July 11-12

July 11 and 12

The last night in Pukaskwa National Forest, Hattie Cove Campgrounds we attended a Drum Social.  Glen told me it was a Drum Circle and we were thinking Asheville, downtown on Friday nights.  No, not quite.  It was an Native Indian drum social.  We all played traditional hand drums and rattles while two Oigibway descendants sang a few traditional songs; the Bear, Turtle and Water songs. We also drank cedar tea.  Tea made from the branch of a cedar tree, literally; just boil the whole branch and drink.  It smelled like a cedar closet and tasted surprisingly good.

We also tried to stay up late enough to see the stars.  It is very dark out here.  However, it does not get very dark until very late….and we gave up about 11:45  haha.

The next day's drive was to Thunder Bay.  Glen picked out a campground off the beaten path where he hoped to fish.  That is where he is now. On a boat, in the rain, with a guide, hoping, always hoping. 

This camp, Dog Lake Resort, which is OFF the beaten path by about 8 miles of dirt road which included “the longest 3 miles you will ever drive”.  No, really, that is what the road sign said when we got to it. And, it did not lie.  

Waiting to meet us was Paul, the leader and owner of this ‘Resort’ property out in the middle of now where.  I felt like I was in a movie, no two movies, Deliverance meets National Lampoons Summer Vacation complete with Chevy Chase, or in this case Paul. Glen’s new best friend.  I was hoping we did not get stuck in the mud, accidentally poisoned by the unportable water or maybe held captive by the locals. The Resort has exactly ONE overnight spot and we got it.  Suckers.  The rest of the 120 sites are permanently occupied by semi-locals camping trailers and used only on the weekends during the summer.  Some 67 children and their parents will arrive again this Friday.  Oh darn, we leave Friday morning!

Turns out, Paul and Max and Jordan are all very nice and sort of normal Canadian’s living a simple life.  The camp had everything we needed and no one got poisoned, in-spite of the first impression of this one star Resort. Don’t know if Glen caught that Walleye he was looking for, more on that tomorrow.