27 - Phase Two

We left Algonquin Trails the day before we had to hand over the RV, taking two and a half hours to drive the 200 kilometre journey to Toronto. We arrived back at Indian Line, the same RV site we had stayed at overnight when we first got to Canada, and hooked up for the night. The site was now a lot busier as the season was in full flow and the weather was fantastic, with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 20s – a stark contrast to the snow we had had a week earlier.

We had planned to hook up the RV then take a taxi to the airport where we would pick up our hire car. The taxi was to avoid taking the gargantuan RV into the cramped lanes and spaces of the airport. However, when we were manoeuvring the RV into place at the RV site, a lovely couple got chatting to Fred and offered to drive us.

Carol and Ralph, a retired couple, were living in their caravan while they waited a few months for their house to be built. They were only staying at Indian Line for a short while before moving on to travel some parts of Canada and the USA.

We left Tala in the RV while Carol drove us to the airport. We were grateful for the air conditioning as the temperature had risen to about 30 degrees Celsius. We said goodbye to Carol, promising to pop in later that evening to say hello.

We were pleased to be given a Dodge Avenger which had a little bit of oomph! Fred adjusted to driving the smaller vehicle as we drove to the centre of Toronto to visit the Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC), an esteemed outdoor gear store from which we planned to get most of our dehydrated food and a few extra bits for our first Canadian adventure. The store was massive and we spent a good hour looking around. I was thrilled to get a hat which meant I didn’t have to wear my old one that I’d been wearing for years which made me look like Worzel Gummidge. Fred got a Joby, one of those flexible camera tripods which can be attached to trees or anything that’s available. We paid for two weeks’ worth of dehydrated food (yuk) which included some salmon jerky (yum) and headed back to Tala and the RV.

We had to clean up the van before its return to Cruise Canada and we were all too aware that the guy who had given us the RV had said we’d automatically be charged $175 dollars because we had a dog. We were determined not to pay this so made sure every sign of dog hair had been eradicated. It took us a good few hours but eventually we made it over to Ralph and Carol’s van for a Tim Horton’s hot chocolate and a nice chat before returning to our van at about 1am.

In the morning, we quickly exchanged email addresses with Ralph and Carol and left towards Cruise Canada; Fred drove the RV while I drove the new Dodge. We stopped off at the nearest petrol station where we did a little last-minute vacuum just in case, then we made it to the Cruise Canada just ahead of the 11am deadline.

We were nervous as the guy checked over the van but it turns out we needn’t have worried as he said it was immaculate and that some vans are brought back with a layer of litter on the floor!

We had our $500 deposit re-credited to our card and we left the place a little sad to be leaving behind what had been our home for the last six weeks. We were also excited, feeling that we had entered phase two of our Canadian adventure, as we were now heading to Huntsville where we would make final adjustments to our kit before heading out into the backcountry of Algonquin Provincial Park.

We arrived in Huntsville and promptly booked into the Econolodge, a reasonably priced hotel quite near the centre of town. We took all our kit into our room and began the painstaking process of making sure we had all the right stuff to survive two weeks in the wilderness. We also visited Walmart to get all of our lunch and snack foods. Fred had been struggling with a cold for a couple of days and, unfortunately for him, it was coming to fruition while we prepared and he could hardly think straight. However, we finally finished and slept well despite the excitement.

In the morning, we had the simple breakfast of toast and cereal before we headed off towards Algonquin Park.

26 - Algonquin Trails

We spent five days at Algonquin Trails, visiting the provincial park a few times to explore the trails. Along the 60 kilometre road which runs through the southernmost part of the park, otherwise known as the Parkway Corridor, are 14 trails of varying length and difficulty. Each one has a corresponding booklet detailing the position along the Corridor, the length and the salient features. The booklets can be obtained from one of the Visitor Centres at either the East or West Gate, or at the beginning of each trail, contained within a weatherproof stand.

