4 August 2016, Thursday

We both wake refreshed this morning after a good night’s sleep. We have pancakes for breakfast and use up the last of my maple syrup from Tin Pan Galley. It is now time to empty the sky box and take down the Sea Eagle for a spin around Silent Lake. As we are taking out equipment from the Thule carrier two women from campsite 120, just up the hill, stop by. They compliment us on our minimalist set-up. Most people in this campground have large tents or pop-ups. Several have additional pavilions that cover their picnic tables. The women quickly figure out that we must have experience canoe camping. We explain our plan to drive across Canada and review our itinerary. They wish us well.

We chat a bit more as we carry the Sea Eagle down to the lakeshore. Our canoe is soon inflated and we are out in the hot sun on the lake. We paddle the edges seeking a shady place from which to watch. Paddling by two loons, we reach the opposite shore and find some shady rocks cooled by the breeze. We did not bring any snacks since we had planned only a brief paddle due to the heat. O and I agree to return to the sandy beach where we put in and find some lunch back at camp.

We enjoy our now ‘semi-fresh’ Ontario cherries, some cheese and crackers and some jerky. We top it all off with one “depression brownie” each. The brownies actually cause smiles, not depression. They are made with a recipe passed down from K’s grandma. This was apparently a popular recipe during the Great Depression when eggs were scarce.

The Recipe:

2 paper packages of graham crackers broken into coarse crumbs

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

lots of good chocolate chips (80+ grams)

enough vegetable oil to make it moist (I find that 80 ml, 5-6 tbs, of Smart Balance works well.)

Mix all ingredients together

Place in an 8”x8” pan (9×9 works as well)

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 C) for 22 minutes

As I am returning our lunch goodies to the car, I accidentally tip over a box of One Sweet Tomatoes. Three roll under Jazz. These tomatoes are far too good to waste so I resolve to move the car to rescue them. I climb into the driver’s seat and turn the key in the ignition. Nothing but a clicking sound ensues. Jazz is dead again!! It is now even more apparent that the 5-10 minutes of headlights on with engine off at Allentown should not have killed the battery. Time for a change of plans. I check the ipad mini and find a Subaru dealer in Peterborough. O calls for an appointment: 8:30 tomorrow morning.

We decide to drive to Peterborough tonight, assuming we can get the car started. We empty the back of the car to find our jumper cables. The subsequent repack results in packing version 2.2 which somehow gives us even more room for our gear.

Our friends from Peterborough kindly help us jump the car. This despite the fact that our campsite, 118, is their favorite and I prevented them from booking it. MC suggests a good hotel and we head for Best Western Otanabe.

Here we are, after having an unexpected opportunity to try an couple of more beers at Ashburnham Ale House, a malty dark ale for O and a Czech-style pilsner for me. We are both grateful I like those little sweet tomatoes so much. If I hadn’t tried to move Jazz this afternoon we might have ended up stranded in the early morning at Silent Lake.

Oh, and yes – the tomatoes were rescued.