Day 3, Saturday, September 6, Charleston Lake Provincial Park, Ontario, 689 miles so far

Two days into the trip and the problems are starting already.  My friends Bill and Lessley gave me a care package with several vegan chocolate balls in it.  Unfortunately, Erde discovered them in camp last night before I got to them.  It wasn't clear how many she ate  by the time i got to them, but if she had eaten all of the, i would have had a very sick dog on my hands, if any dog at all.  I assumed it was only a few and so did not give her an HPO to expel them.  Fortunately, she's okay today.

We left Mongaup and drove into Livingston Manor for a breakfast at the Robin Hood diner where my brother told me my mother used to stop for coffee when she visited me at my old boy scout camp, and then stopped at Will's Hardware store to pick up some porpoane.  Unfortunately, no sooner did we get on the road when i discovered that my new $6600 air conditioner, which i had installed last year  for these trips, broke after i left the diner.  It is not clear if i can get it fixed here in Canada as it specifically made for the Defender.  My hope is that it is nothing more than a fuse.  If not, this could be a show stopper because i cannot drive five days through the hot plains of Canada without an AC for Erde.

On my last several road trips, the day's journey always began with Peter Seeger singing "This Land is your Land." Listening to it today, i did not feel the joy i felt before, riding the highways, free from just about everything, and with Leben and Erde sacked out beside me. But also, Pete Seeger died early this year, too.  He, like Leben, was 94.  What a difference in feeling.  But beneath the sadness i know there is joy, joy for the memories i have of Leben, and joy because Erde is still here with me. And if the video i sent before came over, you can see that she is in remarkably good shape.

Tomorrow we head deep into the wilderness of Algonquin National Park to remote, primitive Brent Camp for two days.  No internet or cell phone service, in addition to no electricity, etc.  

I have a long day tomorrow so i have got to play taps and hit the sake now.  No profound, reflective blog postings tonight, as if i ever had time for them on any prior trips.

The below photo is of Erde's new position for sleeping in the defender now that she has the two dog beds to herself.  Erde's one rule in life is to constantly seek the most comfortable arrangement for herself.




Ed and Erde, On The Road

P.S. Sorry for any errors in this message or posting.  The iPad spellcheck is not known for its attention to detail.


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