When we were driving into the park to do our first trail, we noticed a couple of cars parked at the side of the road and the owners were at the edge of the woods with cameras. Fred caught a glimpse of the moose they were looking at but I was disappointed to miss the animal. However, a few miles along the road, we were delighted to spot two cow moose grazing at the side of the road. Fred slowed so we could get a good look as we passed and the animals continued eating unperturbed by our presence. Subsequently, Fred drove cautiously along the highway lest we bump into anymore of these massive beasts, the males of which can weigh up to over 700 kilograms.

The first trail we did was the Big Pines Trail, a three kilometre path which passes 75 majestic White Pines. White Pines were often harvested because their sheer size was perfect for building masts on ships. The biggest one on the trail is 37 metres tall and an estimated 210 years old. Most of the White Pines in Algonquin today are in the sandy, dry soils of the east. This is because its nemesis, the Sugar Maple, doesn’t grow so well in such dry conditions. However, White Pines that have grown in the west of the park have grown well and there are two areas where the trees are estimated at 350 years old and have reached heights of up to 45 metres!

Also along the trail were the remnants of an old logging camp which dates back to the late 19^th century. The foundations of the old buildings were hardly visible within a fenced area. It is estimated that 30 000 White Pines were cut down in 1867 and the remains of a giant cut down in 1890 were still visible, having not yet fully decomposed.

The trail led out to a vast open area where we had a rest, excited at the prospect of encountering more moose or perhaps even a bear. However, the latter was unlikely as they are very shy. We did see a few moose tracks but the animals probably steer clear of the main paths due to the large volume of humans in the summer.

About 40 minutes after having started the trail, we were almost back at the RV, when we heard the screeching of tyres. As we emerged from the woods, there were a couple of cars stopped at the side of the road and a few people stood with their cameras. We followed their gaze to see a magnificent bull moose chomping away on the immature grasses not far from our RV. The size of his antlers reflected the early season but did not detract from the splendour of this beast. I stood back in awe while Fred tried to creep closer to get some shots of the moose. One of the other observers was pushing a little too close which I found quite disrespectful. Fred got some great shots then left him in peace while we went back to the RV for a spot of lunch.

After lunch, we did the 2 kilometre Lookout Trail which climbed quite steeply before reaching a bluff from which we could see several hundred kilometres of Algonquin Park below. Also visible were Little Rock Lake, Lake of Two Rivers and Kearney Lake. Some trees still lacked substantial foliage but the view was impressive nonetheless. We saw many chipmunks on the trail which seem fearless until Tala decided she wanted a mid-afternoon snack as soon as she heard their high pitched squeaking. Near the beginning of the trail was a large rock, described in the booklet as a “pebble”. It had been deposited by a retreating glacier about 11 000 years ago when the Earth was undergoing a warming period.

After completing both trails we drove back to the RV site, we were excited to see another moose at the roadside. When we arrived back at the site, there were a couple of extra vehicles there and we deduced the new arrivals were German. That evening Fred and I had a fire and sat out enjoying some alcohol, Germanic murmurs in the distance, until the cold spring air chased us back into the van.

The next day we explored the trails surrounding the RV site and found some large bones. The owner believed they were the result of a wolf kill. He also told us that bears frequently visit the restaurant bins next to the RV site and he sometimes entertained himself by shooting their behinds with rubber bullets. I found this quite distasteful but wasn’t surprised these were the actions of testosterone-fuelled Dan from “out West”! Anyway, there were definitely bears in the locality so I was a little on edge when walking around Dan’s trails. We did enjoy exploring nonetheless.

Fred did some laundry and while he was away I watched the males from the other RVs also taking their laundry to the laundrette. A little later, when their clothes were ready, I watched one of the men taking his perfectly-folded pile of clothes back to his van. He was followed by the other man who had his washing wrapped around his neck! I thought this was decidedly un-German! I asked Fred if he was sure both couples were German and he informed me that the guy who had put his clothing round his neck was actually Dutch and so too was his partner. I just knew something was amiss!

The second time we visited Algonquin park, we did another two trails; Whiskey Rapids Trail and the Hardwood Lookout Trail.

