One hundred miles down: Mosquitoes, loons and a skunk

Last week: After three hours of paddling, Hardesty had covered only about a mile due to the marshy vegetation. He asked his brother, Steve Hardesty, to pick him up and they drove past the marshy area to relaunch in a part of the river that could be navigated in the kayak.

Evening, Day 1:

While making camp this evening, I discovered one of my giant plastic bags had a hole in it, and was half full of water. It held my miscellaneous camping gear. Everything in it was also in small plastic bags, though, so it wasn't a major catastrophe.

I did find out that waterproof matches are only waterproof up to a certain point. They will dry out. Next time, don't put them all in the same bag.

Dinner tonight was chicken and rice and Gatorade with granola and trailmix for dessert. I weighed just before I left home. I expect to lose a few pounds before I get back.

I'm just outside Bemidji, Minn. tonight, near Highway 2. I had enough cell phone signal to call home and talk to my wife, Marla. I know we won't always be that lucky.

Being able to hear each other's voice beats down the loneliness. That has definitely been the most negative aspect of this trip. It really started hitting home during the last few days before I left. I don't like to dwell on it.

It's 1:10 a.m. Sunday, July 31. I never sleep much the first couple of nights out like this. I'm used to quiet and the boonies is not quiet. Right now, I'm listening to what I think is a screech owl in a tree nearby, and occasional small and larger feet moving in the leaves.

The woods here aren't as noisy as those back home. Overall, I've seen less wildlife today than I would in Missouri. On a hot day in July in Missouri almost every log sticking out of the water is lined with turtles and the occasional water snake.

I only saw four turtles on logs today and a snake that a heron dropped right in front of me. I think the short summer up here might be the reason.

Day Two:

While eating my breakfast of peanutbutter oatmeal with chopped up granola bar, I met a local this morning.

A skunk was ambling up to my campsite. I'm glad I saw him first. He took off when I yelled at him. I saw him because I was moving around doing the Minnesota boogie.

It is a dance of constant movement you do to get the mosquitoes off. They aren't as big as the mosquitoes we have at home, but what they lack in size they make up for in determination. If you have more than one on you (and you always do) you can slap one and the others won't move at all.

Got to Bemidji this morning at 10:20 a.m. It was sunny, about 80 degrees with a light breeze. Like everyone else there, I had my picture taken with the giant statues of Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, Babe. Had a sandwich at a local fastfood restaurant while waiting for the visitors center to open. I wanted to get my favorite teacher a souvenier, but they didn't have a gift shop. They did let me recharge my cell phone and fill my water jugs, though.

By the time I left Bemidji at 1:30 p.m., the sky had clouded up and it looked like rain was coming. The wind had shifted to the west. I dug out my running jacket and lashed it down where I could reach it on the stern. As I was shoving off I found a leech on the floor of the cockpit. I had been warned about them, but this was the first I saw.

Bemidji sits on two lakes that are joined by a short channel. The first I came to was Lake Irvin. It was only a mile wide so I paddled straight across. When I was ready to leave Bemidji, I had to cross the second lake, Lake Bemidji, to the point where the river continues on its way.

The Department of Natural Resources' map warned about canoes and kayaks trying to go straight across the size of lake, as high winds can develop suddenly. This meant I had to paddle along the shoreline. It takes longer, but is safer.

After leaving the lake, the river became the color of ice tea, with vegetation lush and waving just below the surface.

This has been a constant since the start -- long strands of grass swaying with the current. It reminds me of Shelly Winters hair after Robert Mitchem, her preacher-husband, drowned her.

Saw several loons today (I'd been hoping to see some as many "friends" told me I have the mental capacity of a loon after hearing about my trip).

I've decided I have more in common with them than our mental capacity. We both like to paddle and ride low in the water.

Since the paddling was much easier today, I decided to push on to Indian Point campsite. I am 100 miles from the start and at the river's most northen point. From here it turns south like it's supposed to. From Lake Itaska the river traces a question-mark course through Minnesota.

Tonight I'm camped at the top of that question mark. Two miles before I got here, I had to portage Beltrami County Power Dam. That meant completely unpacking the kayak (TP II), carrying all its contents 201 yards to a point below the dam, and then carrying the kayak too.

It took two hours and that won't be the last dam to portage. When I got to this campsite, I met a young man planning to start a trip next year from Lake Itaska to the Gulf on Mexico.

We had a lot to talk about. There is also a group of girls, ages 10 to 12, with their camp counselors. They seem to be having a lot of fun.

Some wanted to tell ghost stories, but that got vetoed so now they are singing. They are about to put me to sleep, so I'll just let them.