With water at the lower point this time of year, I’m getting to check out some sweet shorelines! Here’s good old Creeky Bog, which I visited a few times this year, and then decided to seek something more private.
There’s no trace of any of my visits from this year, thanks to the fallen leaves. This is really comforting! It also means that there’s nowhere left to hide now that the trees are bare…
So I went for a tour back to Creeky Marsh. Continue reading
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I’ve been pretty busy lately with real life stuff… But I did manage to get out twice in the last month or so. I’ve kept up my winning streak of getting to and from the spot without being spotted, except by a few young fishermen, who really seemed more interested in getting away from me than seeing what I was up to. Maybe they thought I was the property owner. But no matter.
The first visit was pretty good. The hole I worked up a few weeks prior was still primed and it turned out to be a nice quiet day. So quiet, in fact, that the sound of leaves starting to fall from the trees was loud enough for me to stop and look around every time I heard one fall. Oh, and there was a friendly porcupine waddling around too, but although we crossed paths, we both just kinda looked at each other with that sort of ‘don’t hurt me’ expression, and kept going our separate ways. I misjudged the amount of sunlight available at this time of year and ended up trudging back through the bush in the dark, which wasn’t so much fun, mostly because I couldn’t see the branches on the ground and kept snapping twigs all the way home. Didn’t really like that, but it didn’t seem to attract any unwanted attention, so…
The second trip a few weeks later was also pretty good. This time I opted for a shorter stay. No exploration or wasting time… I went back to my favourite spot ever, confident that the weather wasn’t nice enough for anyone to be out on the creek that day. Turns out I was right, and there was no sign of anyone anywhere. One thing I did forget to do was to eat a good healthy meal before, and decided against grabbing a Red Bull on my way just because I knew I’d be hyper for hours after the fact and I was looking forward to being home, cleaned up, and chillaxed on the couch for the evening. Without a good strong energy level, the waist-deep silt proved to be too much of a physical exertion for me. I brought my handy-dandy rope but realized pretty quickly that using the rope to pull or drag myself out actually requires a higher level of upper body strength than I realized. It took me close to 10 minutes to dig myself out.
Oddly enough, that was kind of fun. I think next time I go I’m going to juice up with some good food and energy drink and take some time to roll around more and see what results. Yeah, speaking of next time. I think I have one more chance to get out this year. The nighttime temps are dropping to single digits. Last night we ended up below freezing. But there’s a warm front coming and in a few days we’re expecting some nice warm weather. I expect this will be the last trip of the year because the cold is coming for us a bit earlier than it did last year. If everything works out, it will be one final bang to end what ended up being a pretty roller coaster year!
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For sure, I can’t decide which mud hole I want to visit next. Of all the decisions I’ve had to make lately, this is by far the best one! hah!
I went back, again, to the wonderful swampy creek area. I found a number of good spots. Two spots I didn’t get to explore in depth (pun intended)… One spot was away from the side of an offshoot of the creek, and was plenty deep, but didn’t have any water around it, so the more I mushed around, the thicker it got, which made nice mud, but not deep enough. Here’s a photo from just before I stepped in…
The second spot had water nearby. It was also deeper and it made some really nice mud thanks to the nearby water source. Is it as deep as the original bog? Not quite, but very close. It’s also not a particularly large area. Large enough to have some fun with tho… And not quite as many sticks as I’ve been encountering in other spots.
So the big decision needs to happen. The spot I spent the most time with is in a great location. It’s surrounded by dense forest, and there are some downed trees and stuff that makes it even more secure. But my thoughts keep going back to the original Creeky Bog. This is because that particular spot is still the deepest place I’ve found, and it’s location right at the side of the creek ensures enough moisture to make it very nice and sinkable. I remember the last time I visited it, I got pretty stuck — to the point where if someone did happen down the creek, I’d never be able to get out of sight in time…
But that spot is sticking in my head and I want to return there. I am very tempted to take the risk again. I know that if I go for the new spot I ‘used’ the other day I will be much more secure from all sides… So I think the decision is to go back to that place and see if I can make it every bit as great as the less-secure bog. If I can get what I want, then I’ll be very happy. Otherwise, I think I’ll end up back in the fairly insecure, but ultimately the most enjoyable, deep creekside mud.
