Florida - With a twist!

Just thinking of my Winter trip of 2006 and it seems like it was forever ago, but
then again, sometimes it seems like it was just the other day.
This year I took less notes than others, so my apologies for not being able to
include events to their date and or their correct timing.
One of the things you really learn when you've taken a few of these trips in the
past is that it is not merely the goings ons that really matter to the trip,
it is the beginning and its end that and the things of more importance
like the times you spend with friends and such.

As it happens though I did happen to take a mental picture of the beginning days
of our journey into Florida Lake as well as its ending so there some good of my
writing this, even only if my Mom reads it.
For she always enjoys listening to my tales and here, I can put some of them in writing to maybe further
explain a quick referance that someone would know of had they been there at the time.

Florida Lake is a place where we've been close to the year before, but in the
records of last year, this was the place we were not supposed to be at that time.

Last year we had our goal set as Nitro Creek the small creek about 3 miles
Southeast of us.
Thankfully , in your mental picture of directions, North
is always considered the top of your map, so believe that Nitro was down and
right of the center page which would be our new year's destination although
Nitro Creek has some play in our new year's journey as you will well see.

As things go , Rick our driver and Bill our next pickup as well as myself, made
our trip up to our starting point in Sudbury and where we would meet up with the lead dog Sid and his lovely wife Janet amongst the others.
The trip was wintry, blowing snow all around the highway and we were to meet up with Cliff at
about our halfway point in the trip and pickup him and see how things would fair for the rest of the day.

The storm blew hard and the radio squawked of road closings ahead, so we made for
a call to Cliff early to see if we should alter our paths and figure out what
to do from there.
He said all was well to the South of him and since we
were still to the South, we should make way up to his place from another route, bypassing the main routes altogether.
As luck would have it , we made
quick time on the bypass and from Cliff's home North it seemed like there was
no route that would take us North without some degree of difficulty.
Cliff's our local hero though,

We made a few jaunts here and there and before long we continued our trip onward
and northward.
Suffice to say we made it although at some times it felt
like white knuckle driving and a short delay with route traffic and a car fire and such.

Since we've done this before the night ends with warm welcomes from old friends
and all telling jokes and a cosy nights rest for tomorrow the real journey
begins!

This is the beginning of the trip, it usually starts with everyone up in the early
AM, getting their things put away and prepared for the main trip.
We've planned a few of these trips prior so it seems you must forgive me this year, for
not including those little details and things we indistinctly do now.
Everyone scrambles for last minute packing's, a few bites of breakfast or
that last stand on a potty to take care of business the human way ( because
some may say taking that business in the middle of winter is crazy! , wink wink!)

This trip is like no other trip were used to, it starts with a pile of people ( 25
if memory serves me.
.
.
) who will all start this journey instead
of the few who always found it to be the best part of the journey to make
routes for the late comers.
Anyway, this trip has plenty of newcomers who
all wished to come in with or as the first group.
It will come to pass that more is not always better and that time takes its toll
on us before we have all made our homes for the duration of our stay in Florida Lake.

The train is late today .
Its a bitter cold out since the night before and
with that the Budd car train is having difficulty making its normal timely route.
It is some time before it arrives but with all things considered we
are happy to be on her once again to ride to our new place of fun! Same old
friends we have met before are still there, Jim the conductor and Donny the engineer.
No mistakes are made to our drop off point, the mark has been set
previously and today all eyes are on the mark and there's no discussions to make them wander.

Mile marker 17, that's it! All STOP! we are here and in the lost motion from the
train stopping there is a great bustle of people and sleds and gear in and
around the exits of the train.
All gear is quickly removed from the train
( maybe in as little as 7-8 minutes ) and they call out to carry on to their
destination and waves are shared amongst the train folks and those of us who
know them to be friends .
( of a journey's nature.
.
.
.
.
)
Plans are that most of the newcomers will have to make well on their own for the
fist part of the trip in to our destination.
There is about a 1 km walking before the first challenge which will take a group effort to make it the
remainder of the way.
For now, we will just call it, The Hill.
The first people on the move take little gear, this was meant to happen like so , so
that a trail was packed down and formed for the remainder to follow.
Those in the group who are here for the first time of those that brought children
or what have you.
As per normal there one man who brought two sleds to
carry, Scouter Joe .
I think I've mentioned him before.
He's the kind of fellow that you would have sworn to be a lumberjack in his past life or a
Clint Eastwood of the north.
I seemed to be trailing him with his one sled so I took up the rear to him and helped push through the trail.
That could be a mistake although I hoped it was to his benefit to give him a hand to
get his gear through stage one of our trip in.
You see, when you help him you then feel that he can go not only further, but also a little faster than
he was going before and for me.
.
.
.
.
well let's say that I'm neither a faster or further kinda person.
I seem to take as long as it takes me to get there and sort of as a steady pace which usually works out well
with others since I seem to catch up on them as they take a rest and break
from pushing hard and faster than my own pace.
They've never complained, so I hope that it is not a burden of my
design that Iam who I am and I just go as best i can without burning myself up too hastily.
After all we have just started our journey and we wouldn't want to
be too hasty, now would we?


