Going with the flow

The Cedar River Flow is a rather remote lake created when a dam ruined a fine swamp.  But the result is a pretty lake with wonderful mountain views and campsites for extended visits.  The loons approve.

The inviting upstream view.
"Explore me!"

Does the downstream view show remnants of a bridge?
A wooden dam?

Our fearless leader moving his canoe to the launch.

Canoe camping is different than carrying a pack from place to place.
Weight and bulk constraints are much less stringent.
However, you still need to make sure your stuff and y'all fit in the canoe.
Without sinking it.

The man is yelling at Russ.

The elderly gentleman drove his car up to the launch, pressed the button that caused his window to descend, and barked, "Where's the road to Inlet?!!" 

Always quick witted, Russ answered, "Huh?"

"Inlet.  There's a road to Inlet here somewhere.  Where is it?" he demanded.  Russ asked the rest of the party for Inlet insight, but none was found.  "Sorry, but we don't know about any road to Inlet other than the main road, 15 miles back."

Scowling, he used a great deal of energy to move his bulk out of the car.  Regarding us with contempt, he went to study the trail map, which shows only the lake and campsites.

Here he was, at the end of a long, backwoods road to nowhere, with no idea where he was or how to get where wanted to go, but somehow we were at fault for not for not having the information he needed.  He must be in management.  

We finished loading our canoes and paddled away.  As we put distance between ourselves and the launch, it became apparent that we had missed an opportunity.  Yes, he let us know he wanted help, and we should have given it to him.  Any hairbrained set of directions would have done.  "Well, you need to go back to the main road and turn left.  Then you go past the first dirt road off to your left and turn onto the second one.  Before long you'll come to the white house (not the gray one!), where you turn right."  And so on.  

What we delivered might not have been what he wanted, but it would have been what he deserved.

Not sure what's going on here.
Our paddle in was no more than a mile,
and we only checked out one other site prior to settling in.
Fearless leader is losing his touch.

But the view from the selected site needed no apology.

Setting up.
If there is no picnic table or rocky flat surface,
and overturned canoe makes a fine table.

Much more important than a picnic table,
a privy with a view makes any campsite more appealing.
Ignore the flies.

Though the leaves were gone,
The birches towering over the site were lovely.

High up, people have difficulty practicing
the ill-advised act of stripping the paper birches.

Ahhh...

Not Iwo Jima, but teamwork is always important.

Would you stand under the food box?
Any savvy high-peaks bear would make short work of our precautions,
but here in an area with less bear-appeal,
we had no trouble.

He would not share because he only carried one flask.

Some of the crew near the fire.
Someone has obviously been hitting his flask too hard,
since he is already blurry.

You may note the cans in hand.  Not recommended practice when camping...only hard stuff, due to weight to wallop ratio.  However, on this trip, it was straight to the campsite, since there were no places where we had to unload, schlep and reload canoes and gear.  These carries, or portages, generally keep idiots (we often use a different descriptor) who carry in coolers of beverages and chainsaws and boomboxes from moving too far into the woods.

This time, at least with respect to the beverages, we were the idiots.

Have you ever heard Arthur Brown's "Fire?"

Gotta love the headlamp-eyes and fiery feelers.

It is easy to measure the of the state of mind of the photographer during the previous evening. There is inverse relationship between the number of campfire pictures captured and lucidity.  

The above are only a small sampling of the total.

The most important meal of the day.

Off on an adventure.
We paddled south down the lake to explore the river
above the point where it becomes a lake.

The cliffs on the mountain opposite our campsite
had to have an amazing view.
A bushwack up the spine of the mountain was planned for the next day.

But this was a splendid sunny day
just made for paddling.

It gets very swampy towards the river's mouth.
Not easy to find.

This nice shot is of one of us standing up in the canoe
surrounded by so many swamp plants
that the canoe is fully obscured.
The unrecommended vertical rise was an attempt
to see where the opening to the river might be.

Does this look like a river to you?

Well upstream, the group pulled up onto shore 
and had lunch at a nearby lean-to.
The antisocial fisherman in a kayak left when our band arrived.

He's fearless.
At least with fashion choices.

Dead lichen-covered trees lined the river channel.
Whether a natural cycle or signal of an environmental issue,
the trees are strikingly beautiful in demise.

Many treetops were loaded with pine cones.
Is this the reaction to a wet summer following dry?

The way back provided an opportunity to race geese.
They cheated, taking flight.

Relaxing after 9 miles of paddling.

Regardless of the catch,
there is joy to be had in fly fishing.

Even without vibrant color, mirrored sunsets are beautiful.

The beginning of an all-night rain put a damper on festivities.
Far fewer photos this evening.

After the soaking,
the clouds hung low over the lake.

Bacon, bacon,
in the skillet.
Soon the campers
fill their gullets.

A small side fire is stoked.
Very important that coffee water is readied,
regardless of posture.

