Chapter 7

The next few days turned out to be rather uneventful. We fished, relaxed, and did some exploring of the area. We used part of one day to travel to the Canadian Border. The border runs, for the most part, down the middle of the river or lake you are on. We just happened to be on the Rainey River. Fish on the south side and you are legal. Fish on the north side and the Mounties will get you.

There was one highlight that occurred while we were portaging over to check out a new lake. I noticed a trail off to the side that appeared to meander up to an overlook area. On the way up, I spotted something on a dead tree off to the side of the trail

“Hey Ron,” I shouted. “I found a sarcomyxa serotina.”

“A what?”

“I found some oyster mushrooms.”

“Are they edible?”

“They are delicious. They are even better in the fall.”

I pulled out my knife, cut some off a bunch, and placed them in a bag that I carried in my hiking pack. That evening, we not only ate fresh fish, but we also had delicious grilled mushrooms to go with them. To top off the meal, I made a packet of chocolate fudge pudding that I had brought along. That evening, you would have found a couple of very well-fed men sitting around the campfire enjoying their hot cocoa.

On the second to last day of our trip, I woke up at sunrise. Our plan was to get in a good number of miles, so that the following day it would only be a short paddle back to where our vehicle was parked. I stopped dead in my tracks when I caught some movement out of the corner of my eye. Turning my head, I spotted a big hulking creature down by the shoreline.

“Ron, wake up! Where did you put those fish guts last night?” I yelled to the still sleeping man.

“Huh, what?” Ron mumbled, as he stuck his head out of the tent.

“Get out here!”

Ron slowly crawled out of the tent and stumbled in my direction.

“I’ve got to pee,” he said.

“Come here first!”

Ron came closer. He had a foggy look on his face. He was apparently still half asleep.

“Look down there.”

Ron looked down toward the water and then mumbled something undistinguishable under his breath.

There near the shore stood a large black bear. In his mouth was piece of the fish remains from our previous evening’s meal.

“Holy cow,” Ron exclaimed.

“Why don’t you go down there and try to take it away from him,” I said.

“Are you crazy? I guess I should have put those remains farther from camp. It’s good we’re leaving this morning.”

“You got that right,” I said. “What say we just leave him alone and get ready to head out?”

“That works for me. Let’s start packing.”

Soon I had the water boiling. Then I used some of the water for oatmeal and the rest for coffee. I dug out a few other items that wouldn’t give off much of a smell. We ate quickly and then finished packing.

Fortunately, our canoe was some distance from where the bear was dining. We loaded up the canoe and got ready to push off.

“Did you leave anything that we need to retrieve in the area where the bear is?” I asked.

“No!”

“Well then, here we go.”

We glided out a short distance and then paddled over to where the bear was hunched over in the water. He looked up nonchalantly as we grew near. He appeared to be a mature male. I noticed some silver tips on his fur. He didn’t seem at all concerned by our presence. We had caught several large fish the previous night, so I knew he was getting a decent meal.

“See ya, old fellow. Enjoy your meal,” I said as we turned and headed toward our next portage.

“I’m glad that happened on our last day,” Ron said. “I know I sure learned a lesson.”

I thought about all the stories I had heard about people who had lost their food packs to bears. Many had been forced to leave the area early. One couple I had met told me they were surprised that a bear had attacked their tent. When I inquired as to what supplies they had brought along, I learned that they had a sack of potatoes and a dozen links of polish sausage. The sausage had been especially made for them by a butcher in Chicago. Upon further inquiry, I learned that they had stored those items in their tent.

I always try my best to avoid encounters with bears. Food packs are always strung up between two trees and at least ten feet off the ground. Most of the food is packaged or vacuum packed, so it doesn’t give off tantalizing aromas. Food scraps are disposed of a good distance from camp. It’s also a good idea to check for bear sign when scoping out a potential campsite.

What was an experienced canoer like Ron thinking? I shook my head in disbelief. I was very relieved we had not been awakened in the night by the growls of a hungry bear, rummaging around our camp.

That evening we found a nice campsite only a couple lakes from our take-out point. It didn’t take long to set up camp, as we had developed an efficient system over the past week. That evening we were treated to a beautiful display of the Northern Lights.

It was simply amazing, one of the most beautiful exhibitions I had ever seen. It started out with wisps of white, which floated like specters across the heavens. The hues changed gradually as other colors began to materialize. The most prominent ones were the greens and blues. Both Ron and I sat there and soaked in the beauty of it all. I noticed the faint glow of a campfire on the opposite shore. I wondered if they were able to see, or even aware, of the display going on in the heavens above them.