Being short of Internet access make one a bit less driven to write a Speedy Journal entry. Here is another every-other-day entry.
Yesterday the choice was an 11.6 mile hike up to Numa Lookout with a climb of nearly 3,000 ft. (the other option, the Quartz Lake loop, even longer, was closed due to Mountain Lion activity) or take T/T Speedy back out on the lake for a longer paddle. We chose the latter.
Little did we know that it would turn into a 12 mile paddle. We started up the lake after breakfast along the west shore, keeping relatively close to shore to observe the birds and look for fish, gliding slowly along. As we proceeded, we kept heading to the next point and the next and the next. Before we knew it, it was after noon—at least we brought lunch. We were now most of the way up the lake. Spying a gravel beach on the other side, we made for that, which took longer than we expected.
We hauled out on the beach and broke out our sandwiches. Afterwards, I tried a little fishing as the bottom dropped off quickly, but no success. There are fish in the lake. I just can't find them. After that it was time to head back down the lake. We looked back and realized that we couldn't even see the end we came from (around still another point) and it was about six miles away..and a breeze was picking up...and we were going upwind...and there were lots of biting flies following us.
It was an long non-stop paddle back and when we finally reached the beach, we could hardly take the kayak out of the water. There are still some adjustments to be made. I need to move the footrest in the rear much further forward and lengthen the steering lines. My knees stuck up so much that I kept hitting them with my paddle. Ellen also needs to stretch out a bit as well. She did a fair amount of paddling with her lags resting up on the bow of the boat.
As I was deflating and packing the kayak, I slapped my leg to swat one of those flies and it really stung. It was then I realized that I'd gotten a rather severe sunburn on both my legs. I haven't had a sunburn in about 20 years. The sunscreen I used on my legs was supposedly 30 SPF, but was probably well beyond its sell date and it failed completly. It made for an itchy night (it is still itchy).
Exhausted, we retired early and arose early enough for our 2nd annual morning coffee by the lake on the day we leave Bowman. We just missed watching the sun come over the mountains to the east, but there was still mist on the lake and a lone canoe heading out. Pretty peaceful, but it was time to leave.
Back down the rough and dusty Bowman Lake Road we went, stopping at the ranger station for a Polebridge passport stamp, then on to the Polebridge Mercantile where the Sunday crowds were in force. A couple of fresh, still warm, sticky buns later, we were on our way back to West Glacier and the route to Grand Teton National Park, our next stop.
We still had a shower token left over from our stay at Fish Creek. Being a bit sticky from three nights at Bowman Lake, we pulled into the picnic area and marched up to the shower block. The shower rooms open to the outside and are quite large, large enough for two. That's how we ended up with an extra shower token. The timer lasts long enough for two to shower. That's what we did on our first visit and that's what we did today. Clean and refreshed, we were back on the road.
The route we took went south from Columbia Falls and wound through several National Forests. With a stop for lunch overlooking a small pond, complete with a pair of Goldeneye ducks, and a stop at a great espresso bar, Jitterbug Java, in Seeley Lake, we reached good old I-90 (haven't been on it since Sturgis). After too long on I-90, avoiding Butte and its historic toxic lake, we got back on the two-lane through a tight canyon to Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park, where we are spending the night, still 200 miles from Grand Teton.
Photos
No comments:
Post a Comment