Atikokan
Juno in the canoe - Lake Superior - 2024
Not much happened today. It was scorching hot, the first time since I left Chutes. When I checked the weather last night it called for rain today but when I woke up everything had changed and it was going to be sunny for the bulk of the day.
Didn’t sleep well last night. My arms kept falling asleep (at least one part of my body was sleeping) which is a common complaint of sleeping pads for camping. So then of course, my mind swirled trying to figure out the physiological cause and if I could rig up something to prevent it from happening. Like why doesn’t it happen when you sleep on a normal mattress? Are my shoulders too broad? Is my pillow too high? Too low? Is it a circulation issue? Or is it a compressed nerve? And so on and so on…. I looked at Juno with envy as she slept peacefully.
Jubs has a new routine now when she feels it’s time for us to get up. She ever so gently steps across my body so her front legs are on one side of my body and her back legs are on the other, and then she sploots. Then to top it off, she nuzzles her dumb head into my neck. Sigh. Damn dog.
So we did snuggies for a while and then got up for breakfast. Coffee and peanut butter toast for me. We puttered but then the bugs got the worst of us so we hid in the bug net. The horse flies and deer flies are absolutely vicious so I’m thankful for my bug net.
Went to Atikokan today because I had to have enough cell service to do a board meeting call. Quite a contrast with Marathon. They have similar populations sizes but clearly the ongoing mining money in Marathon has made a positive impact. Atikokan is quiet comparatively and easily could have had tumbleweeds rolling down the main drag. There is definitely industry here and there once was mining here too but it’s dried up. The town has established itself as the canoeing capital of Canada. There are a couple canoe builders here - Souris River being the biggest. While deciding which canoe to go with for my own, it was a toss up between Souris River and Swift, both having great reputations. Lots of outfitters are here to provide services for the region as it’s a major spot for canoeing and fishing.
Anyway, I picked up a couple things at Foodland since I was there and got gas and made my call.
Got back to the site after doing some swim time for Juno. We climbed into the hammock threw on a podcast and drifted off. Woke up to Juno growling and then escalating to barking as I watched a random man walk through my site. He clearly didn’t realize we were on the site and when I asked him what he was doing he said “I’m just going down to the water”. I have direct access to the lake, as do all the sites in my section but they are reserved for each specific site and aren’t a free for all. Imagine having someone walk in your front door and say I’m just going to use your kitchen. I told him that this was my site and he needed to leave and as Juno started to escalate to barking he apologized and left.
While I’m sure he had no ill will, as a woman travelling on her own, I don’t take risks. And boy was I happy that Juno was with me. When she puts on her scary, I certainly wouldn’t want to be on the bitey end for sure. I would have slept right through it if she hadn’t alerted me to him. She’s crazy and lot and hard sometimes but I don’t think I’d do this kind of travelling on my own without her. She’s very protective of me, I think she feels it’s her job. Gave her lots of “good girl”s.
Never ended up raining at all!
Are you a friend or a family? Want to know exactly where I am? Use this link: share.garmin.com/andthisjusthappened
