Day Five: June 23rd

[At about half-way in our trip, perhaps it is the time to explain our route. As near as I can tell, we didn't have a set itinerary/route in mind when we left Cross Bay EP. We knew that we wanted to go back to some lakes that we had particularly enjoyed on our long trip in 1992, notably Long Island, Cherokee, Gordon, and Frost. While we usually planned a loop, this trip was an "out and back" route, and we had ten days in mind. No hurry to get anywhere, no pressure. We weren't retired yet. This vacation was a real change of pace for us, and we wanted time to savor the silence, visit a few favorite spots, and make memories. Now we were off on our way to Cherokee, and I hoped to find a certain campsite open, so that I could renew my relationship with my "sitting rock." Photo below is from 1992.]

This may also be the time to explain the phenomenon of the "friendly flies". Rather than do this myself, I will include some information that we found after our trip in some online DNR bulletins.

Now on to Day Five:

We slept pretty well; considering there was lots of thunder, lightning, and rain in the night. The tent was very wet when we awoke, but we were comfortable and dry. Putting the space blanket underneath the sleeping pads was a good idea. [was this perhaps the first time we used an "innie" as well as an "outie"?] Neil's blood sugar was still high, but he was feeling better when we got up shortly after 5 AM and had our oatmeal breakfast. It looked like we had gotten more than an inch of rain, so everything was damp, drippy, muddy--take your pick!

Neil thought we should pack up and go, but I had my doubts. We paddled to the east end of the lake, around the island where the Forest Service couple was camped and saw the big bull moose. Unfortunately, he was in the woods offshore and as soon as he saw us he took off! I was very disappointed not to get a photo.

The sky was gradually brightening and clearing throughout this morning. When we got back to camp we packed up and were on the water by 11:20. As soon as the sun came out the flies were not far behind, so I was more than ready to get on the lake. They didn't bother much while paddling.

We arrived at Gordon Lake at 1:20, and I wondered if the wild columbine were still blooming at the campsite there. Perhaps on the return trip. . .

We had our lunch at an interesting and very secluded site on Cherokee Lake. It might have been a place to stay, but the worms were everywhere, and I was still hoping for my favorite site with the "sitting rock".

Aren't they lovely? Actually, they don't look too bad all curled up on a branch like that. The problem is, they don't stay there. They were dropping out of the trees, lying on the ground, accumulating all over the open areas and the trails, and it was almost impossible not to tread on them. Squish! Illogical as it seems, I don't particularly mind snakes, but I am really grossed out by worms. And there were just too many worms for comfort. We didn't learn until after our trip that the "friendly flies" that we disliked so much were really doing us a favor--as they were killing the worms. However, the combination of worms and swarming flies that left spots on everything was really not what I had bargained for when I said I wanted ten days in the BWCA.

After our worm-dodging, fly-flicking lunch was done, we paddled down Cherokee in the bright sun, enjoying this time on a really beautiful lake. Arrived at the campsite at 2:45, and we were pleased to see it vacant. The rocks were as we remembered (no real surprise there) but I was amazed at the difference in the biffy trail. There were snapped-off pines standing like sentinels, and the open view of the water from two sides while sitting on the biffy that I had remembered so vividly (I had photographed this for our 1992 book) was completely obscured by small brush and trees! What had been the most open toilet site, a "throne upon the hill", has become very private and secluded. The tall trees are either tipped over or snapped off, and the entire look of the place is different.

The area at the side of the campsite has a rose garden, and a few places to explore.

The tent site is only partially shaded and not that protected. But the reason we love this site is not because of the tent site or the rose garden. It is because of the rocks. I fell in love with what I call the "sitting rock" on our long trip in 1992, and never forgot how much I enjoyed sitting out on this rocky point in Cherokee Lake just enjoying the view. Ten years ago we photographed ourselves on the two rocky points. Neil took my camera with him and I used a little Kodak disposable panoramic camera to capture his image on the opposite point. This time we each had a camera and a zoom lens. So we had to do it again, of course. [There are photos of this place in the 1992 Trip Report "Long Trip" and also in the 2012 Trip Report "Return to Cherokee", if a comparison would interest you.]

This stripe in the rock caught my eye.

The weather was hot and humid, with a partly cloudy sky, a little breeze, and the flies bothering as usual. I watched a pair of loons on the lake. I sudsed out a few undies and hung them to dry. The flies loved the warm, clean clothes hanging in the sun and immediately they were all over them, leaving their tiny red dots. There were two photos of my lacy bra with insects--one with flies and one with a yellow butterfly. Note that I discarded the photo of the flies and saved the butterfly one.

We relaxed around camp and had our supper at 6:30 (honey lime chicken and peas.) It was hard to hang the packs at this site, with only one big tree available, but we managed. There was a nice sunset with a pair of loons floating by for atmosphere, and a beautiful moonrise which I noticed just as I was crawling into the tent at bedtime.

This was a longer day, with more paddling, three short portages, a moose, loons, butterflies, a lovely moonrise, and the return to a beloved campsite on my favorite lake. Because we were upset about the flies, I had to make a real effort to remind myself to appreciate the blessings and not overlook any golden moment.