A little back tracking now since I've begun our trip which is not to say all of us are on the same page.
Rick , our beloved transporter has decided on another journey.
He's decided that he'd like to stop at Nitro Creek and push the bush
around to our new location which will take him at least 2 days as he figures,
of course, depending on the land and his going.
He's got all the tools
he'll need for he came alone, all packed for one and his sled holds his
minimal belongings.
He's the lightweight tripper, all things ( or so it
seems.
.
) are weighed carefully and taken to the last gram that the
equipment is little more than a tarp and essential gear needed to have a
complete calorie intake enough to keep him fit and sheltered for the 2 days
he'll be gone not to mention the entire trip if he so chooses to do so or
should weather choose him to stay longer.
It is his trip and I'll leave
enough alone for him to complete this part of his journey.

Alas, we are back to our trip.
The first stage has ended and the second is yet to begin.
The lead group of trail packers have made the trip complete
to "the Hill" and we are all heading back to get our gear and things we will
need to take us to our camp and set us up for the week.
As we're passing back the trail we come onto the group of folks heading in.
Tony, Cliff amongst the others have now passed us and in short conversation the
trail is marked ahead on "the Hill" from before ( a time I didn't speak of,
well before this trip began ) so they will take up the lead position and carry
on through the marked trail and onto our main destination.

