Saturday 27 May 2006

The Return of Warm Weather

It is amazing how the world changes when the warm weather finally arrives. This week, we got to see temps in the seventies, and I think that I was not the only one who was loving it. My little lettuce plants perked up, finally showing miniature curly leaves. The donkeys gleefully ate their way through fresh grass in front of the lodge. The resident yellow-bellied sapsucker busily called and flew from tree to tree near the lodge, so that we spotted him regularly. Everyone is feeling better, thanks to an increase in sunshine.


We had the opportunity in the last couple of weeks to meet some folks who were doing a lot of hiking in the area. Two fellows, Steve and Mike, hiked to here from Ely, following the Kekakabic Trail. They said that it was decent hiking, though there were some trees over the trail, and they also had some cold, wet weather to put up with. They stayed with us for a few nights, and were joined by two more companions. Then they took off and hiked the Border Route Trail, from Loon Lake all the way to McFarland Lake. Now that is a lot of hiking in just a couple of weeks! The two ends of the Border Route were in great shape, but the middle section was more challenging. In some places, the blowdowns were thick, and paths around them had been trodden often. In other places, there were beaver dams to cross over, with water several inches deep. The improved weather conditions also brought out the black flies and mosquitoes in the deep woods where they were, so that head nets were a welcome tool. Overall, they said that it was a good experience.


On Thursday, I did a shuttle trip for another fellow who set out to hike the Border Route on a solo journey. I met Scott at McFarland Lake, and we headed back to Loon Lake, so that he, too, could start from the same location as the other guys. We had the good fortune, while driving near the Laurentian Divide, to see a timber wolf crossing the Gunflint Trail. I was so excited! Scott had his camera nearby, and he was able to take a couple of photos. What amazed me about this wolf was his nonchalant manner as he crossed in front of us. He sauntered by, in a trot, and headed up a powerline cut. When I clicked my tongue at him, he paused to look down at us, then continued out of sight. As I mentioned during the winter, I knew that I was going to miss seeing these animals as often as we had. Maybe I'll get more chances like this one yet this summer.


It's been a good week for spotting moose, too. On a trip to Duluth, we saw two "teenage" moose on the Trail. One was in a pond, but the other was on the road, like a new teenage driver. Those young guys are all long legs, and they don't quite know what to do when a car comes along. Fortunately, we knew what to do, and I just stopped to let him find his way to the roadside and off into the woods. On our way home that night, near Lutsen, we got to see a nice bull in a pond off the highway. He was munching away on the grasses, oblivious to the traffic. He had a small set of antlers that were rich in velvet. I don't often see bulls in the summer--more likely the cows and calves. We should get some glimpses soon of baby moose, as they follow their moms and seek relief from the heat and bugs in the roadside lakes and ponds.


The trout have been biting well for some folks. We got a report today of a 36" laker caught and released! I saw the photo of it, and as soon as the fisherman gets home, he will send me a copy of it to post here. It looked like a beauty. The bass also have been biting. The Cross River Bridge opened as of last night for walleye fishing. With any luck, I may get a chance this week to go over there and wet a line. It's a good place for me to try to fish, since I can drive there and I don't have to operate a boat and fish at the same time--something I am not very good at doing!


The days are so long now, as we approach the solstice. It is after 9 p.m. and the sky is still a beautiful pink and lavendar from the sunset. It's the best time of the year.

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