The former is a 2 kilometre trail part of which runs along the Oxtongue River including the Whiskey Rapids. The rapids were so called after a couple of log drivers (men who floated harvested logs down river to their destination) had obtained a three gallon keg of whiskey from Canoe Lake and when paddling back to their camp a few kilometres from the rapids, they decided to stop and reward themselves with a wee drop of the drink. However, they ended up having too much and, uninhibited by the alcohol, they stupidly ran the rapids in the dark and promptly capsized. The whiskey was never recovered! The trail was pleasant and easy going. The sun shone through the trees and the new leaves glowed on the hardwoods.

The Hardwood Lookout Trail is only 1 kilometre but walking it was a little more strenuous, reaching a bluff from which a grand view of Smoke Lake was possible. The trail also homed many White Pines, a Hemlock grove, American Birch and a massive Yellow Birch. We were nicely warmed up by the time we reached the bluff. As with all the trails, there were many chipmunks hiding among the undergrowth, darting around and squeaking.

After the trails, we visited Canoe Lake from where we planned to start our canoe adventure on 15^th May. We had a look around the area to see where we’d be leaving the car and building the canoe. We also had a look around the gift shop and the canoe shop there. Then we visited Algonquin Outfitters just outside the park on Oxtongue Lake where we bought the remaining map for Algonquin that we weren’t able to get in the outfitters in Huntsville.

The rest of the time at Algonquin Trails was spent preparing our kit for our imminent canoe trip, including a little test run in the local trails carrying everything we’d be carrying on our portages. Tala wasn’t best pleased but we all made it even though we weren’t carrying any food or the canoe. I started to wonder whether this trip would be a little too arduous!

25 - Back to Canada

The remaining few days we spent in the States followed the normal routine of staying at RV camps and driving through the day.

We also had an interesting experience in a Walmart in Marquette which involved a lot of very strange people; some were talking to themselves and others were dragging one foot. Fred became freaked out when he saw the rifles and guns in a cabinet in one aisle but I was more freaked out by the fact the shop assistant didn’t know what a cucumber was!

Moving on, we stayed at a nice wooded RV camp on the edge of Michigamme Lake for a couple of days where we explored the local area and were blessed with lovely sunny weather. From there, we drove to Brimley State Park stopping off at some picnic areas and a visitors’ centre, to get the second last stamp on my Admiral’s form – only one left to get!
Luckily, the site at Brimley had opened that day so we quickly set up and the stormy cold weather meant we were stuck in the van for the evening. In the morning we found, to our surprise, that it had snowed overnight. However, there was only a light dusting at the campsite and on the roads as we moved further towards Canada.

We crossed the bridge over St Marys River (yes, there’s no apostrophe!) which took us across the border into Canada and Sault Ste Marie. The border crossing was without incident and we stopped soon after at the visitors’ centre where I got my very last stamp on my form. The completed Admiral’s form signified a completed circle tour around the great Lake Superior!

We joined back onto the familiar Highway 17 and headed south towards Parry Sound. As we drove, snow began to fall again and I couldn’t help thinking that we’d be renouncing the RV for a car and living in our tent in the wilderness in about a week’s time. We were going to freeze!

We drove almost five hundred kilometres that day, arriving at the KOA site in Parry Sound in the early evening. No-one was around at the reception but there were instructions to hook up and pay the next morning, so that’s what we did. We had tea and then took Tala for a short walk on one of the trails which led from the back of the site through the chilly white woods.

In the morning, the snow had disappeared and we were in no rush to leave because we planned to drive only a short journey which would take us back to the outskirts of Algonquin Park. We had bacon sandwiches, paid for our overnight stay and then took Tala into the woods before heading off.

A couple of hours later, we pulled into Algonquin Trails Camping Resort in the Lake of Bays half way between Hunstville and the entrance to the park. For us, this was where the real adventure was to begin.

24 - Psychoville

We got back into the RV and drove eastwards into Michigan. It tickles me that each state has its own slogan – Pure Michigan, Explore Minnesota and Wisconsin - live like you mean it. Even Ontario has one, Ontario – yours to discover.