It was some time before I made it back to the beginning of "the Hill" but I did
make it just in time to reach my friends and carry through and
up at my usual pace.
It seems like a traffic jam.
The Hill is making the ascending a little difficult, after all, our things are packed to the hilt, full of things like food that would melt on the tongue of anyone who hungers and drink that would sure to please the parched and those who wish to be merry.
The Hill is making all suffer and newcomers are experiencing what is is like to push on rather than follow a trail.
Since the jam is heavy this is the time we spend making sure everyone gets up the hill.
It's not a time to account for ones own belongings but also to carry the packs and things ( sometimes burdens ) of others to ensure that they too have a fighting chance to make our destination on this day and that shelter and food will be with them today.
As we mosey along, we had taken many sleds up the hill as well as the sled of Tony CC .
He went forward with Cliff to make a path and trail right to Florida Lake and in doing so there must have been some disorientation to his path for he fell in the water.
Fell in the Water?! Yes, luckily for Tony, Cliff was right there to offer some assistance and to his own ability Tony was able to free himself from his clutch of snowshoes in the icy waters of the creek bed.
It must have been both terrifying and anxious moments to overcome the battle and return to the safety of land and beaver dam.
As they returned back from the path luck would have it that we had just hauled up Tony's sled and belongings to the upper portion of the hill where we sort of corralled the sleds so owners could come and claim them.
All things were still okay, Tony was okay and the fact he had worn Wool pants also made him warm when he continued to work and push his sled through .
Had he stopped for too long, I would guess that he would be in need of an immediate change to dry clothes.
Tony was also one of the first-in fathers who had also brought his daughter along so good things came of that day experiences can be written and moments remembered from that day forward.
This day is quick in Winter and today is no exception ; with our late drop off and the bustle around "the Hill" , we are soon too long in the day to be set for the the night since we haven't setup camp yet let alone made it to our camping place.
One good thing was our sport was already picked and Scouter Joe ( remember Clint?.
.
.
.
wink, wink ) has begun to work with a whirrr of a chainsaw hear ahead.
It is a glad moment to hear such sounds when for most of the day you've felt sweat on your back and your heartbeat is pulsing with the sound of a drum.
Your body takes it's toll especially when you need to bring three sleds to camp and again , they are still full.
Poles have been precut for us and although we make time to make our camp sufficient for the night, time has passed for any breath or strength of any other to set their own individual camp sites as planned and we pair up together, set the toilets aside for no one will complain about filling their tummy's with a warm and quick meal.
Mark(1) is one of those helpful people that took many trips in to the camp spot and so he will bunk with us for the night and those who would have bunked with him have also found suitable rest spots for the night.
Let get back to the chili! yes, chili with chicken instead of a heavy meat, pre-cooked, just heat and serve with bagelettes ( baguettes for the rest of us.
.
.
wink, wink ) The art of meal preparation is essential to having a good time and today of all days is not really the time to play chef of a grand full course meal, it is more the time to nourish yourself and rekindle the reasons why you would do this to yourself voluntarily.
( It still seems to take those by surprise when you mention your going winter camping and how you plan to do so.
) (1.
Mark is another Binglish word for Dave, since it was Dave who was really with us but poor Billy, our trusted tongue twister er has decided or thought that he should be called Mark) This is a new morning and like the end of the last evening, food was eaten, drinks were served and merriment was had by those who wished it and the same goes for the next days.
Morning does start with a competition, something we call the Bladder Off .
It is the moment when the earliest riser ( daylight hours, of course ) must also assume the chore of warming his fellow bunkies by starting the fire so others can feel the warmth of the tent and rise to take care of business of the day.
It's a mutual respect to do so for your fellow friends and it's just assumed in our Smokey Lounge Bar and Grill and the tent mates who share it.
This day will be called moving day and any and all seem to be puttering about in the camps to ensure things are unpacked, reset and leveled as best as possible since this is where we will be staying for our duration.
As things are set , we find that we are close to water since the creek is open just 10 meters ( 30 feet ) or so from our door step ( remember Tony?) and dry wood is at the plenty nearby.
Scouter Joe and his tent is our closest neighbour and it is always fun to peer in and see how things are set in others tents.
Visits are made, breakfast is hearty in our tent and chores are also done without hesitation.
With a group of so plenty ( remember about 25 ) we will need to rest stops for the bathroom and plenty of wood for the hot tents.
There is one time in this trip that seems to best to be told .
It was one of the days that a group of us decided to go fishing to a nearby lake.
The trip would take at least 2 hours of travel to get there and the terrain will be full of slopes, car-washes and tight weaves amongst the trees.
It was a cold day and although the chill is in the air, we are all full dripping with sweat and moisture .
A car-wash on the bush is the likely event which you stir the trees which are holding back a great nights snowfall and when a passerby shakes the tree and the snow comes barreling down from trying to squeeze through the small path made.
It seems all of us have been touched by falling snow .
There is plenty around and sometimes only one if affected by the tremor and sometimes all are who are in the thick of it.
Alas, we make for where our plans to fish are, completely drenched inside and out so a fire is made and , of course, snacks are shared amongst all as well as a wee nip to warm your insides.
Fishing was sort of the second part of the plan, but , it quickly became the part of least concern due to the lack of catching any.
Not a bite , not even a nibble.
During our time there we warm ourselves about the fire and meat with others who also take our trail later in the day and carry on about their own fun just hiking and exploring new land amongst them.
The better part of this story is when it comes time to douse the fire and set for home again.
Knowing that the day has already passed quite some time and now the snow is falling in heavy wet clumps.
