I could see my breath as tossed in my sleeping bag, trying to find a comfortable position for the last moments of rest before waking up become inevitable. The wind was howling outside our tent, the little half cabin we were in offering little protection from the harsh elements outside. We had not planned on it being this cold at this time of year. The night before we layered all the dry clothes we could and slipped into our sleeping bags knowing it will be a long cold night ahead.
Breakfast was an advengtuer itself, since I was shivering too much to cook outisde the tent, I brought our camp stove the edge of the tent which had a little portal covered by the fly. Soon bacon and eggs were cooking and the tent was warmed with the amazingly good smelling bacon fumes. Packed up and having eaten, we headed down river. More marsh after marsh, bend after bend, the wild life around us giving little solace to our numb fingers and toes.
The marshes flooded because of the rain, essentially making the river and surrounding lakes indistinguishable. We only made one large error due to this, having to paddle 2 or so miles without having made progress. The weather was probablyi the largest challenge of the day, if it was not raining, it was blowing, or even both. The sun managed to break through and we basked in its glory for a whole 30 seconds. According to Toby's GPS, the first city along the Mississippi, Bemidji, was "just around the corner", this proved to be quite the opposite. We had many hours of hard paddling through swampy woods before we started to see signs of civilization. I dont think either of us have been that excited over seeing the top edge of a water tower, but it was qutie a sight.
We had to cross a lake to finally make it to Bemidji, braving larger than comfortable waves to make it to the other side. Ironically, or more like conveniently, we landed beside a McDonald's. After three days of being beat up, beat down, and beat all around, we made the decision to get a hotel. We a friend phone her friend who lived in this town to lend us a ride to the hotel across town. Although we never met this girl, she quickly became our favorite person in bemidji. As we make small talk on the drive across town, having never met this girl, we pull up to a stop light. She let out laugh and said "My boyfriend is next to us!", I looked over and saw the most confused face. "What are you doing?" the boyfriend mouthed from the truck as he rolled down his window!, "Giving friends a ride!" our driver said. He drove off looking more perplexed than before and we continued feeling more awkward. That should be an interesting conversation for them later...
I manged to get a new pair of boots and have decided to dry them a little less zealously. we have stocked up on food and have a long and complex "road" ahead. We hope to get to Lake Winnabagoshish tomorrow, and hope that conditions are safe enough to cross. We shall see.
Breakfast was an advengtuer itself, since I was shivering too much to cook outisde the tent, I brought our camp stove the edge of the tent which had a little portal covered by the fly. Soon bacon and eggs were cooking and the tent was warmed with the amazingly good smelling bacon fumes. Packed up and having eaten, we headed down river. More marsh after marsh, bend after bend, the wild life around us giving little solace to our numb fingers and toes.
The marshes flooded because of the rain, essentially making the river and surrounding lakes indistinguishable. We only made one large error due to this, having to paddle 2 or so miles without having made progress. The weather was probablyi the largest challenge of the day, if it was not raining, it was blowing, or even both. The sun managed to break through and we basked in its glory for a whole 30 seconds. According to Toby's GPS, the first city along the Mississippi, Bemidji, was "just around the corner", this proved to be quite the opposite. We had many hours of hard paddling through swampy woods before we started to see signs of civilization. I dont think either of us have been that excited over seeing the top edge of a water tower, but it was qutie a sight.
We had to cross a lake to finally make it to Bemidji, braving larger than comfortable waves to make it to the other side. Ironically, or more like conveniently, we landed beside a McDonald's. After three days of being beat up, beat down, and beat all around, we made the decision to get a hotel. We a friend phone her friend who lived in this town to lend us a ride to the hotel across town. Although we never met this girl, she quickly became our favorite person in bemidji. As we make small talk on the drive across town, having never met this girl, we pull up to a stop light. She let out laugh and said "My boyfriend is next to us!", I looked over and saw the most confused face. "What are you doing?" the boyfriend mouthed from the truck as he rolled down his window!, "Giving friends a ride!" our driver said. He drove off looking more perplexed than before and we continued feeling more awkward. That should be an interesting conversation for them later...
I manged to get a new pair of boots and have decided to dry them a little less zealously. we have stocked up on food and have a long and complex "road" ahead. We hope to get to Lake Winnabagoshish tomorrow, and hope that conditions are safe enough to cross. We shall see.
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