Anyway, after a rather uneventful drive during a sunny but cool day, we pulled into an RV park. We hadn’t planned ahead to stop at this place but just thought we’d drive until we found somewhere open.

At the front of the site, facing the main road were a couple of really old fairground rides. One was a small rusty ferris wheel, with about six seats which swayed and creaked slightly in the increasing breeze from an approaching storm. The other was a small carousel, equally as old and rusty. The campground was deserted and I felt as though I should see some tumbleweed rolling past as if we were in an old ghost town.

The large billboard showing the site’s name was well weathered and in need of a revamp, looking as though it hadn’t been updated for about 30 years.

We pulled up at the entrance and parked up the beast next to the main house. We rang on the doorbell and waited a few minutes for an answer. Just as we were about to ring again, someone began unlocking the front door which was hidden behind a solid mosquito net door. The young man who answered was probably about thirty years old, quite short, uneasy making eye contact and spoke with, what seemed to us like, a southern USA twang. He also frequently referred to his “mama” who wasn’t currently around. Immediately, upon entering we were in the reception which comprised a tiny corner of their living room. There was a desk with a child gate next to it which three shitzus tried frantically to get through. We could only see directly beyond the desk because the main part of the living room was around the corner. However, what we could see was much like the tiny part in which Fred and I were squeezed. Namely, heaving with junk; books, magazines, ornaments, leaflets all piled upon each other and strewn around the place. On the walls were creepy old portrait shots of people as though deified because each individual was surrounded by a misty haze.

The young man booked us into the site while attempting to hold back the frenzied dogs. One dog impressively managed to scale the counter as the man prepared the pass for our van. Flustered, the man tried to capture the dog to put him back behind the gate, eventually succeeding.

We were happy to leave the confines of the cluttered house and followed the young man outside. There, we asked him whether he’d had any other RVs stay lately. He replied that a couple of Australian girls had arrived at the beginning of the week and I had to ask how long they had stayed when I saw the large green expanse behind the house was completely deserted. He told us they’d only stayed one night and I wasn’t really surprised as the place was truly creepy – either that or he had them buried under one of the RV plots out the back!

The nervous character then instructed us to follow in the RV while he drove his golf cart about 40 metres to where he wanted us to park. After more slightly awkward chit chat, we bade him farewell and hooked up to the amenities.

That evening, the storm failed to materialise so we explored the nearby woods, ate food and wondered whether we’d survive the night.

Obviously, we did survive the night but in the morning the seal broke on our shower. It was still possible to use it but spray issued from the shower head and soaked the bathroom. Upon leaving that morning, Fred visited the rickety old house again to ask the young man the whereabouts of the nearest hardware store. Fred was interested to be met by Mama who was in her 80s and frail-looking with curlers in her grey hair. He kindly asked the whereabouts of the nearest hardware store to which she responded that she was unsure. However, her son would know so she promptly hollered his name at the top of her voice.

“Normaaaaaaaaaaan!” she shouted.

Now, to those of you familiar with the film, Psycho, you will understand why Fred’s blood ran cold and he longed to scurry away from the staleness of the old junk-filled dwelling. The film involves the Bates Motel, managed by a young man named Norman who is dominated by his mother. She appears to be a psycho killer who slaughters the guests. However, it transpires that Norman is a killer with a split personality and he had killed his mother, keeping her body sitting and decaying in a chair.

After speaking to Mr Bates…sorry, I mean Norman, Fred hastily exited the house and we sped away to find the hardware store where we purchased a new seal, fixed the shower head and carried on our journey around Lake Superior.

