Training Log Archive: coach ld

Long day (quick first hour) but absolutely perfect for being outside - slight breeze (behind us), plenty of sunshine with pouffy clouds, and the perfect temperature. The scenery was lovely on the Haliburton Lakes. Goose was in charge of assigning canoes to WT teams so a few of us helped him starting at 7:00. It was quite orderly. No one complained despite the co-ed 4 teams being the only ones having to each take one heavy ABS snubby-nosed boat. They also got a kevlar boat but at least it was fair across the category. (It didn't seem to hurt them much since 3 of the top 4 finishers were co-ed 4 teams.)
At about 7:40 when we turned over a canoe for Whiskey Tango Foxtrot it was discovered to have a very broken seat. There were exactly enough boats (70) for all the teams and now we were one short with the start looming at 8:00. Bob called Algonquin Outfitters who said they would drive anotther canoe over. But as start time approached and the canoeless team was getting stressed the decision was made to use Bent's and Bash's light boat that Goose and I had on our car to use in our"sweep" role, following the paddlers around the course. As luck would have it the all-female team included 2 very experienced canoe trip guides who are friends of Bash and Bent so 1. We trusted that they would take care of the canoe, and 2. They were well aware that if they didn't - well, there would be consequences :)
At about 7:56 Team Attack-Beowolf came to tell us there were no more bailer/safety line kits left in the bin. Hmmm?
So, I ran to our car and got our small kit, and found a plastic milk jug in the community centre to which I attached a string. I sprinted to the start line
yelling "Wait!!" while Bob, oblivious, announced that there were 30 seconds left to the start, then 10, then 5, which is when I hit the dock and almost went into the water throwing the kits into DD's boat as they dug their paddles in. High drama!
After that there was calm and Goose and I got our stuff together to sweep the paddle section. We started about 9:15 and had paddled steadily for about 20 minutes when we could make out a kayaker, in a canoe coming toward us. It looked like on of our canoes, but only 1 paddler. Uh-oh.
As they neared us we could see it was Will paddling, with FB laying down in the bottom with a strained back :(. He was ok but not willing to be in pain for the next 24 hours. Smart man. They did however give us a heads up about a group of 3 women struggling somewhat at the back of the pack who might need some support.
(more to come - just too tired to finish tonight)

C • Drama indeed. And now a cl... 9

Well, the Hitchins' prediction was correct. There were some at the back who needed some nudging in the right direction. Been there myself! So I know how that feels.
As Goose and I got onto the first actual portage on Blue Chalk Road we got a call from Bob that 2 teams went right instead of left at the next intersection and could we go find them. They'd been going in exactly the opposite direction to the course for about 15-20 minutes. We got to the T intersection where they went wrong at the same time as one team of 3 young men. They knew they should have gone left there but they said "Where we're from you get shot if you go past a sign that says Private Property - No Trespassing" and sure enough there was a sign there. Guess where they were from? We explained that Bob had received permission from landowners and that they would not get shot in this part of the world. The next team of four guys (who did not know the first group) arrived shortly afterward and said exactly the same thing - team "Party in the USA" from Michigan. They were super polite and said thanks for coming to find us etc. Then of course we were right behind them for the portage and had to watch as they dropped the boats onto the ground at the other end, dropped their packs in, and get in and drag themselves into the water. Goose couldn't take it. He finally gave them a quick lesson in just getting your feet wet and putting the boat into the water, then packs before getting in. These guys were so sweet and polite and appreciative. They actually did as they were told! Then went in exactly the wrong direction on the water. Goose set them straight and they were able to get down the lake and find the next portage all by themselves:). Even caught up to the other 3 guys.
We were all on the next portage together again when I could hear female voices...

