Tales from the Log of the Katie Bug
NOTE: The Katie Bug is a 13' plywood S&G canoe I built for Katie and me. As I age out of it, she ages into it.
Link for piccies http://jwpifer.myphotoalbum.com
Saturday, 10 May 08: A bit of a late start - departed home at 14:10. Katie (my 7 year old Granddaughter, Kayla Duby) and I arrived at Bud Hart's cottage a mile south of Frederic at 17:00. Bud Hart, Jim Pifer, Toby Nipper (White Caps), Gerry Morin (Bear's Buddy), Katie, and me. We'll be joined Tuesday by Charlie Parmelee and Doug McDougal.
Bud's cottage is about 7 miles north of Grayling on the upper Au Sable, a pleasant trout stream about 1'-2' deep, 20' wide, and filled with rocks and fish. Water is cold and clear, bottom is sand and gravel. Just what a river should be.
We all went out to dinner in Frederic, sat around and talked some afterwards, and went to bed to prepare for the trip. The upstairs is a bunkhouse.
Sunday 11 May 08: Everybody woke up at 06:30. So, we got up, had some coffee & tea, and loaded up. We gathered at Grayling Restaurant for a hearty breakfast. We were joined by Tom and Nancy Brooks. Tom does the vehicle shuttle, and he and Nancy are personal friends.
A half mile drive to Penrod's canoe Livery to unload the cars and load the boats. Jim Humes at Penrod's is very gracious and lets us launch every year. His dock facilities are very neat and clean, and easy to load and launch from. We buy souvenirs at his store. Him and Tom Brooks are good men, and trustworthy in business.
We departed at 11:10 for a leisurely paddle to Canoe Camp. Weather is a bit cloudy and cool. We landed at Canoe Camp about 13:15. We pitched camp and got set up. Katie is running around playing. Jim has been teaching her about using a fly rod. She plays with the plastic pitcher I have as a bailing bucket, picking up stones and other “treasures'.
Supper tonight was chicken noodle vegetable soup and squash. Katie had made the noodles, and I had dehydrated the veggies and squash.
Monday 12 May 08: Up early, packed the boats and launched at 08:50. Katie started her journal and sketchbook today. We saw a mink! Though not rare, they certainly aren't common either. They run along the bank, climb out on trees and branches, and swim in the water. You have to keep a sharp eye out. This is the first one Katie has ever seen. He was only about 20' away, so she got a good view of it. We're also seeing robins, belted kingfishers, blue jays, crows, ravens, mallard and canvas back ducks, and Canadian geese.
She's a very healthy, happy little girl. She plays well alone and with the guys. Rocks, plastic pitcher, sketches, and her journal. She's having a great time.
We landed at White Pine Camp Ground at 16:30. Supper was spaghetti. A few stories around the campfire.
Tuesday 13 May 08: Departed at 09:17. Before 09:30 – we'd already seen a turkey, a Canadian goose, and a muskrat. Katie was a bit sick this morning. Got OK by noon; tea seemed to help her a lot.
About 14:00 we stopped to see some beaver-cut trees, sticks, and chips. Gerry found a large painted turtle, about 10â€
NOTE: The Katie Bug is a 13' plywood S&G canoe I built for Katie and me. As I age out of it, she ages into it.
Link for piccies http://jwpifer.myphotoalbum.com
Saturday, 10 May 08: A bit of a late start - departed home at 14:10. Katie (my 7 year old Granddaughter, Kayla Duby) and I arrived at Bud Hart's cottage a mile south of Frederic at 17:00. Bud Hart, Jim Pifer, Toby Nipper (White Caps), Gerry Morin (Bear's Buddy), Katie, and me. We'll be joined Tuesday by Charlie Parmelee and Doug McDougal.
Bud's cottage is about 7 miles north of Grayling on the upper Au Sable, a pleasant trout stream about 1'-2' deep, 20' wide, and filled with rocks and fish. Water is cold and clear, bottom is sand and gravel. Just what a river should be.
We all went out to dinner in Frederic, sat around and talked some afterwards, and went to bed to prepare for the trip. The upstairs is a bunkhouse.
Sunday 11 May 08: Everybody woke up at 06:30. So, we got up, had some coffee & tea, and loaded up. We gathered at Grayling Restaurant for a hearty breakfast. We were joined by Tom and Nancy Brooks. Tom does the vehicle shuttle, and he and Nancy are personal friends.
A half mile drive to Penrod's canoe Livery to unload the cars and load the boats. Jim Humes at Penrod's is very gracious and lets us launch every year. His dock facilities are very neat and clean, and easy to load and launch from. We buy souvenirs at his store. Him and Tom Brooks are good men, and trustworthy in business.
We departed at 11:10 for a leisurely paddle to Canoe Camp. Weather is a bit cloudy and cool. We landed at Canoe Camp about 13:15. We pitched camp and got set up. Katie is running around playing. Jim has been teaching her about using a fly rod. She plays with the plastic pitcher I have as a bailing bucket, picking up stones and other “treasures'.
Supper tonight was chicken noodle vegetable soup and squash. Katie had made the noodles, and I had dehydrated the veggies and squash.
Monday 12 May 08: Up early, packed the boats and launched at 08:50. Katie started her journal and sketchbook today. We saw a mink! Though not rare, they certainly aren't common either. They run along the bank, climb out on trees and branches, and swim in the water. You have to keep a sharp eye out. This is the first one Katie has ever seen. He was only about 20' away, so she got a good view of it. We're also seeing robins, belted kingfishers, blue jays, crows, ravens, mallard and canvas back ducks, and Canadian geese.
She's a very healthy, happy little girl. She plays well alone and with the guys. Rocks, plastic pitcher, sketches, and her journal. She's having a great time.
We landed at White Pine Camp Ground at 16:30. Supper was spaghetti. A few stories around the campfire.
Tuesday 13 May 08: Departed at 09:17. Before 09:30 – we'd already seen a turkey, a Canadian goose, and a muskrat. Katie was a bit sick this morning. Got OK by noon; tea seemed to help her a lot.
About 14:00 we stopped to see some beaver-cut trees, sticks, and chips. Gerry found a large painted turtle, about 10â€
