Allright Already!

     I wish I could quit ranting and raving about this incredible weather we’ve been experiencing on the Gunflint Trail but I just can’t.  It has been absolutely wonderful the entire month of September and this week’s forecast looks just as good.  The daytime temperatures have been in the 70’s with lows only down into the 40’s at night.  The wind has been almost non-existent and has made paddling the Boundary Waters and Quetico Park incredibly awesome.  When the weather is this nice it’s very difficult for me not to be out paddling. 

     If it’s sunny and calm then I want to be out on the lake.  Needless to say I have wanted to be out on the lake all month long.  When the wind is blowing or it’s raining then I prefer to be in the woods hiking.  A friend asked if I wanted to go for a hike the other day and she’s accustomed to me saying yes.  When I replied, "Heck No!" I think she was a bit shocked.  I had to explain my philosophy of paddling when it’s nice and calm to her and then she understood.  We went paddling and we’ll go hiking when it’s too windy to paddle.

     The grouse hunting season is now open on the Gunflint Trail.  Pick up trucks packed with four-wheelers could be seen driving up the Trail and on many of the side roads.  I read a book once where the author referred to grouse as a fool bird.  If you’ve ever seen one in the wild then you know why.  They sometimes like to sit in the middle of the road, absolutely still, hoping you won’t notice they are there.  Other times grouse will just fly right into the side of your car.  Hence the name fool bird I guess.  We saw some grouse on the portages when we took our day trip on Saturday and I saw one when I was walking on our road yesterday.  Not sure how the hunters fared.

     Anyway I guess that’s enough for today already.  Happy Monday everyone, I hope you get out and enjoy this wonderful weather.