For me, the first trip is the hardest. The sun was shining, it was nice and quiet sitting at the picnic table, and there were plenty of chores to do. I would have to get the canoe ready, find all of my gear, get the canoe on the truck, etc. Would it be so wrong to just sit for another couple of hours with a book and a cup of coffee?
Somehow, the scales tipped in favor of a brief paddle on the Manitowish. I parked my bike in downtown Boulder Junction, and drove back up to Fishtrap Dam to put in. This is a very nice "beginner's paddle". Wildlife sightings included a bald eagle, lots of redhorse running the river, and more turtles than I ever remember. You could see their heads sticking out of the water like little thumbs, only to disappear as you approached. Every log was covered with turtles.
Except for the occasional sound of a motorcycle or a truck backup signal, there are plenty of moments of northwoods quiet. I haven't begun my education in identifying birds yet, but I closed my eyes and just listened to all of the separate bird sounds I could hear. I hope that in the next few months, I will be able to pick them out when I listen to a bird identification CD.
Growing up in Boulder Junction, I spent many a day hanging out on the banks of Little Rice lake. It took a bit to match my memory to the contours of the lake. There are a few new houses, but they are actually set in pretty well, so most of the lake has a fairly undeveloped look. On the whole, it is the same lake I remember. High banks on one side, tamarack/spruce bogs on the other, where the Manitowish touches.
I actually don't know how a boat would get in and out of the boat landing-the channel between the landing and the lake is only a little more than two feet wide in places, and I had to push my Solo Plus through. I walked to my bike, and peddled the relatively flat run back to the put-in at Fishtrap dam.
After that trial run, my bike and canoe trips can begin in earnest!
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