We were still in lockdown. Restaurants and gyms were closed and we were finally getting used to “curbside pickups”. Jani’s brother Matt, and his wife Cathy, invited us on a canoe camping trip to the Adirondacks, timed to beat the anticipated July 4 traffic. Since the only people we would see would be the folks who invited us and one other couple – another of Jani’s brothers, Kent, and his wife Francesca – we decided set our masks aside and go. It proved to be a wonderful alternative to lockdown anxiety.

We had already been planning a September canoe trip to the Boundary Waters (MN), so this was our “shakedown cruise” It had been years since we had been teaching canoeing and doing any camping ourselves. This was a great opportunity to shake out some cobwebs, re-learn a few things about what to pack and what is really needed for a successful trip.

Of course, we learned the hard way that packed way to much, but we pared our load before we got on the water, and were determined to have a great time. The trip was a tonic; it was great being able to relax and enjoy the company of some great folks.

The meals were terrific. Cathy & Matt brought suppers; Kent & Francesca brought breakfasts; we brought lunches. The only problems we encountered were some very aggressive bugs. We had essentially set up a base camp from which we made day trips. Some of those trips had to be curtailed when we were getting eaten alive. Fortunately, our base camp was reasonable free of bugs.

The highlight of the trip was on the second night, when Matt spotted a bear about a half mile away swimming. He thought he might end up near our cap site, so Kent and Francesca – always ready for an adventure – set sail to see where the bear was going, and to try to dissuade him from visiting our encampment. They were successful.

Adirondack Slideshow