Tuesday’s Journal Entry:
“Got about 8 solid hours of sleep but woke up sore. After a season of soccer though, I’m used to it. We ate more oatmeal, packed up camp, and headed out. Today Cody and I were given the map, the destination, and the responsibility of leading the group to our next campsite.
“It was a grueling day for sure. It began almost immediately with a 1740m portage which Cody offered to do. It was an admirable feat on a very challenging trail. Out of six portages today. I did four, but they only totaled 1700m on trails that were noticeably easier. Our paddling mainly consisted of about 7 hours on the slow, winding Tim River.
“When the river finally widened Cody and I put our all into the paddling and set a snappy pace. We had previously gone really slow, maneuvering tight turns, narrow outlets, and trees on both sides that threatened to scratch us or slow us down if we got too close.
“The final portage of 840m beat me down physically and I kept stopping every few meters. But I finally made it and we reached our island campsite. For many, the long river was their source of tension. I thought it was fun and enjoyable, but it was the last portage and lake that proved to be my tension. Going to bed and resting were very welcome.”
Additional notes:
-Although we were the leaders for the day, Cody and I were the last ones to finish every portage.
-At one point on the river, Chris asked Cody and I if we had decided when to have lunch. I responded by saying, “No, we haven’t. I’m not feeling hungry yet.” Chris said, “Well, don’t think about how you’re doing, think about the team.” He was right. I immediately realized the selfishness in what I had said and thought.
-As I mentioned, the river was a source of tension for some. Thinking through the learning cycle, our agenda was to reach a specified campsite. Therefore, we
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