The opposing cliffs looked down upon a loon,
50 feet off our shore.  He provided an hour of entertainment.
Unusual to see one in the same area for such a long time.

By noon it was apparent that the entire day would be damp.  Since the plan was to get up and out early the following day, it was decided to pack up and vamoose in the afternoon.  The bushwhack up the mountain would have to wait, since the wet underbrush would make it a miserable pursuit.

The decision to break camp made,
this guy was discovered high and dry under the tent fly.
Glad to be of service.

And off they go!
Wait a minute...is that a patch of blue?

[Editor's note:  There IS a road from the Cedar River Flow to Inlet.  There are things to be learned, even from the boorish.  Still wish we had "helped" him.]

You Could Be A WINNER !!!

Yes, you could be the winner of a beverage on the yet-to-exist camp deck with none other than yours truly (who will be, of course, truly yours!).  All you need do is to estimate the percentage of the camp and guest cottage that will be covered using only the currently existing siding!

Here is the full complement of siding, in the siding shack,
which was previously known as the kayak shack.
Most of the boards are about 12 feet long.
The dark stained boards are for the chimney chase.
Pine needles are for rustic effect.

The buildings in need of coverage.
Lots of glass, so much of the surface area is already accounted for.

Another image from months ago to help you in your calculations.
This view does not look all that different, even now.
Sigh.

Marc, our contractor, says that the size of the pile of wood siding is deceiving.  It goes much farther than one might think.  He also says that the surface area needing siding is larger on the guest cottage than the main house.  Will he need geometry remediation?  His determination is that the the siding shack contains 102% of the necessary siding.

You may know better.  Study the pictures and send your percentage to j.randy.fredlund@gmail.com, or leave a comment on this blog for the chance of a lifetime!  Win fabulous prizes!  Be the envy of all your friends!

Contest Rules

• Winner will be determined by means of an exacting process of measuring and calculation of coverage or a crude visual estimation. 
• Winner will receive a beverage on the yet-to-be created deck on a mutually acceptable date for both winner and owner.  Should a mutually acceptable date not be determined within one week of the announcement of the winner, an impartial panel of those involved in construction will be empowered to sit on said deck and share beverages while lamenting the absence of said winner.
• Winner will be notified by carrier loon, skywriting or email.
• Additional coverage details include: removal of the "doghouse" structure at the right of the first structure image above, and the siding pictured not being applied to the entrance alcove to the left side of that same wall.
• Winner is encouraged to bring additional beverages.  Additional beverages may influence selection of winner.
• Offer void during prohibition.
• Entry deadline is 212 days prior to April 1, 2018.

And should the weather not cooperate on the assigned day,
we'll retreat to here.

Growing An Onion

Houses are generally regarded as monolithic.  A single construction.  One big thing.  The whole enchilada, or cannoli, or pastie, depending on your ethnic or culinary persuasion.

But they're not.  Not even close.  A house is layer after layer of stuff that makes possible all those little things we like for our personal comfort.  Sticks and mud and lots of other materials coming together in a particular order to make a small section of what was once outdoors into a human nest.

I once saw a show where a house was built in a day.  Hundreds of people were on-site at dawn, buzzing around the place with incredible energy to create the dwelling before midnight.  

That's not what's happening at our place.  We've got 3 or 4 guys, and occasionally even 5 (Gasp!  So many!) working over a somewhat longer period of time.  But nothing lasts forever, right?  Please tell me that's true.

OK.  Progress is being made.  We really like our contractors, but we'd like to be having good feelings for them from a distance.  Or to be greeting them when they return to the site for the big completion bash.

Our son, David, designed the place.
If his intent was to make you feel like you are outside when inside,
he did a great job.

Mary is in the kitchen, which adjoins the great room.
Is there a reason for an outdoor kitchen?

The cabinets were constructed by my friend Bill, the "Woodbutcher."
Very nice indeed.
Bartlett Fine Carpentry, unsurpassed craftsmanship at a reasonable price!
Yes, I expect a referral bonus.

He also built this vanity.
For those of us with parents who ingrained the hand washing ethic,
it's really a bonus to do so in the same room.

Eric is installing another rotary air conditioner
while balancing on the precariously high step ladder.
Marc smiles below.
Guess which one is the boss.

A five-bladed rotary air conditioner in the guest house.
Unfortunately, use has not been very necessary during this cool and damp summer.
For our guests, peas will be provided should they wish to prove
royal roots by sleeping on the mattress stack.

We'll also provide plumbed-in flush toilets,
NO BUCKETS NECESSARY!
This is clearly a luxurious place.

Sconces light up the room.
However, my favorite evening pastime is turning all the lights out
sitting in one of the chairs,
and watching darkness settle over the lake.

Master bedroom looking pretty great.
Baseboard?  Who needs baseboard?
Note the high ceiling,
which is supported by photon recoil and air pressure.

Regardless of the schedule or the not-fully-anticipated costs, we are indeed fortunate to be creating this great place in a great setting.

Looking on, do you think the cedar waxwings approve?