"Happy Birthday, Phil!"
What started as simple birthday wishes on facebook culminated in an amazing eight day canoeing/camping trip in a remote wilderness area of Canada with 13 other Christian brothers.
I hadn't talked to my high school pal, Phil, in quite a while. Instead of a typical "thanks", I got a reply reminiscing about a weekend backpack trip I invited him on many years ago, during my college days.
Phil, Me, Andy, David (my brother) at Laurel Highlands, October 1991
The reminiscing was in response to an upcoming trip that some men from his church were planning to Algonquin Provincial Park, in Ontario, Canada. As we talked back and forth about the trip, he at one point said, "why don't you come with us?" Although it sounded like a great trip, I immediately made excuses why I couldn't... I'm too cheap to spend money on something like that for myself; all the available time off from work for the summer is already taken...
While the introvert in me screamed "NO! You can't spend eight days with a bunch of guys you don't know!", a part of me craved more male friendship and I'm not very good at plugging into men's groups in my own large church. A week, or so, later, I pulled up the vacation schedule at work and was amazed to see that EVERY SINGLE DAY of the summer was UNavailable... EXCEPT August 10-14... the EXACT days I needed for the trip. Still undecided, I cancelled a few of my days and exchanged them for the 5 consecutive days in August... just in case. After wrestling with the idea a few weeks, I finally took the alignment of all the details as an indication that I was meant to go. I paid the deposit and committed to the trip.
Over the next few months, I began inventorying my gear and deciding what I would need to purchase. I tried to keep the purchases modest, but most of it was stuff that I had wanted for years, but was just too frugal to buy... a backpacking tent, convertible hiking pants, a water filter, etc. This time of preparation was also a time of renewing my friendship with Phil as we had many conversations about gear, purchases, packing strategies, and such.
As the trip drew near, I began to get very nervous about fitting in. Phil was the only one I knew and I've always struggled with shyness. I was worried about cliques, or being an "outsider", since most of the guys already knew each other from church... or so I thought.
As it turned out, the group was more varied than I realized. We were from about five different churches. Everybody knew somebody, but nobody knew everybody.
And cliques?
Well... there really weren't any! There was nearly instant cohesiveness and we quickly became a band of brothers in Christ... the way Christian fellowship should be.
Beginning our trip, Algonquin Outfitters, Opeongo Lake, 8/8/15
The week involved an estimated 60 miles of paddling (not including side excursions) and about 10 miles of portaging between lakes. The map below shows the areas we covered. The black/red squares indicate our campsites.
Sunday 8/9/15: Big Trout Lake, White Trout Lake, Big Trout Lake (w/ Inspector Gadget)
Monday 8/10/15: Stationary day
Tuesday 8/11/15: Big Trout Lake, Longer Lake, Petawawa River, Redpine Lake, Burntroot Lake (w/ Zen Master)
Wednesday 8/12/15: Burntroot Lake, Redpine Lake, Lake la Muir, Hogan Lake (w/ Moses)
Thursday 8/13/15: Hogan Lake, Big Crow Lake, Little Crow Lake, Proulx Lake (w/ Red Beard)
Friday 8/14/15: Proulx Lake, Opeongo Lake (w/ Turtle Man)
Saturday 8/15/15: Opeongo Lake, Algonquin Outfitters (w/ Turtle Man)
Yes... I DID carry a purple pack! (Circa 1993) Starting pack weight: 50#, sans water.
The Portage (por-ˈtäzh)
As little as a few hundred yards to as much as a few miles of hiking between lakes with a loaded pack on your back and a canoe on your shoulders. My longest continuous carry was 1.5 miles.
Yellow means, "Crap, not another portage!"
Orange means, "Ah... we're home for the day!"
Saturday night camp overlooking Big Trout Lake (8/8/15). My new Eureka! Midori 2 backpacking tent. This was home to Phil and I for the week... pretty "cozy" for two grown men.
Big Trout Lake, Sunday morning, 8/9/15
Every campsite was equipped with a "Treasure Chest", "Thunder Box"... whatever the name, it's BYOTP!
Let's camp here!
Sunday/Monday on Big Trout Lake (2nd campsite) 8/9/15-8/10/15
Every evening and morning, we gathered at the campfire for a time of Bible study. Most of the men participated in leading at least one of these times and it was one of the highlights of the trip for me. Every man who shared brought something from deep within himself and his walk with God and it was a time of men opening up and sharing personal thoughts and life lessons. We read God's Word together, prayed together, sang together, and at times even cried together. It was Bible study that was very unique and genuine. And, 14 men lifting their voices in sacred hymns out over the calm waters of a vast Canadian wilderness is a beautiful sound!
