Heading North "THE BLOG"

Post by **McQ** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 9:06 am

While you folks are concentrating on all the local activity I'll be up at Nemio to keep Boomer "the dog" company. Ron & Rosie are heading out to do the Pittsburg show and the next two weeks for me will be spent doing a bit of snowmobiling and drilling a few holes, internet poker of course, Nascar via satellite and monitoring the Bassmaster Classic.

Tough life EH!!!!!

I'll be online of course every day and should something exciting happen will post the news - I expect the local wolf pack will be doing a bit of their thing in the area and of course the foxes will be active as well as the bird life. The long range is calling for low temps in the -20s but no precip so should be an all together great trip.

Hope Ronnie's got enough wood stacked.

Post by **bradford2** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 9:51 am

Tough life for sure. If it gets too hard for ya I'll take over any time

Good luck and have fun!

Post by **Tomcat** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 1:44 pm

Keep your satellite phone with you at all times!!

Post by **Wallyboss** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 1:49 pm

Is there any traffic around the Gouin in the Winter time??? Except Sledders riding thru.

Post by **McQ** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 2:03 pm

I may see the odd Indian from the reserve but as Tomcat stated I'll have the satellite phone on my hip all the time.

Being alone, my only concern is some type of mishap that ends up in me facing a long walk back to the camp or hurting myself somehow - it's a 6 hour helo medi-vac to the nearest hospital.

Post by **Joisey Joe** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 10:30 pm

Hey, it's a tough job but someone's got to do it! Enjoy yourself, Joe.

Post by **Dan Smyth** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 8:06 am

Hey Bill,
Mark some good spots on the ice while you are there as I will be going up for a visit with Ron and Rosie mid March.
Don't mess up the new house either. If you fall down Boomer is big enough to carry you out.
Have fun and save some for me.

Post by **Dan Smyth** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:42 am

Bill,
Let me know what shape the road is in. It was real bad coming home after Labour Day weekend. Bounced the truck right into the ditch.
Girfriends truck, no damage luckily.

Post by **McQ** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 8:45 pm

Dan, I made the run in from Mt.St Michel in 3 1/2 hours the road is in great shape. Lots of trucks today - 2 hrs to Lunic but clear sailing after.

At least 10 degrees colder up here but Rosie's roast chicken dinner is sitting well.

Will test the ice on Monday - race weekend you know.

I'll spray paint the holes.

Post by **Dan Smyth** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 12:58 pm

Thanks Bill,
Hope it doesn't change to much in a month but who knows.
Enjoy your visit and be sure to say Hi to the hosts for me. Can't wait to get up there again.

Post by **McQ** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 9:52 am

Absolutley gorgeous today - crisp -20, clear skies and no wind. All the chores are done - replenished the wood pile so after llunch will drill a few holes in the bay fronting the lodge and see what's up or should I say down there.

Post by **wolfe** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 10:30 am

McQ,

Enjoy, enjoy....sounds like a fantastic opportunity to detox, destress and appreciate nature and leisure.

Can't wait to hear more about it.

W.

Post by **Dan Smyth** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 10:37 am

There are a lot of my jig heads and inline spinners down there if nothing else.
What are you baiting with this time of year up there?

Post by **McQ** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:01 am

Day 5 and it's another dandy - at least until later this afternoon when the snow hits. Yesterday's venture out to the bay was a disaster - I started walking hauling the sleigh behind me following the packed trail, stopped where I quessed the dropoff to be and sank to my knees in powder as soon as i stepped off the trail. This old lad just isn't in the kind of shape necessary to trudge through that kind of deal so I headed back to the cabin to figure out what I could do to solve that problem. Rosie had mentioned there was a pair of snowshoes in the toolshed so I went to find them. Sure enough a pair of 48" Hurons were up in the rafters. I'm going to modify the bindings to fit my boots this afternoon and hit the trail again tomorrow if the snow isn't blowing too hard.

This challenge is a result of a unanticipated problem with the sled - Ronnie had sent the machine down to the city for repairs - overheating, the dealer assured him the problem was solved and I brought it up with me on Friday, on the run in we didn't get 3Kms and it overheated, so back to the truck and Ronnie brought it back down with him on Sunday - so no transportation.

This presents a number of issues related to my security up here - there really is no way out for me now, I'm 25 Kms away from any assistance until they return next week and should I have any problems I've got to rely on my own skills to get through. Needless to say I won't be taking any risks.

There's lots of things to keep me busy and the immediate issue is to wheelbarrow wood up here from the woodshed seeing as to how the forecast is for 3 days of flurries but I'd really like to get out on the ice eventually.

Dan my bait of choice for walleye up here is a rocker minnow tipped with Berkley Alive 3" emerald shiners - I hope I can get to smack a few of them yet.

ps: Wish I would have had room for my camera in the kit so I could share the beauty of the area with you. It's absolutey pristine, everywhere you look it's glistening white making all the contrasts that much more intense.

Post by **Dan Smyth** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:11 am

All I can say is "BE CAREFUL". I know how isolated it is with transportation let alone being stuck with none. Good luck with the fishing and keep communicating so we know you are alright.