We would never know whether the young Australian girls had survived the Bates RV Site…

23 - The Northern Great Lakes Visitor Centre

After Bayfield, we soon reached Highway 2 which stretches across the remaining northern part of Wisconsin. We back-tracked for a couple of kilometres so we could visit the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Centre, not far from the town of Ashland.
Here we learned about the history of the area which always includes the story of the First Nations. Interestingly, there was also some information on Aldo Leopold the environmentalist, forester and ecologist who taught in the University of Wisconsin. Before embarking on our trip, I had written an essay about him and his land ethic which is perfectly encapsulated in the quote from his A Sand County Almanac, "A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise." I became extremely involved in the topic and found it fascinating pondering on the significance of our membership of the biotic community (a local community which involves all living things, not just humans, and their sustaining substrate).
Anyway, the visit to the centre was enjoyable, especially since I got yet another stamp on my Lake Superior Circle Tour Admiral Certificate. There was also a tower which we climbed to get far-reaching views of the mostly-agricultural surroundings. At the three binocular viewpoints there were corresponding stories and photos to explain and show what the view had been in days gone by.
After our visit, we took the boarded 20 minute walk at the back of the centre which took us through bog land where we tried to identify many of the different tree and bird species.

22 - Herbster

The next day we travelled back towards and through Duluth, passing over into Wisconsin. Once away from the city we drove through long hardwood forests and some farmland before arriving, about 200km later, in a tiny village called Herbster where we found the campsite just across from the lakeshore. The campsite was unmanned, with only electricity hook-ups, a dump station and a notice board with information on cost, forms and a money box. We filled out our form, deposited our cash and hooked up to one of the many empty sites, once again, the only RV around. There was a nice camping area at the back which offered a walking area for us and there was also a few kilometres of sandy beach.

We stayed for two nights during which we enjoyed some beer, wrote some postcards, did a few walks, had a couple of fires and marshmallows, and ate at the local restaurant, Woody's (or Jedi Bar as Fred preferred to call it). The town seem completely deserted but when we entered Woody's we caused one of those uncomfortable head-turning, creaky-door, slow-motion moments as six burly and mostly-drunk locals, who were sat chatting at the bar, stopped, turned and stared. The lady behind the bar welcomed us loudly and kindly which put us at ease as we sat at a small table near the exit. The service and the food were fantastic. I had steak and chips while Fred opted for the most tasty tender pork rib meat I've ever tasted.

On the last night, Fred took Tala out after dark and after he'd been gone for quite a while, I poked my head out of the RV door just in time to see a creature emerge from behind our RV, sniff around the fire we'd just drowned and then head off the way it'd come. At the time, I thought it was a grey fox but I subsequently learned that this behaviour is frequently that of a racoon. Fred couldn't believe he had missed it.

We left the following day which was beautifully sunny and drove north to a place called Russell which comprised another self-service campsite and a small marina which gave views of the neighbouring Apostle Isles. We stopped and found a section of beach which looked like somewhere in the south Pacific, however, the water didn't feel like it! We stayed for a while enjoying the sun and view and messing around with Tala.

From there we followed the coast through many small towns, Bayfield being the prettiest with colourful shops and gorgeous lakeside views.

21 - Caribou Falls and Duluth

It was nice to move on from Grand Marais. As much as we loved the place, it's always exciting moving on to new places. We'd picked up a brochure on hikes in the area so planned to stop at one on the way to Duluth, our next destination.
Caribou Falls was only a short 1.5 km walk from the main road, Highway 61. After driving for about 45 minutes, 60 km, we parked up just off the highway and followed the trail which followed the course of the Caribou River. The route ascended more steeply as we heard the roar of the rushing water ahead. Wooden steps led down to the base of the 25 metre high waterfall affording us a stunning view. We took some photos and marvelled at the volume of water shooting down from the rocks.
We returned to the RV and headed for Duluth, a port city, which sits on the farthest southwest tip of Lake Superior. With a population of around 85 000, it is the fourth largest city in Minnesota and shares a harbour with neighbouring city, Superior.
We particularly wanted to visit a famous store called Duluth Pack. The store was established in 1882 and specialises in canvas packs, mostly portage packs, amongst other outdoor gear. Canvas packs are known for their durability which was especially palpable in some of the old packs exhibited, including one which had survived a bear attack...just! Although the packs can last more than a century, they are not designed with comfort in mind so we didn't buy any. We did, however, find a great canvas paddle bag for our recently-purchased paddles.
After leaving Duluth Pack we visited a few other shops and a cafe before returning to our van to eat lunch. I always feel paranoid that someone will break in and steal Tala when we leave her alone so we're both always eager to return to the van.
Satiated from bacon butties made with onion rolls, we drove to a KOA Kampsite about 30kms west of the city and stayed for one night. There were a couple of other RVs there but the kampsite had just opened that weekend. We took Tala for a short bimble during which we saw a red fox and stumbled onto someone's property where Fred thought we'd get shot!
We did some laundry, freshened up and then watched a couple of episodes of Lost on the netbook before falling asleep.

