Boundary Waters, Trip Reports, BWCA, Stories

June 2006 Solo... (The Foot Trip)
by Arkansas Man

Trip Type: Paddling Canoe
Entry Date: 06/23/2006
Entry & Exit Point: Moose/Portage River (north) (EP 16)
Number of Days: 8
Group Size: 1
Day 7 of 8
Thursday, June 29, 2006

I awaken at 4:00 although I had my alarm set for 4:45. I stuff the sleeping bag, and fold up the Thermarest and put it in its sack. All that is left is to take down the tent and pack! I have a hurried breakfast of a home made granola bar before I head out to Bottle Portage! As I paddle away from camp I hear Monte and Amber across the way and paddle over to say good bye, wish them a safe trip out and home, and promise to stay in touch! Then it is north to Bottle, a 4.25 mile paddle with a 115 rod and a 65 rod portage that will have to be done twice. I thank God that there is no wind as I reach Boulder Bay and then Lac La Croix. I make it to Bottle Portage by 6:45 and rest until my friends show up via tow boat at 7:45. We talk and take pictures. They are glad I took the time to come and tell them else they would have worried about me for 10 days. But, they understand my predicament and will say a prayer for my safe return home… with a final handshake they head east and I head south. As I reach the Boulder River the wind is starting to blow a little, out of the south, southwest without a doubt! I reach camp at 10:00, break it down and pack, and leave it at 10:45 paddling into the 10 mph wind with ease paddling from the bow seat this time instead of the stern. Much better control of the canoe! It takes me 40 mintues to reach the Moose River. I get to the 96 rod portage switch to dry shoes and socks, barely able to get my foot into the shoe… and double it painfully, my foot is swelling now noticeably. At the end of the portage I switch back to my Keen sandals and take the time to have lunch and drink a quart of Gatorade, fuel for the journey out! I reach the 77 rod portage deciding to do it with the sandals as it hurt too much to wear the shoes, again painfully taking one step at a time carefully placing my feet I manage to double it. Now just paddling for a while… I pass through Nina Moose, and hit the river south, paddling through 3 of the 4 beaver dams having to get out only and pull through only once. Now just the shallow winding river, two 24 rod portages and the 160 to the truck! When I reach the first 24 rod portage another group is coming in, one of the members say, “hey I recognize you… you were coming in the other day as we were coming out”. He is with a group of older youth, something like an outward bound group I believe. I let them pass and make the portage taking my time and tripling it to be careful of a few rocky steps in it. I know now there is not much farther to go… I reach the last 24 and follow the same procedure although it is no rocky, it is just easier. Between this portage and the 160 I pull myself through one narrow rapid with my hands using the rock as leverage, the next one is too shallow and I am forced to get out and pull the canoe through the shallow water. The coolness of the water feels good on my very swollen foot… back into the Red Beast and a few more paddle strokes and I am at the last portage, the 160 rod to the parking lot. This one I will double if it kills me!! I unload the canoe and pull it far onto the sand, grab the main pack and all of the loose items and head out up the hill careful again of foot placement. Halfway up I am forced to rest for a minute and then onward. I reach the truck at 3:45. I put the packs down, rest a moment and prepare the truck to load the canoe, load the packs into the truck. I take the time to switch to dry shoes and socks again and head back down the portage trail. I count my steps to keep my mind occupied at 1000 I hear water and stop counting. I am now at the Red Beast and ready for its last portage. I put on the day pack and hoist the canoe over head, it strangely feels lighter or maybe it is the heat and tiredness I feel along with the pain in my foot. I take my first step and start counting, 1200 steps ought to put me near the truck or at least to where I can see it… 1, 2, 3… 100, 200, 500, 1000 I see the parking lot in the distance, 1100 and at 1200 I set the canoe against the canoe rack. I rest a moment take off the day pack and put it in the truck , I then remove the canoe seat, paddle and lifejacket and lift the canoe onto the rack, tie it down with straps, ropes in the front and back. I check to make sure I have everything… it is all loaded! I get into the truck, start the engine, turn on the A/C and head to Voyager North… it is 4:30 in the afternoon. I get to VNorth for a shower and what a site I am, Lynn is busy at the counter as I motion toward the showers and she nods. Once in the shower room I see my face, somewhere along the way I have cut my ear and dried blood is streaming down the right side of my face and onto my shirt. I get into the shower to cleanse it all away and the hot water feels great although my foot is throbbing. After the shower I dress and look at my foot… it looks like a rubber glove that has been blown up it is so swollen, it is red and feverish. I out the shoe back on painfully and walk out to talk to Lynn for a moment. I tell her of the problem and she tries to get me to go to the clinic to get it checked, but I decline… My wife works at a clinic at home and I will call her and get a doctors appointment for tomorrow when I get home. I head to DQ for a hamburger, Pepsi, and a chocolate malt. I have never known food to taste so good! I finally call home to let my wife know what has happened and ask her to make me an appointment tomorrow when she gets to work. She tells me she had not slept the past couple of nights knowing something was wrong… we finish talking and I drive south stopping at Cloquet for gas and then after 283 miles I pull into the Comfort Inn Parking Lot at Owatonna for a few hours sleep before I continue, it is 11:00.