long lake when “Fish On, Again!” There was something different about the way this one fought, seemed to dive straight down when nearing the surface. When I saw the gold shine in the water, I knew it was a Walleye and a 22 inch one at that! Pulled her into the canoe, admired her features, snapped a picture and let her go, already itching for the next catch. Now, Telescope Lake is a very long and narrow lake, right now we were just about dead center and in the wide open area. The plan was to get on Optic Lake today but that was not going to happen. We were both feeling fatigued from the long paddle and needed to stop for lunch. This will turn out to be a late lunch. We had those cliff bars that held us over till mid afternoon. Not really in a hurry to push hard on this trip we pulled off on a landing so we could have a late lunch and discuss the day. Greg checked his GPS and discovered a campsite on an island straight ahead of us. We finished our English muffins with Jiff peanut butter and blueberry jam that Greg brought along. (Big thumbs up on the jam) We found the campsite with ease and it was very inviting. A small tree bowed over the path, we only had to duck under it slightly and the campsite opened up to a fire pit and tent spot. The tree was bowed from the heavy snows that hit October 2012. Trees all over the park display snapped trunks and broken branches throughout. This was a job for the “Sawvivor”! I cleaned up the dead branches and used them in the fire. Now there was an arch over the path that one can walk under. Really gave the campsite some appeal. A storm front moved into the area right after we finished our rib eye steaks with garlic mashed potatoes. It was time to act fast. Greg called me down to the shore and said “listen”. The sound of a water fall was in the distance. He pointed out the rain wall heading our way and drenching everything in its path. We quickly buttoned down the campsite and jumped into the tent. After the rain, I went out and noticed what seemed to be the biggest air dog fight between 1 million dragon flies, feasting on 100 million mosquitoes and it was all happening above the trees. We traveled far today and it was time to turn in for the night. The explorer in me was left wanting more of the park.

Day Two Done