Soon we will realize that we are in for something we hadn't had before with the travel through a different route made by Tony and his daughter.
It will get us back to camp and we are there for the adventure as well, so why not take the opportunity to try something else.
Life would be boring if we did the same thing everyday of our lives.
This was a heavy snowfall and to describe it would be to say we were constantly wetted by the falling snow and the winds picked up to the point that the snow and wind together was blocking our ability to see any further than the foot or shoe in front of us.
All of these trails are still light packed and the need for snowshoes is still a must even now.
As we descended the other hillside and past the trees it was apparent that we will not have time to rest or stop for our path is completely white.
It is so heavy that rather than look outward you can only look down.
A mistake was made when we ventured out at the beginning of the morning that I forgot my toque and only had a hat which in the normal day conditions resulted in no problem , but now the sweat has turned to ice and my ears are too exposed to the wind and giving me an ear ache.
Cliff, one of our fellow trippers stayed behind with me and he offered up his toque since he still had some head coverage and he claimed he would be fine.
I gladly took the refuge of his offer and my ears thanked me by the new found warmth.
It was tough to go and not far ahead Sid and Bill had trudged on a little bolder and faster than us two.
Stop quick! Wow, it does not seem like much but at the end of the trail we were on there was a sharp cut to the Left and ahead was only down.
It wasn't far, maybe 10 meters ( 30 feet ) but this wasn't the time to go exploring more than we could handle, this was the time to seek our shelters of the tents and warm our bodies.
For soon we will feel the chill of the heavy snow and its fierce winds right through us not to mention our own soaked selves from the internal rain storm of sealed tight clothing.
It was good we seen the jaunt and before long since the new snow and wind pretty well overtook our path homeward a quick glance up showed us we were back at camp, well at Tony's home for his time here.
It is a welcome relief to see something your familiar with for you know then that it won't be long for the change of clothes and someone always with a pot of hot water a quick tea and some warm space to get that nip out of you.
The hot tent is and will always be your second covering.
A coat if you will, since the group is well tuned together Scouter Joe's tent expected us to return with the sight of oncoming foul weather and in doing so they prepared for us to need a spot to dry out and regain our strength.
I know that it isn't something that they'd do for just one group or person but really it is something you'd do for any and all that can fit into a hot tent.
I guess size matters when you consider the space you will need, but it also matters on how many of you are going and that might need a warming station and at really any time of day or night.
It is quite a comforting feeling traveling with companions that are so in tune and it comes at great rewards to enjoy meals, adventures and what ever happens as the time together passes.
Days come and nights go and soon the day has come when we need to pack up and get out in time to greet the train that will take us home.
It was a great time I had and I'm sure the same for all in their own ways.
People leave early and some even come in later and with the train as our central hub we announce arrivals and departures to keep them informed .
I love it, communication the old fashioned way, just talking with folks who you've not know or even met before but can't quite remember their names.
They are there to enjoy it too.
Today, like no other there's little worry about what's to eat than really what do you have to still pack out.
You hoep that you planned the right amount of snacks, meals and extra's that it won't be as heavy on the way out as on the way in .
You also hope that you are rested from the Day 1 adventures of hauling such great loads and will have "no problems" getting back to the side of the rails when the Budd has left you.
It has come part of tradition that when we finally get out to the tracks that I make the final breakfast and typically that's Taters, cheese taters to be more precise but in my goings, I failed to pack my pan and ample fuel to cook this meal.
Lucky for me , Cliff rescues my ill attempt and I'm able to make a little snack to tide us through for a little while.
It become a little while longer and even longer than that when we wait for the train to arrive.
Soon the day is almost past and the sun is set and in the distance there looks to be a slow moving freighter coming our way.
Freighter trains pass by and use these tracks too so it is not oncommon that one would be either coming or going' it the perfect time to place a penny or dime down along the rail and have it squished since we know that a coin would not derail the train so massive and heavy .
(wink, wink ) Alas! it is the Budd car and she's limping home.
In the beginning we went to our great hideaway at Florida lake she had brake troubles and there was some time delay that first morning and today she's apart , not in two sections as we normally see but just one behind the huge towing train in front.
Much to our surprize its not the portion we had expected to see especially with so many sleds and much needed cargo space but instead it was the passenger portion with a little cargo space that only a few sleds would soon fill.
And so as things go you make do, sleds are put on top of the passenger seats since there are not many that are in the train besides us and the main corridor is left open to allow people to move somewhat freely about.
Since time has passed and its been some time since we've drunken and eaten, now once again in the comfort of the passenger section the bar has been opend by the Deep Freeze crew and snacks are handed out freely for those who are looking to share and accepted quickly by those who just need a snack to tide them over till we reach our home spot of Sudbury.
There is still soem beer and thanks to the bar cart area being so stocked, their are some Timmy's cups to share it.
Its been a long night and we are glad that we finally get dropped off at the Service Depot instead of the station for the Budd Car need some TLC to keep her going .
She's got more adventures to bring along up the line and some adventurer's to pickup some days ahead .
We finally get to Sids with a welcome bowl of Chilli from Janet and make quick make it home from another Adventure full of memories, laughter and mishaps but tales to be told around the great campfires of our other seasons and the passion of camping , canoeing and being with freinds.
to tell our stories and eat so we too make it to our homes with a long drive still ahead of us.
As time travels on the new day brings light soon after I

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