The Adirondacks (a.k.a. NO Bertha Portage)

I didn't like them at first because they seemed so ridiculously overdeveloped and until i got to my campground - i was beginning to be disapointed. It was lake country with lots of motorboats and marinas and I felt like I'd somehow ended up back in TVA territory. But then i got past all that crap and scored the BEST campsite (atleast for a state park) EVER. I had the spot at the head of an island where 2 rivers meet. no one else was in the surrounding campsites so we had the place to ourselves. The first day I was so tired from all the driving and so in love with my campsite - I decided to chill out at camp. and it was glorious. I built a fire and finished my book and relaxed to the sound of the rivers around me. I have really improved my fire making skills on this trip and have perfected the perfectly roasted marshmallow. Thats right, i said perfect twice...they are that good.

The next day I drove 2 1/2 hours to the Moose River Outpost where I rented a recreational kayak-- that I shall from here forth refer to as Big Bertha -- and paddled down the Moose River with Ms O. Big Bertha got her name because she was as long as my canoe back home and as heavy as my car. After we were dropped off at the put-in, we paddled past all the others dropped off with us and had the river to ourselves - which was good, since I talked to myself the whole time about how much fun it was to maneuver Big Bertha around the hairpin turns of the tiny snake-like river that wound through the grasslands and woods. Then we had to portage her. For those who don't know what that means? its when you have to get out and tow your boat because the water is to treacherous. Treacherous was a stretch for the rapids we had to pass, but I could not IMAGINE boating them with Big Bertha. We would have surely died.
So the portage....because of Bertha's size and my obvious weakness, the guy at the outpost gave me a set of wheels to make the 1/4 portage easier with the barge. He made it seem so easy (p.s. never listen to the 100 pound college boy when he says its no big deal). It was a big deal. coudn't seem to keep big bertha on the wheels as we traversed the narrow path that apparently required the 4-wheel drive version of the paddle wheels, not the ones I was given. I pitched a short fit and finally figured out how to get her back to the water and we were off again. It was much smoother after that. I rewarded myself witha cool t-shirt and some stickers. The guy at the outpost was super nice and actually invited me out after work to hang out in town, but he didn't get off until after 8 and my campsite was over 2 hours away so i declined. I don't know if this place is just full of nice people - or if I just attract more friends being alone with a cute dog. Either way - I haven't felt alone at all. But do find that i willl talk to just about anyone. But this is good for a girl who used to be so shy.

This is me and O sitting in an Adirondack chair. In the Adirondacks. Of course we had to do that. Duh.