At last I finished all obligations…. the last debris from life at the creek had been dealt with. The second portable bin was filled up and scheduled to be removed, the new owners were comfortable with the few left overs and a few pieces were sold cheaply enough to gain quick cash. A final small load of garaged items were squeezed into storage and the coveted metal detectors BOTH placed on the front seat of the Silverado. Food, winter clothes and tools completed the check list as I left the city confines for the forest.
Mother Nature seemed to cooperate as the weather system bringing snow to the area still lingered a day away. We’ll surprise, surprise. The 300 kilometer drive ahead already featured slick iced roads and heavy snow fall. The “Highway Thru Hell” boys were clearing a semi trailer that tried to wrap it’s aluminum cargo body around a solid tree. More stunning winter scenes of great beauty were punctuated with incapacitated vehicles in all manner of chaos. But my decades of winter driving and great tires came in handy especially when combined with great amounts of caution and slow travel.
A few areas featured an excess of blowing snow lending the sensation of rapid planetary travel into unknown galaxies protected by a thousand fast-moving stars. My real travel speed hovered more around 40 kph and that was excessive in a few corners. I arrived at the cabin only several hours late and safe. But the slick uphill grade to the cabin denied me close access. Even crossing the lawn to eliminate half the slope failed to reach the goal. Close enough after such a day. I carried the items only slightly farther than in dry conditions though I had to install traction chains in the morning to get the Chev rolling again.
My first full day in the area gave no results. The roads were still difficult to travel on and the secondary roads and trails were impossible. Couching the day away while considering options and relaxation proved comforting. The second day began early and resulted in as many as four occasions when I had to chain up the drive wheels. And still I was denied access. The forestry trail simply had a greater depth of snow than I anticipated at an early stage of winter. Driving proved too dangerous in deep snow and hiking too difficult for my age and distance required to be covered. Not wanting to leave when so much had been invested to get that far I decided to visit an area resident met last winter in hopes a snowmobile taxi could be hired. But no. After great efforts to reach his home I found the man coping with his own difficulties with the installation of a stove into his house. Well nothing ventured, nothing gained as the saying goes. Those few actions used up most of the day. A few great pictures and I finished my day. Denied but not defeated.