20 - Grand Marais, Minnesota

We arrived at the pretty little town of Grand Marais and paid to stay at the campsite on the marina for five nights. This was due to the extremely low rate of $15 per night because they were operating on low season prices until 1st May. I was also very happy to get my second stamp on my Admiral form!
The town was very artsy with many art and craft galleries, most of which were closed. All the buildings were painted in lovely pastel colours which made the place particularly endearing when complimented by the cloudless blue sky.
We found a fantastic cafe, Java Moose Cafe, which we visited every day, not least because there was free wireless available. The cafe was small with comfy chairs, books and magazines to read, Java Moose merchandise and artwork on the walls for sale. The staff were very friendly and the hot chocolate with whipped cream was second to none. Fred said the cappuccino was strong but also very good. Many of the customers seemed to know each other and the atmosphere was very relaxed; I even saw one lady sitting with a blanket over her legs while she surfed the net!
The Lake Superior Trading Post was another place we visited quite a few times as it sold outdoor gear and good quality souvenirs. I couldn't resist buying a book about the wolf in America.
The weather was mostly beautiful but there was a quite violent storm one evening and we sat in the front seats of the RV watching the fork lightning above the water.
On the second day we visited Java Moose in the morning then on the way back to the campsite we had lunch at the fish and chip shop. I had white fish and Fred had herring, both of which had been caught from the lake that morning. The freshness was evident as we sat scoffing our food on the sunny balcony, all washed down with some Lake Superior Special Ale. We were quite tipsy as we walked back to the RV and enjoyed a little siesta before we headed out on one of the campsite's trails.



There were three trails there; a short flat one which went through the woods and passed the shore of the lake, taking only 10 minutes and very thoughtfully designed for access by wheelchair. The second one was a little more arduous as it involved a steep rocky climb to the top where one could view the whole town. It took about 20 minutes to complete. The final was an extension of the second which led to a disused radio tower and took an extra 10 minutes.
We did all three a few times and Tala and I did the last two on our own once but not without almost getting lost and being a bit scared!
Grand Marais had everything one could need so we did our weekly shop and all our washing.
Fred was also able to get some nice shots with his SLR camera. The rocky shore and quaint old lighthouse made great subjects.
One night the lake was wild and the fog was so thick but we went to the shore to savour the eeriness while being slightly frightened by the large menacing waves. Thick fog always reminds me of the film The Others starring Nicole Kidman. For anyone who hasn't seen it, it's a creepy movie definitely worth a watch in which the fog is relentless. Big waves always remind me of my aunty, Lynsey, who is a couple of years younger than me (don't go there!). When we were teenagers we would shout and swear at the sea in Lossiemouth and Hopeman, in Scotland, in the hope of making it mad so it would splash us and trap us on the rocks. Okay, no-one quite understands the mysterious discipline of teenage logic! Seemed like a great idea at the time!
Whilst in Grand Marais, we made a year's subscription to our Spot device and, at the touch of a single button, sent our first OK message which gave family and friends our exact location. Once it was all set up, it was very impressive. We also set up our tracker and our shared page so people could navigate there to see our location in almost real time. That meant we would send a tracker message every time we stopped once we had left Grand Marais.
On our last day we picked up some information on trails on the Highway 61 towards Duluth,one of which we hoped to do en route.