Day 15, 10/1, champlain pp to killarney pp, miles so far: 1200, page 122 of L&C,

Day 15, 10/1, champlain pp to killarney pp, miles so far: 1200, page 122 of L&C, page 2 MOTM

Great night's sleep last night on my (erde's) new mattress.  Required only 9 hours sleep instead of 10.  As is typical of a night's sleep on the road in a tent, lots of really intense dreams.  Long forgotten characters from my distant past showing up in different capacities but their same personalities. Must be the fresh air that causes this.

Up at 0630 this morning.  50 degrees.  When day broke, splendid day...blue sky, mid-60s high.  Took my time closing up camp and got on the road at 11:30.  Decided to cut off rt. 17 at verner and take a back country road (64) to killarney.  What a brilliant decision.  The scenery never got  boring. Twisting and turning country road with lots of rolling hills, farms everywhere, virtually no cars, all amidst a display of autumn that would rival anything i've seen.  Stopped at 1330 for a dog break at a pleasant pinic stop, and later at the only community over the hour drive, Noelville, where i picked up a cup if coffee for me and some on-the-road frosty paws (ice cream) for my partners.  As long as i call it frosty paws, they could not care what it really is.

The road into killarney provincial park is empty of bulidings, cars, and people, but not beauty.  One hour of following a gray ribbon through a tunnel of various green, crimson, scarlet, orange, brown, accompanied frequently  by some white flowers.  Beautiful.  Arrived at the entrance to the camp at 1605 and checked in for my reservation at site D-90, which happens to be my vehicle type, Defender 90.  This is probably the 4th best site in the camp, in an isolated area of the camp in a radio free zone. Sites 88, 89 and 87, in that order are absolutely spectacular, but always reserved early for that reason.

Since the curious among my readers (both of you) may wonder what i do with all my free time on the road, i thought i would explain what i do when i get to a campsite so you know.  In a future blog, i will address the morning routine.   So here's what went on tonight, a typical evening on the road.

Index to codes: (TD)= treat dogs

1605- arrived at gatehouse to camp, signed in, bought firewood

1626- arrived at remote site D-90

1629-take dogs for a walk to get to know their new territory and read their p-mail

1644-return to campsite, survey site for best location for tent, defender, picnic tables, rearrange tables...(TD)

1655-set up tent...(T

1728-inflate air mattress...(TD)

1734-set up bedroom...(TD)

1739-assemble leben's CATV...(TD)

1748-set up study...(TD)

1755-prepare dogs dinner (vennison and potato kibbles with 1/2 can salmon)

1802-set up kitchen

1812-feed dogs 

1814-prepare my dinner...(TD)

1825-dinner (v8 juice, fresh greens and veggie medley salad, rice with some of dogs' salmon)

1835- dessert (usually, 1/2 fig newton with dogs sharing the other half)...(TD)

1838-clean up after dinner...(TD)

1840-look for erde, who seems to have gone missing, typical  of her...(TD)

1846-finish cleaning...(TD)

1850- put away kitchen away from bears (treats and pipe tabacco included)

1855- batten down Defender for night, try to make bearproof, batten down leben's catv

1900-prepare fire

1905-take dogs for 5th and last walk for day, put on their blinking lights

1914-return to campsite, brush teeth

1919-light fire

1922- treat leben

1925-final batten down of camp and defender for night

1929-put in final stakes for tent, initial batten down of tent for night

1932-in tent study, e.g., office

1933-plan next day

1954-write in journal

2015-this blog

Still to come....

Read, final close down of tent for night, prepare for bed, taps (2130 estimate)

In short, from the time i arrive at a site until taps, it is continuous motion, and the same in the morning.  I will not get a chance to relax until i get home