I always like to wake up to the fragrance of bacon frying for breakfast.    Just joking!!!  As soon as it's light out, I'm the first one up, make the fire and brew the first pot of coffee.  Nothing like watching the sun come up, relaxing by the lake shore, drinking hot coffee on a cool, sunny morning.

starwatcher

We all need to vent a little. For me, part of sitting by the edge of the lake alone is venting.

When I was a kid I heard a story, said to be an Indian tale. About the fox and the fleas. When the fleas got bad, the fox picked up a stick. Then the fox waded into a shallow stream. The fleas on the fox's legs ran up to the torso. Then the fox sat down. And the fleas toward the fox's rump hied to the head. Gradually, the fox submerged and the only dry spot left was the stick. And the fleas went to the stick. Then the fox let the stick float down the stream.

When I'm alone on the bank of the lake, I can let my fleas float away.

Tim
s

I'm glad you are back, Tim.  I have missed you.   

Fishpig---I here what ya saying--we do seem to be alot more rushed these days and with the internet, cell phones, now satellite phones it is harder to get disconnected and just be relaxed with only your own thoughts. Heck I resisted a cell phone completely until a couple of years ago for just that reason.

But we all go up to canoe country for different reasons and goals and different responsibilities. For me my most memorable trip was last year when my wife and I spent 8 days/7 nights in Quetico. We ended up moving every single day, first time we had to make camp on 7 separate lakes. Wasn't what we had planned, but the trip sort of evolved into that and like I said it was our best trip yet (of course I seem to say that after every trip   ) To some that may not sound like a relaxing trip, but I can assure I have never been so refreshed after a trip.

For us having some physical challenges are part of what makes a trip rewarding. As soon as I hit the first long portage the rest of the world and worries melt away--my only goal in life at that moment is "making it across this portage" . In my daily world I don't have this luxury. I always have to multi-task, juggle projects and be thinking ahead, when a task is completed there is no time bask in the glory of a job well done--it is on to the next task. Don't get me wrong--I like my job--but getting up north and spending even a a couple days of just having 3 basic  tasks I normally take for granted---"what am I going to eat", "where am I going to sleep", and "where am I going to go today" is quite liberating whether it is 3 days or 3 weeks.

I am not knocking your trip style--but laying in a hammock all day is not relaxing to me. I just don't enjoy it--sounds like a back ache to me. My body feels better when it is moving--- I like physical activity, paddling, portaging, fishing, hiking up a cliff and enjoying a view of the entire lake while eating lunch, searching for Pictographs etc... are what relaxes me. I'll take a nap or swim when I want but the laying around part is a very small part of a trip fun for me.

I am probably not verbalizing this well, but we don't really know what someone is thinking when they post "I have 3 days, where can I get to away form the crowds" maybe that is exactly what they need in their in life, maybe not.....

We are all different, there are many ways to enjoy life, trips---one way is not better than another, they are just different. I understand you were not trying to say that one way is better than another--I am just playing devils advocate and offering an alternative view. For the most part I agree with your basic point.


Tim

It takes me at least three days to de-compress as well.  I think this has been discussed previously and was agreed upon by the regulars to the wild.   After three days... the world drops away, except for the woods that is.