Although I loved each of these times, two of my favorite devotionals occurred at this campsite on Big Trout Lake. On Sunday evening, Eagle Eye shared about God's grace toward us, as found in Ephesians 1:1-14. He asked for men to share testimonies of how their relationship with God began. Several men shared. He then finished our Sunday evening fireside worship by leading us in a communion ceremony where our Lord's suffering and death was remembered through the breaking of bread and passing of cup. What better "cathedral" in which to have church than under towering pines on the shores of Big Trout Lake?
On Monday morning at the same campfire, Moses shared the account of creation as read from Genesis 1:1-31. We faced away from the campsite into our gorgeous surroundings as he stood behind us and slowly narrated the account of each day. Creation came alive as never before as each element in the scriptures were before us, displayed in vivid color on the biggest "screen" imaginable. At one point while reading about the fowls of the air, as if God cued it up (I wouldn't doubt that He did), a lone loon swam by the campsite a few yards off shore. I had never really focused on the order of creation before, but this reading with the visual creation in front of us really put perspective to the account. For the first time I realized that man was created last. In six literal days, He created all of this for man and then placed us within His creation. And, again, from the shores of Big Trout Lake and all of Algonquin... what a beautiful creation it is!
A legendary trail name in the making... and he shall be called Turtle Man. (Yes, that is a snapper!)
All week we tried to see a moose. This photo moment was the best I could do!
Eagle Eye, the camp gourmet... seen here making tortellini with the help of nephew Brew Master
Delicious fresh Lake Trout, compliments of Incinerator and Mr. Clean!
Swimming almost every day!
It was Tuesday. I was missing my kids. A lily in my hat for my Lily.
My rowing partner this day, Zen Master... together, as the nefarious Lily Brothers
Campsite on Burntroot Lake, 8/11/15
On this day, Evinrude and Inspector Gadget had been rowing partners, which made for a hilarious combination. At the evening fire pictured here, I laughed until my sides hurt. (Is that the Hawaii five-o theme song I hear?) There was much laughter throughout the week, as well, often supplied by sons of Moses, Incinerator and Braveheart (who, as the name suggests, decided to spend nearly the entire week speaking in a rich Scottish brogue).
Mmmm... is there turtle in that jambalaya?
Campsite on Hogan Lake, 8/12/15
I'd go back just to hear the loons!
Morning fog on Hogan Lake
Zen Master
By this time, trail names have been established:
Back row: Zack - Brew Master, Paul - Eagle Eye, Brian - Mr. Clean, Jason - Red Beard, Allan - Inspector Gadget, Dennis - Evinrude, Eric - Moses, Will - Incinerator
Front row: Jeff - Anchor Man, Gavin - Treasure Hunter, Isaac - Johnson, Ryan - Braveheart, Matt - Zen Master, Phil - Turtle Man
Eagle Eye led us on a hike to a grove of virgin white pines
We hiked to the site of an old fire tower. Spectacular views overlooking Big Crow Lake, and I found my first international geocache at this location!
Campsite on Proulx Lake (8/13/15). In my easy chair at the end of a day... a view better than any TV.
Paddling the expanse of Opeongo Lake, 8/14/15
The "Bates Hotel"... campsite on Bates Island, Opeongo Lake, 8/14/15
Opeongo bath and laundry
The Council of the Algonquin Brotherhood... the Algonquin 14... the Band of Brothers... the Brothers of the Algonquin Wilderness... after a warm shower at the Algonquin Outfitters, we are ready to head home! (8/15/15)
Dinner at Applebee's before we went different directions toward home
I really think there was a reason those five days opened up in the vacation schedule at work. I really needed to be here this week. I needed to unplug, unwind and de-stress. I needed to sharpen and be sharpened by these brothers in Christ.
I'm not sure if this trip had the same impact on these men as it did me, but I am thankful for each and every person on this trip and for what they contributed to my life during this week. I often struggle with making male friendships, but this group felt like we were meant to be together this week. Although I may rarely, if ever, connect with these brothers outside of facebook (I live about 100 miles from most), I consider each one a friend and I am happy to have met them.
I was asked by Red Beard if I was up for Algonquin 2017. I honestly don't know. There are places I have visited in my lifetime that draw me back and Algonquin will definitely be one. But... as great as this week was, maybe I should just leave well enough alone?
Viva Algonquin!
1 comment:
That was an inspiration to read. I would enjoyed a little more detail about how big the mosquito were, how the blisters hurt and the pecking order for the thunder box. It seems like you fellows were hand picked to be together for the week.
What a great blog!
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