Day in the Life of an Idiot

 

 

But the hike was actually kind of nothing? I think, however, my sense of what’s difficult in a hike has significantly changed over the last two weeks. I’m sure that if we’d done this little very vertical hike in the first few days, I would absolutely have agreed that it was not at all easy.  As it was, just went I was thinking, “Okay, we should probably take a break so I can catch my breath,” suddenly we were at the summit.

 

 

We briefly thought we were looking back behind us at East Bearskin Lake, but what we were really looking out at was Hungry Jack Lake and Bearskin (not EAST Bearskin). It was throwing because they are shaped similarly!  I was very thrown by this because I am one of those people who has a somewhat preternatural sense of direction. Mason asked, “So, is that East Bearskin?” I said, “No, that’s behind us,” with absolute certainty, but since the brochure had said we’d get a view of East Bearskin, I doubted myself. I just found a PDF from the Superior National Forest that has the lakes correctly labelled. I am relieved to know my sense of direction did NOT fail me.

 

Anyway, it was a very, very short trip. We kind of felt like it was a bit of a letdown, since the brochures make so much about how parents need to keep small children in hand!  Danger!  But it was all very safe feeling. Honestly, there were parts of the Magnetic Rock hike that felt far more dangerous to me.

 

So, that’s the whole thing. We are home tomorrow (Saturday). We have been talking about some detours on the way home, but it’s possible that we will end up just wanting to push through. 

 

I’ve been really grateful that we’ve had someone staying at the house, because two weeks is a long time to have left the kitties on their own. Especially our eldest, who is TWENTY-ONE.  Mason likes to point out that we have a cat older than he is. I will be happy to have kitty cuddle (or stern looks, depending.)  Shawn’s been missing her own bed. I’ve been missing my kitchen. Mason would like to see his online friends again—and get back to work at the Science Museum.

 

It’s been a really tremendous time. But, it will be good to be home.