Day 32

9/16/14

            Well it is just another b-e-a-utiful rainy day in this magnificent country of Canada. Josh presented his interpretation topic covering the life of the voyageurs and the importance they had in the fur trade. The life we have been living the past 24 days on the river is not even comparable to what the voyageurs went through. We think the rain, mud, sunless sky, and the cold is terrible, but the hivernants did this every all year round and up river as well. Each day all we are worried about are making the miles, so we can get closer to the end. The thing is we don’t make anywhere near the miles the voyageurs would go in a day. We paddle around 10-15 times in a minute, when the voyageurs paddle 55 times in a minute. It is hard to see it in the moment at times, but we have it pretty easy out here. We are only out here for 28 days with warm tents and top-notch gear. Though we may think these are the worst conditions at times, we know that this is an experience of a lifetime. Each day I learn something new and try and find a way to put it into perspective. Each day is a new challenge in itself with different decisions made each day. Do I wake up at 5:30 or 6 am? Do I put these damp socks on or put on a dry pair and risk not having a dry pair? Do I wear my heavy weight pants or my thin pair? Do we have to portage today? What do I and how much do I bring for lunch? Each day is different and we, mainly I, struggle to answer them everyday. One thing is true though I would never trade these struggles for anything else, this is an experience of a lifetime. I try to adapt to each day dealt to me and go through the day as content as possible. As I listened to the voyageurs quote that Josh told us during his presentation about living the life of a voyageur day in and day out, I compared it to how we live and breathe ECOEE:

“I can carry a canoe, paddle, portage, and sing with any person in this group. I have been 24 days a canoe woman, and 27 years in service; no portage was ever to long for me and Kenny’s chants I could sing along to. I have navigated through haystacks, have had 12 great companions and great food. I spent all my money in pleasure. Were I young again, I would spend my life the same way over. There is no life so happy as a ECOEE’s life!”

Cheyenne Wilson