Tuesday, September 29 – Drove to Grand Portage from Foley in just over 5
hours
Wednesday – Boarded the Voyager II at 7:30 a.m to go the 22
miles to Windigo, on the west end of the island. All but two of us passengers
got off. The next stop was McCargoe Cove, about a 2 mile long inlet on the
north side of the island, where Bob disembarked to hike back to Windigo. About
3:30 p.m. we arrived at Rock Harbor, after over 80 miles by water. Bob and I were to
be the only people on the island between Rock Harbor and Windigo.
My planned campsite for the night was 8.0 miles away, so I did
not delay in starting hiking as soon as I got off the boat. The first 3.6 miles
of the trail to Three Mile Campsite was rocky and with lots of roots, undulating
up and down along the shoreline over the exposed lava flow. It was not long
before I got to thinking, “It used to feel easier than this!”
I surprised one of the island's 1250 (down from about 2400
when I was previously there) moose along the trail, but only heard the clump of
the hooves, the swaying of the brush and the silhouette of a moose hiding
behind some brush. After a bit, the silhouette moved off quietly out of the
way. I also spotted a wolf track in the mud along one section of the trail.
There are only 3 wolves left on the island (down from about 17 in the 1990’s)
and the Park Service is in the middle of a four year process of figuring out
what to do about the wolves, moose and the vegetation for the future.
I arrived at Daisy Farm in time to get my tent pitched and
pump water through my water purifier out of Lake Superior just as night came. I
didn’t realize that with my now being further east, the sun would set earlier
than in Central Minnesota, so it seemed to get dark really early.
Thursday – I was up and hiking soon after dawn, heading
north inland along Daisy Farm Trail. The 7.9 mile hike to West Chickenbone Lake
campsite was relatively uneventful. The trail climbed to the ridge running the
length of the island, but the trail was easier than the first 3.6 miles were
the day before. I had camp set up before 2:00 p.m. and settled in for the night
with a campsite right along the shore. Tonight, the evening seemed really long, and
after the trip was over, it was because when I turned on my phone to take a
photo or see what time it was, it was registering Eastern Daylight time.
After two miles of trail, I began to feel hot spots on my heels. Remembering my backpacking trip three years earlier along the Lake Superior coast in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, I changed into my running shoes to avoid the half dollar sized blisters on my heels of that earlier trip. See "My (mis)Adventure Exploring Pure Michigan (Pictured Rocks National Seashore)" I hiked the remainder of the trip in my running shoes. I found that I could hike faster in them than in my boots, although on Saturday the bottoms of my feet began to feel the pounding through the more flexible sole, despite my putting two Spenco insoles in each shoe.
Friday – I woke up to find a lot of ice in my water bottle I
had set just outside the tent entrance. Getting the water bottles refilled and
the tent rolled up and put away had my hands cold and hurting. I got hiking as
quickly as I could to get warm.
The 7.7 mile hike to the Hatchett Lake campsite offered
great views from the top of the ridge. I could even see the Keweenaw Peninsula
of Michigan 50+ miles to the south. The winds off the lake, while it cooled the
island in the spring and summer, had delayed the turning of the leaves, so
there was not so much fall color as expected. The inland lakes below are really
huge, reminding me just how big Isle Royale really is.
The weather was again gorgeous. The morning campground had gotten colder than most on the island, with the wind still by morning and the campground inland on the north side of the island.
The walk through the woods with the dry fallen leaves rustling under my feet reminded me of going grouse hunting with my brother Al (10 years my senior, and the "man of the house" after my father died when I was 2 months old). Actually, he had the shot gun and I walked with him on the old logging roads. He would see the bird ahead on the road and shoot before I even saw anything. This memory was reinforced when I flushed a rough grouse ahead of me. Good memories!
Saturday – Knowing this would be a long day, I was rolling
at 8:27 EDT. I arrived at Ishpeming Point with its lookout tower 4.3 miles in
what seemed to be a flash. I was walking more quickly now, along pretty smooth
trail in forests, including some spectacular white birch stand. 3.5 miles
later, I arrived at the turnoff to the South Lake Desor campground. I dropped
my pack and took my two water bottles and my water purifier and walked the .3
mile trail to the lake to refill my water bottles.
After returning to my pack, I hiked the 5.2
miles to the Island Mine campground, near a stream, but not much else to talk
about in the woods. I was in the campground about 4:15 EDT, having covered the
13.6 miles pretty well, with a strong stride. Having eaten the heaviest food
early in the trip helped, but I also felt as if I was getting more in shape for
the hiking. Relatively smooth trail surely helped as well.
It was not quite as sunny and warm as the previous days, but comfortable hiking in my RAB shirt and khaki trousers.
Bob was in the campground in the Group Sites, while I
plunked myself down in the first solo site I found near the trail.
Sunday, October 4 – Knowing I needed to be back in Windigo
about noon for the 1:00 boat departure, I was up and hiking by 8:44 EDT. I
arrived in Windigo by 11:15 after a brisk hike 6.9 miles through forest, with little
views and mostly level or downward sloping trail. We left the island at 1:00 p.m., on the last boat to leave the island for the year.
As much as I had enjoyed the hike, I was glad to have
finished the 44.1 mile hike of the 50 mile long, 9 mile wide island. This has
been on my bucket list since first visiting the island in the summer of 1966 with
a group of Future Farmers of America. Check.
This hike was a great change of pace from my bike riding, but still fit perfectly into my training plan of getting into better shape. I used my legs and rediscovered muscles I had forgotten or never knew I had.
Back in St. Cloud and beyond:
Monday, October 5 – Spinning (18 miles), Yoga and Tabata at
St. Cloud State. That was a workout! 27 miles road bike equivalent.
Tuesday – 16 miles on Fat Bikes with The Gang. Just plain
fun. 24 mile equivalent.
Saturday – A long day of yardwork at home and at my son’s
home – totally exhausted.
Sunday, October 11 – Rode 42 miles on the Mankato River
Ramble on my Fat Bike, riding with Bea, Ellen and Peter. We saw Frank at one of
the rest stops, but that’s all. I had planned to ride the 50 mile route, but
joined the others, which I was glad at the end, as 42 miles up and down the
hills and into the headwind the last half of the ride was enough for me. The
weather, however, was spectacular (reaching 82 by the time we were done), the
route beautiful and the company fun. 63 mile equivalent.
Total for the week: 114 miles
