In my default position I'm not the gregarious sort. I need to change my entire mindset before I go out and be sociable in everyday life so for vacation driving 12 hours and paying $15.00 a night compared to per trip to minimize accidental human interaction is worth it to me. If it makes sense I'll wait to portage until a group has finished or literally jog while returning for the next load if I hear one coming.

My first solo campsites were not campsites unless they were only one on the lake. That's not practical over all so these day I try to pick my poison. My most memorable encounters with people were:

-Two years of 15+ people trips. I'm still amazed we were able to spread out like we did.

-Waiting in line to get to a portage and getting passed by a group of scouts who it turns out were the other half of the group that caused the line to form to begin with.

-Deliberately paddling past a campsite to show it to a kid who's mother always talked about it.

-The woman who wanted to chat for 15 minutes as they fished. The fishing part was fine. I just didn't feel like yelling to have a conversation at the time. Next morning they were out there again and this time she was singing.

-The couple on a corner I needed to take. I was 50~100 yards out when I realized (heard) it was devotion time. I was committed by that time so I just pretended not to notice them and kept as much distance as reasonable.

-The guy who paddled his wife between me and the shore I was drifting into repeatedly while casting a jig. There was absolutely no reason for them to do that. I still take that one personally.

That's 30 year's worth so it's not a big deal. If you choose certain sites or paddle shorelines on occasion it happens but I doubt you could get me to stop and chat unless we planned to meet there or someone expressed a NEED for specific help.

Don't get me wrong, I've had some pleasurable portage encounters over the years too but I've had just as satisfying encounters in the checkout line at the store. Boredom and frustration brings out the best in people sometimes. I'm just so rarely bored up there.

Not too long ago I stopped to take a pic and decided to have lunch at a campsite. I didn't get out ... raining. As I rounded the point the occupants and I scared the crap out of each other. That was smile and wave worthy in my book. I've also camped near a portage and had people land and unload at MY site. When questioned, the portage turned out to be a couple hundred yards away. It seemed obvious to me but they were just kids having too much fun to notice much else.

If I see a guitar go by all bets are off.