The "In It For the Swag" section:
The 3-woman team from Burlington was resting on the portage trail and one was always quite chatty. She was cheerfully saying "Hey! I thought we had last all locked up! What are you guys doing behind us?" The men passed them and then we approached and were hit with a big waft of very distinctly the fragrance of weed. (Goose wondered if that was their bug "dope".)
After that point we became their shadow for the next 5 hours. We explained that we were sweeping the course and these poor ladies had us breathing down their necks despite us stopping for snacks, lunch, a swim break, etc. We chatted with the guys at CP 1 for about 20 minutes and still caught up to the Swag girls before they got going on the next portage. One of the women was a complete novice and by this point was in a sort of stupor. On the longest portage the 2 mean's teams and the women were all together and there were lots of braided ATV trails so at the race director's request we shepherded them along (with arrows in the dirt) so he wouldn't have to go find them. It was slow going for us but it was an absolutely spectacular summer day and a pleasure to be out there.
The 2 "Make America Great Again" ( as Goose called them) men's teams made headway and we never saw them again. So they clearly got better:)
The Swag girls were getting pretty tired but their "captain" remained cheerful and determined. However, when I cheered them on after a portage in Wren Lake saying " way to go, you're halfway!" the looks on their faces was not happy. They were at about 7 hours. Bob had described the paddle as being about 5-10 hours. He was waiting at the first major road crossing (bridge at Wren Lake) hoping I think that they would be ready to drop out and he could drive them back in daylight. Nope. Their fearless leader shouted a friendly hello and said they were having a great day (her team mates' faces did not reflect that sentiment as they looked longingly at his truck). So off they paddled under the bridge. We stopped to chat with Bob who offered us the chance to get off the water and not have to paddle so slowly behind the group. We were happy being on the water but a bit concerned about getting to our next job at a CP in time/by dark. He told us to just paddle our own speed and not sweep anymore as the trickiest part was done and there were several places paddlers could be picked up in the second half.
So after about 20 minutes chatting with Bob we carried on. Gorgeous late afternoon, lovely breezes, beautiful lakes - no other canoes in sight? Over a portage alone? Hmm. About 20 minutes into our paddle HQ messaged us that the Swag girls were off course by 180 degrees on the previous lake.
So Goose replied that we were no longer sweeping and they were on their own! It didn't go that well navigationally after that for them.
We flew down Raven Lake past the stunning cliffs and made good time on the hilly portage into Sherborne which also had very scenic cliffs and jumbles of rocks. It was great. We were quick over the portage we had previewed yesterday into Big Hawk then into Big Brother on the creek. The sun was starting to get lower and the light was that beautiful soft late summer yellow. But also made it hard to see. We were merrily making our way down Big Brother on smooth sparkly water when I said to Goose that I was hearing a voice. Someone was calling us it seemed. They were outright screaming actually "Turn right! Turn right! You're going the wrong way - turn around!!!!" Goose stopped and checked his map which he hadn't exactly studied well and sure enough the cottager was right. She must've watched enough teams get it wrong today. We waved our gratitude as she turned away shaking her head. But that bright sun on the water tricked Goose again on Saskatchewan Lake finding the final 500m portage. He didn't realize the portage we wanted was to a cottage road not the main highway road. We paddled to hwy 35 and climbed a very rocky steep bank, over a guardrail and then east. Which I thought was a bit weird because he'd told me we were supposed to finish heading west. Walking along the shoulder of a highway on summery Saturday night in cottage country seemed a bit odd but we turned off it a few hundred metres later onto a cottage road - where the mosquitoes were the worst I've been in all summer:(. I was starting to think the lake must be soon if it was a 500m portage and shouted to Goose who was of course 100m ahead of me by now. He either didn't hear or ignored me. We went down a big hill, ok this must be it I thought. No, we went up a big hill - twice. When he got to the next intersection, at 1500m he finally checked the map and said we went the wrong way. Arggggh. The extra walking with gear was one thing, the extra bugs were another . So back we went to the highway, back into the water, down a small bay, maybe 300m and found the actual last portage to Partridge Lake and then up to the paddle finish TA.
Found our car and Bent's boat which we loaded immediately. It was in fine condition thanks to the experienced paddlers from Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.
We helped load the bins from the paddle section onto the truck that had just arrived and headed off to Cinder Lake for our night duty.
We later heard the Swag girls dropped out after arriving at TA1 at about 10 I think. The 14 hour paddle was enough. Been there too.
We met Brad at Cinder Lake where he had a gorgeous campsite set up with a perfect view of a perfect lake on a perfect starry summer night. Full Milky Way sparkled and then a stunning orange-gold crescent moon rose above the trees as the first teams started arriving on bikes for their midnight trek. Magical.
They seemed to enjoy the soup option we made available. It wasn't that cold out, they just wanted the salt I think.

