[JIMBOREE, Part Two]

While MP & his brother warmed up in their bags, we finally stabilized the wet, smoky fire enough to sit around it & chat.  Our faces & fronts were warm & wet; our behinds were dry & chilled.  QP livened things up by pulling out a laminated map of the Chub Pond, ostensibly to discuss "approaches" to the Chub Pond.  HOWEVER his laminated map contained some strange verses on the reverse side. I think he called it Bushwhacker Balladeering & Voyageur Rap by some strange, demented artist.  I found myself coaxed into impromptu renditions of the same, cadenced to the tune of the pounding raindrops.  Ah, the ambience!!

Eventually MagicPaddler & his brother made it over to our pitiful fire.  We had been concerned that he & his brother were verging on hypothermia.  Ben & I had thought WE had gone through some tough places.  I don't even want to think about what THEY must have gone through.  EVERYTHING they had seemed soaked!  Anyway, I'm afraid the fire didn't provide them all that much warmth.  

Warmer, however, was the Rendezvous comraderie around those miserable flames.

Gifts were exchanged, modern-day Voyageur style.  MP presented ME with a very large, flat decorative "pink flamingo"!  Ideas about approaches to Stumpy's Pond were discussed.  The wisdom (or lack thereof) of approaching Stumpy's Pond was discussed.  We figured Stumpy & Rangeline were already in there.  Those wet cliffs looked fairly intimidating.  Jokes & stories were told.  Camping & canoeing equipment was compared.  Wet, bedraggled faces could now be put on Internet "handles" (id's).  You really couldn't see all that much more than faces... raincoats, ponchos, & weather gear covered it all up.

I think those sour conditions made our "Jimboree" all that much sweeter, though.

I was the first up & about that next morning after another long soaking night of rain.  It was strangely bright with alien sunshine, however, & I flung the tarp flap back to reap some of the welcomed, gorgeous dawn as the coffee water boiled.  Intrepid Camper rousted next & came over to join me for a cup as we contemplated the utter change to the Quetico world about us.  What an impressive lady!  She lives on an island near the BWCA & needs to paddle her way on & off it to get around in soft-water season!  We spread clothing out on the rocks to dry in the sun & freshening breeze.

As others walked up the rock to our tarp, we chatted about the day.

It was then that I told them all that MY "vision for the day" no longer included "Jamboree".  It felt very strange to say that, especially after a couple long years of talking about it.  Nevertheless, sometimes you take what the Park gives you.  THAT day, after a few days of rough travel through Cutty Creek, the soaking rain, my threatening psiatica, and the thought of what might lie ahead, well... I easily conjured up OTHER, safer, more pleasurable thoughts of what that day & our vacation could become.

Disappointing??  Yes, mildly.  Nevertheless, other than meeting with Stumpy's party & others that MIGHT make it into the Pond, we had already seen a lot, done a lot.  Staying healthy, we would have the chance to do MORE.  So, ultimately, the "choice" didn't pass my "Risks versus Rewards" analysis (ie. I wimped out).