Day 10 - 7/25/2004 - Oh Canada...

After a great nights sleep, we decided to bag the hike up to the top of Mt. Marcy and get on to the road to the next highpoint.  This was decided after discussing the merits of the hike (3200 ft of gain + 16 miles round trip on boulders) and my ankle, which seems to be hovering at 90% capable.  Rather than continue to stress it, moving on will give it a few more weeks to rest before the next really rough hike - Mt. Elbert in CO.  Mt. Marcy will still be there next year (as will Katahdin!)  Hunter and I are both starting to see more that the journey is the true objective, even more than the highpoints.

We packed up and were on the road by 6:15.  This was a good thing, since Lake Placid was basically closed to all traffic.  Again, thank God for GPS's.  A few turns down some side roads and we were back on our way.  The mountains around Lake Placid are really nice and gradually fade away as you drive north toward Canada.  Finally we came to the St. Lawrence river.  As you drive north through the region, one question comes to mind - who pissed off the injuns???  Every other bridge, watertower, building, or slow-moving dog is emblazoned with graffiti proclaiming, "This is Indian Land!"  Sorry guys, we got the land, you got the beads; it was a fair trade back in the day.  Besides, I still haven't figured our the whole casinos-for-reparations deal.  Give me "Caesars Palace" over a ditch any day of the week.  I'll even change my name to "Big Chief BlackJack" or "Dances with Paleface Money".

We made it into Canada just fine.  We cruised up through Ottawa, and out the Trans-Canada Highway, through North Bay, Sudbury, and camped to Whitefish. The drive through this part of Canada is somewhat monotonous, albeit pretty.  It is rolling hills, covered with small lakes and dense pine forest.  Moose country.  Hunter and I figured that this is a place where men are men, women are scarce, and moose are very nervous.

In Whitefish we found a gorgeous little campground.  It was next to a small river, and Hunter had a chance to get some swimming in.  I know my nose appreciated it, since it had been two days since he had a shower.  Pictures below. In the morning we will head toward Michigan and Mt. Arvon (sched. for Tuesday).