C • I am tired out just reading... 3

Goose and I were assigned the task of checking the water level on some of the WT canoe sections. What Bob was able to paddle through instead of portaging earlier this summer wasn't necessarily going to be paddleable this weekend. We paddled from the Big Hawk Lake marina over to the portage trail into Sherborne and there was water in the creek but not enough to get all the way on water. We walked the portage trail - it certainly wouldn't have been faster trying to paddle the mud flats than portaging. The other creek into Brothers Lake was paddleable so we paddled it and then checked the portage which was also fine.
Then it was on to WT race registration to see how we could help there.

The days seem to be cooling somewhat and it's lovely:)
A sunny, breezy day, at 23.
Rode up Duffy's to Old Church, over to Humber Station, onto the rail trail over to Mt. Hope and home then carried on unpacking and washing from the recent camping trip and re-packing to go to WT.

Drove to Killarney and hiked the "Crack" on another spectacular sunny morning. Easy going from the parking lot to the lake and then it got harder, and even harder climbing up the actual "crack" but beautiful! The panoramic views from the top were breathtaking, and it did take your breath away to do the last bit of climbing too. Took lots of photos before making our way down.
Stopped for an awesome swim in Kakakise Lake then had lunch at George Lake for Nigel's benefit. Worth the extra drive:)

Drove on to a friend's cottage on Lake Manitouwabing and jumped in for a sweet swim across their bay and back twice. So nice:)

Camped right by Providence Bay on Manitoulin Island last night. So pretty, Amazing sunset on the beach boardwalk. Visited the M'Cheegin Anishnabe cultural centre then took Hermes' advice and hiked the Cup and Saucer Trail. Not an easy one but not too long with spectacular views from the cliff tops over to the north channel, and across to Lake Manitou. Completely clear blue sky again. Wow!
We carried on over the swing bridge and had a picnic on the west edge of Killarney near Whitefish Falls the on to Sudbury where we did the "Dynamic Earth" mine tour. Very cool. Our campground was just on the far side of Sudbury on Richard Lake. It was the Villa Maria campground run by the Ukrainian Catholic/Orthodox Church. Peter the Polish Priest ran the place and couldn't have been nicer and more welcoming. There were a few families there and another couple and us. We were treated like special guests - all of us. We paid by donation, Father Peter made us perogies and sausage with homemade pickled beets and cukes from the garden. So good. Had a nice swim, and a bonfire. Not wilderness camping but such a friendly place!

C • Thanks for the camping tip ... 1

Goose's cousin Nigel and I headed off up the Bruce Trail from Cyprus Lake while Goose took the car up to Dunk's Bay then ran back towards us. We thought we were doing a decent pace with a couple of short photo stops and one sit-down drink break at 2 hours. Shortly after starting up again Goose appeared, barely sweating, having run 13km on the trail, while we may have covered 7.
All 3 of us hiked together up the peninsula in brilliant sunshine, beside brilliant blue-green water, under brilliant blue skies. It was a brilliant hike. We stopped at Little Cove for a quick lunch then on to Dunk's Bay, and had a lovely swim in the cool crystal clear water there. So pretty and so welcome! Even with the water snake:)
Made the ferry line-up for the Chi-Chee-Mun with time for an ice-cream before loading. What a day!

Started our circumnavigation of Georgian Bay, road trip, with Goose's cousin from Britain. Beautiful blue sky day to drive up to Thornbury for lunch and a quick visit with Hermes and Hank then on to the Bruce on the waterfront route. Arrived at Cyprus Lake campground late afternoon and did the mandatory fully accessible "hike" out to the Grotto. It was as gorgeous as ever with perfect Georgian Bay blue-greens and all the cool caves and rock formations. Was the water ever chilly though! I loved it.