LCNA

We are back in the Lost Canoe Natural Area. We haven't been back here since the ski trip.  We had discussed bringing the canoe up while we skied and now we are here.  The weather is again beautiful. Sites first come, first served and after getting our permit on Escanaba Lake and portaging to Pallet Lake it was an all-out race.  We wanted a site on the far end of the lake from the portage trail, be as we put the canoe back into the water another craft cut the early morning glass of the lake.  They ultimately became known as the docents and were headed to a lesser site.  Our site was great, a sheltered little alcove put high enough to greatly blow away the mosquitoes. We set up camp and hammocks.  Amy cut some firewood and we wandered around the lake catching bass at regular intervals.  We spent plenty of time 'lounging' around camp and were even interrupted once by the voices of the docents.  They were nice people and well-traveled in the back country.  We chatted briefly with them about their recent trip to Quetico.

Pallet lake is a textbook oligotrophic glacial pothole lake.  The minnows will draw blood in their search for food.  This did little to prevent us some late day bathing, as Amy pulled off her fruity pebble shirt and soaked in the ancient waters.  We had packed light to help portaging, no wine, limited underwear and the weightlessness of constant happiness.

We did try to hike the trail we had skied on earlier, but the horseflies cut that short for us and were generally unimpeded by our duct tape patches on our hats.

WE fished often and filtered water from the lake.  Amy dragged her feet off the sides of the canoe, and I generally and genuinely fell in love with her.  This trip is the place, on the north shore of Pallet Lake, where I casually called her 'my love."