Day 12

I slept better than I expected last night. It was cold—52 degrees when I went to bed. I just woke up and while I am warm in my sleeping bag, listening to the wind makes me not want to get up.

It is still cold this morning. It feels like late fall. We drove down to the boat launch to see the Sleeping Giant rock formation. The wind whipped around us, stirring up the waters of Lake Superior. We stopped in at the park office to let them know about the fox. The ranger said the foxes in the area have grown somewhat tame because they’ve learned that if they look cute, they’ll get fed. Kati also inquired about where she might find an urgent care so she could see a doctor. The ranger shook her head saying it was Saturday so all the walk-in clinics would be closed.

We had a good breakfast at Java Hut, although G3 complained about the food. From there we went to a drug store in search of products that might help Kati’s knee. She picked up Voltaren cream—which her cousin recommended—to rub on her knee. She applied it and has yet to notice a difference. The drug store had knee braces so she got one the specified that it was good for arthritis. While in the first aid aisle, she looked at canes. She even sampled one, but it shook so much when she walked I was afraid if she got it she might fall and end up with a worse injury.

G3 suggested we go to the Cascade Conservation Area. It was a short walk to the cascades, less than a kilometer, but to avoid further straining her knee, Kati opted to stay in the car. G3 and I walked together, discussing politics. He asked me who I thought was going to win the election. I told him I feared Trump will win, but hope I am wrong. He asked who I intended to vote for because he knows I don’t like Harris. I am also displeased with the way the Democratic party offered her up as the candidate without giving the people a vote. The whole process feels dishonest and undemocratic. But Harris did not kill my father. Trump’s preference for profit and his lies did. Also, the Democrats are not trying to strip me of my rights. To prevent Project 2025 from gaining traction, I will vote for Harris.

The cascades were worth seeing, but after some of the gorgeous places we’ve been in Ontario, they seemed almost anticlimactic. The trail to get to them was partially paved, partially dirt until we reached the Current River. Once there, we walked a short distance over the rock-face to the falls. The sky was gray, but the water, ringed by rock and trees, was pretty.

Driving away from the falls, we stopped at Hillcrest park for a different view of the Sleeping Giant. The rock formations, if you let your imagination go, resemble a giant who has laid down in Lake Superior. Legend has it that Nanabijou, a strong benevolent god loved and cared for the Ojibwa people. During a tumultuous time in the tribe’s history, when the Europeans arrived bringing disease and alcohol—two things that devastated communities—Nanabijou gave the Ojibwa a gift. Silver. But he warned that the Europeans must never find out about it. If they did, the gift would become a curse and Nanabijou would turn to stone. The Ojibwa began mining silver and using it to make beautiful items, more beautiful than any other tribe. Soon, other tribes became jealous, the Lakota being the most jealous of all. The set out to discover where the Ojibwa got their silver. First, they tortured the Ojibwa trying to force the secret out of them. But the Ojibwa, conscious of Nanabijo’s warning refuse. The Lakota persisted, and sent a spy into an Ojibwa camp. The spy succeeded in rooting out the source of the silver. On his way back to his people, he stopped at a European trading post, and not having any other currency, he revealed his silver. This excited the white men. To force him to speak the truth of where he got the silver, they gave him alcohol. It worked. The Europeans now knew where to find the silver mine. Nanabijou, having witnessed the entire event, whipped up a great storm on Lake Superior. The resulting waves capsized the boat carrying the European men who had stolen the secret. They drowned and Nanabijou laid down in the lake, crossed his arms over his chest, and turned to stone. His body continues to protect the silver mine to this day.

Kakabekka Provincial Park to see the Kakabekka Falls was our next destination. Kakabekka—pronounced kah-kah-pee-kah—is an Ojibwa word meaning “sheer cliff,” and the falls are on the Kamaninistikwia River. It’s a short walk from the parking lot to the falls, but Kati opted not to attempt it. She doesn’t want to risk further damage to her knee. G3 came with me, but all he did was complain about having to see another waterfall. He’s been complaining a great deal lately. I guess I’ve spoiled him too much by taking him to so many different places in the States and Canada. Some of my students would give anything to have just one or two of the experiences G3 has had, and instead of appreciating what he gets to see and do, G3 complains that he is bored. I’ve tried to show him so much, and all he wants to do is watch stupid videos on his phone. He doesn’t even want to read anymore. It saddens me. Maybe next year, I should leave him home and travel like I used to.

After seeing the falls, I wanted to walk the 1.1 kilometer Mountain Portage trail. Walk, not even hike, and G3 refused to come, preferring instead to stay in the car with his phone. UGH! He could do that at home. Anyway, the Kamaninistikwia Route was a series of lakes, rivers, and portages that formed a water highway connecting the St. Lawrence River with the prairies out west. It had been traveled by Indigenous people for centuries, but the first European to discover it was Jacques de Noyon in 1688. When the North West Company moved from Grand Portage to Fort William, they utilized this route to move their furs. Leaving Fort William at the mouth of the Kamaninistikwia River and traveling upstream, Kakabekka Falls was the first obstacle the voyageurs encountered. The Mountain Portage Trail traverses a short section of the voyageurs’ portage at that point. The trail is gravel and not terribly scenic or exciting, but the history geek in me enjoyed it. I got back to the car just in time for more rain.

Kati wanted to stop in Walmart to pick up supplies—tarps and more stake—in expectation of more bad weather. We found tarps but not stakes. G3 found a Wolverine tee shirt that said Canada Day. He asked if he could get it. Before I could say no—after all his complaining today, I was not feeling particularly generous—Kati said yes. I observed that the walk around Walmart was longer than the walk to the waterfall, but Kati countered, that in not going to the waterfall she had been able to take a much needed nap.

There are so many Provincial parks in the area, I had hoped to be able to explore at least on e more today, but alas, it’s a hike to a gorge or a campfire, and I am outnumbered on this one. Oh well, at least I got to one today. It’s now half past six, and finally, the sun appears to be coming out.

For dinner, G3 asked if we could go back to Island Spice, the Jamaican restaurant we ate in last night. Apparently, he really liked the spicy jerk chicken. He ordered it again tonight—three pieces instead of two—and when he finished, he said he was still hungry and asked if he could have two more pieces. It’s healthy food, so how could I say no. And boy did he eat with gusto. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him enjoy a meal this much, not even filet mignon.

We got a fire going at the campsite and Kati and G3 sampled the maple coke. I tried Kati’s. If I didn’t know it was maple coke, I would have thought it was plain old ordinary coke. But knowing it was maple, I rolled it around in my mouth and could faintly taste the maple. Kati is just loving the fact that she can drink it out of a glass bottle.

I’m glad we had a campfire this evening. We got to enjoy some family time. We laughed and joked with each other and reminisced about previous camping trips. We discussed politics and history, and debated different views regarding society. The election came up again and Kati and I both expressed our fears of what might happen to women’s rights, queer rights, and education if a Republican gets into office. I’m not sure G3 understands the gravity of the Republican agenda.