Driving to James Bay

[MichaelAngelo]

I was googling about Ontario river maps and canoeing routes, and I came across this tidbit of awesome:

http://jeremylatta.wordpress.com/2012/06...ear-north/



Thought it was a great read!

What he says:

"For me, though, it’s always been the vast expanses of the atlas with lots of green, very few lines, and even fewer dots. The North. For as long as I can recall I have always wanted to see the arctic, Siberia, the tundra, the tree line, and any other cold and desolate place you could name. There’s something intoxicatingly alluring about these places which I am at a loss to explain exactly. I suppose some of it comes down to my arch Canadian-ness; I just find our remote lands magnetic. There’s something powerful and indescribable about being totally isolated and adrift somewhere, and I suspect that even a brief such experience would do a person a world of good."

Does anybody else feel this way?

[OldTimer]

“There’s something powerful and indescribable about being totally isolated and adrift somewhere, and I suspect that even a brief such experience would do a person a world of good."

Absolutely true!

In the late 60’s and through the 70’s - my father and I used to spend at least 6 days on a canoe trip each year, WAY back into Algonquin Park…. 6 or 7 portages plus a river run just going in, then that or more to get ourselves back out.

Looking back now I see - this was the greatest series of gifts my father could have given me.

We could spend hours in the canoe without speaking, with the only sound being heard was the “zipppppppppp” of the droplets from the paddles hitting the lake surface on each stroke.

I learned how dark that dark can get, and that wet has many levels. I also learned how bad a cook my dad was, but I ate it all……….smile

At times – it was neither relaxing nor easy……… but we both returned in much better “shape” physically and mentally, each & every time.

Today – my father is gone – but I still “get away from it” each time I fish, or walk in the woods– where my mind can become temporarily isolated from this so “busy about nothing” world - and be set adrift to remember, to dream, to smile, and to enjoy today.

Cheers,

OldTimer

[MichaelAngelo]

Couldn't have said it better OT.

My father did take me car camping many of times in my childhood. He also took me bird watching. He taught me the marvels of the outdoors.

I'll never forget the first time I saw the stars. It was at Algonquin on the side of the main Highway. Saw a couple of shooting ones too .