Left home late and checked in at Voyaguer hotel in I Falls.  great place with reasonable rates....$52/night (off season now).  Bkfst at sandy's.  Went shopping for food and clothing next.  Didn't cross border 'till 10 AM as I was in no rush and have 7 days until I need to be back at work.  Decided that this trip is travel at my lesieure...no rushing it.  Even gave thought to just shacking up in Atikokan for the week and taking pics and day paddling local lakes.  At Flander's rd, i decided to bag it and head to Atikokan for lunch and a full gas tank I had forgotten to take care of.  Then back to Flander's.

I was quite worried that the road would be a maze of logging trail.  Don't worry.  Road is very easy to follow, but not well signed.  Only two major off-shoots that could confuse you if you were not paying attention.  All other side roads were clearly trails.  I learned quickly that traffic on this road is coming around the corner, full throttle, possibly in your lane to boot!  Couple of close calls 'till I slowed down to avoid them.

Mileage...
#11 to Beaverhouse/Quetico turnoff...10 mi.
#11 to Lady Rapids bridge over the Namakan...32.6 mi.
#11 to LLC village...about 47.5 mi.
#11 to end of rd LLC ranger station...about 49 mi.

all of it dry, dusty, WELL groomed clay/gravel.  No potholes here at all.

This greets you at mile 10 (Beaverhouse spur)
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Headed into village.  Bridge over Namakan just downstream of village.
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Looking downstream from bridge towards Snake Falls...it's beyond the close rapids...down at the corner in the pic.
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Looking upstream towards LLC from the bridge
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They weren't expecting me.  Ottertail's place looked abandoned or closed. Stopped at tribal office to ask a few questions, no one around.  Decided to drive on to ranger station at end of road as there clearly is NO secure parking here in the village.  At the N end of village at the health clinic, you make a left and go a mile.

Ah, here is the secure parking at the ranger station overloooking LLC.  Problem is...the natives stop staffing it before colors turn....about mid sept they lock her up.
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Back of ranger station looking out over lake.
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Now I was somewhat worried.  There is clearly no place to park my rig that would satisfy my security requirements.

Looking forward to you fleshing out the details of your close encounters in your Man Card style
Don't know if your knew it or not, but last time I talked with Q-Dave, that was his full time gig, summer/winter, working as the road grader driver from Hwy-11 down the the LLC Village limits.
He had mentioned that when traveling this road that drivers would be well advised to stay as far to right as they can becasue the trucks hauling lumber/etc get paid by the load and use as much of the road as they can to drive as fast as they can
He used to monitor his CB when he took me to Beaverhouse and said that when it was hot and dry to look for the dust clouds ahead and get over and maybe even stop when spotted. Cold wet weather you better stay alert

" Looking forward to you fleshing out the details of your close encounters in your Man Card style "

I'm guessing that he already gave us a clue - that poiple lake boat that has dreams of being a river runner - what is it anyway - looks like a vagabond, maybe or a prism?

A big mistake....

Headed off down Wesa to fine weather.  At far east end of the lake there is a large beaver dam.  And it's higher than water level...grass growing on it, no visible water trickling through.  Only inches of non-moving water on the downstream side.  If you check your maps or Google Earth, it's about another 1.5 mi to the Namakan from here.  Although I knew water was low, I didn't stop to consider the implications.  My McKenzie's and Google maps both show plenty of water.  I lie to myself and decide that with each stroke closer to the river, I'll find deeper and deeper water.

Off I head, paddling muck and mud...only half floating.  I stubbornly spend the next two hours scooting, shoveling my way about 1/2 mile out into the drying swamp.  I finally can go no more.  Figure I'm still about 3/4 mi from the Namakan, and at least 1/4 mi from any resemblance of shoreline.  Mud wells up around my craft like wet cement.  Cell phone shows no signal.

Problem.  It's 1 PM, hot, I'm completely out of drinking water (foolishly told myself I only need 1 bottle as I'd soon be at the Namakan).  After about 10 minutes of pondering, I really only have 1 choice.  I have no expectation of seeing someone, I'm out of water, no one will be looking for me for another 6 days.  I have to get partially out or out of boat.  I can't touch bottom with the paddle.  So getting completly out is a no go.  I try laying on the gunwale, 1 leg up to high thigh in mud, 1 leg/knee in boat next to seat.  I find I can kick my leg hard through muck and move the boat 2-3 feet/kick.

I decide to aim for the closest shoreline...5 ft reeds about 1/4 mi away.  Can only hope the ground is more stable there with the lower water.  I'm just kicking myself for the summation of stupid deccisions I've made so far.I lost a hold on the boat for a second, my other leg was almost over the gunwale and I was sinking fast in muck....lurching, I regained the canoe by my fingertips and managed to keep my ankle inside.  It took about another minute to get my legs back out of the muck and stop myself from sinking further.  I truely thought that was the end!

Well after about another 1-2 hours I reached the shore, gear, me, boat all coated n thick cement like mud/gravy.  I had to get some calories,  Choked on cookies..I was too dry, Couldn't swallow, ripped open several containers of applesauce, and opened up pancake syrup and drank from bottle.  After about 30 minutes I could stand and my current triple vision had returned to normal again.

Spent the next 3 hours triple tripping along the N shore down to the river.  The creek was bone dry the closer I got to the Namakan.  I walked the muck along the N shore of creek.  Drank myself silly and ate some sandwich's.   Setup tent on beach in some muck as I was too tired and dark descending.  I was really quite shaken and decided the trip was too much for this aging, tubby guy.  In the AM, I'd probably paddle upstream to the village and hike back to my rig on Wesa.  I went to bed with a massive headache, and still hadn't urinated for hours.....I truley felt like a "wannabe" in a country that doesn't give a rip and plays for keeps.

...later