There’s also a possibility of exploring the other two spots. I will have to go pretty early in the day if I want to explore them… One spot in particular showed a lot of promise, and has an abundance of solid tree branches to help get around the mud hole, since I end up getting stuck and then have a hard time getting out! I do have some rope I think I’ll bring on my next trip to help me move around in the deep muck. 🙂
As usual, I’ll probably tour a bunch of places and then make the final decision at the last minute like I typically do! 🙂
Related Images:Yeah. It’s a bit late in the season to start shopping for this kinda stuff, but I’m only expecting a few more weeks of nice weather this year, so I want to make them count.
First off, with nearly getting caught still clanging around in my brain, and my outright refusal to let that stop me despite the risks… I bought a nice long sleeve polyester shirt with some camo patterns on it. Hopefully I will be better hidden from nearby eyeballs… Since my mud suit has no functioning zipper, I generally wear a shirt over top of it now. The current one does the trick but is easier to spot because of it’s ‘unnatural’ colors. I can’t wait to dunk into a mud hole with this new one. New polyester always has this sexy smooth texture… Old polyester still kinda does but I assume there’s some sort of coating on them that wears off after a little bit of abuse and a few trips through the washing machine…
The next thing on my list was a small pack I could carry around while I leave my bulky backpack somewhere else. This is a problem I’ve had this year (well, previous years too, but it became much more annoying this year)… I find a nice area, and change out of my normal clothes and shoes. Everything gets stuffed back into the backpack, and I have to slog that around the whole time because… well… zentai suits don’t have pockets, right. 🙂 So I have a waist pack that I can put things like my phone, GPS, smoke, etc into. Much lighter, less getting hung up on twigs, and I can carry only what I need! I’m also hoping I will be able to keep things cleaner this way, too. Since all the dirty stuff goes back into the bag, and since I have to dig through it to get my towels and stuff for cleanup, I end up getting everything else full of mud and grit. My cutesy little digital camera got some grit around the lense one day and now it doesn’t work very well, even after taking it apart and cleaning it as well as I can… My cellphone and GPS devices also get dirty and all these expensive things can’t be inexpensively replaced…
Um what else… Oh. I finally got some of what they call ‘compression socks’… The idea behind buying these socks is that I’m hoping there’s less chance they’ll slide off my feet while I’m stomping through the mud. I’m also hoping that less sliding off my feet will also keep my fun suit from sliding down also, since the legs are a bit short and the mid-section is a bit long. It’s made for people with really short legs or something. But it’s just a generic size.
I do still plan to have a custom made suit made. I won’t be able to afford Fets-Fash like I wanted to, but there are other manufacturers that cost a bit less. Hopefully I don’t get stung on durability. My current suit was pretty cheap, but it is a generic size that doesn’t match my body type quite right.
And the last item on my list, somewhat unfortunately, is a refill for my highly overpriced mosquito repellent. This thing did such a good job at keeping the mosquitos away last year. This year I suffered through them. I spent probably the same amount on DEET and Icaridin products anyway. So I now have a few hours of relatively mosquito-free luxury coming my way. Somewhat disappointing was the fuel cartridge only looks to be like 3/4 full. I kinda feel I got ripped off a bit. But if it lasts two outings I’ll be happy enough.
And that’s it for this week. Hopefully I’ll have some really nice mud play this week. Stay tuned!
Related Images:I finally found a day off to spend wandering through the forest again. I tried to reach an area that looks like it might have some nice mud. The forest around it is pretty hardcore, so I gave up after about 2 hours. There’s a chance I might try to visit it again but I don’t think the surrounding area is going to dry up at all this year. It’s a bit disappointing, since the area is pretty well hidden from everything. It’s reasonable to surmise that there would be some nice deep stuff there if the water was low enough. It also wouldn’t suffer the same flaws that almost got me caught a few weeks ago.
So I went back to the area I explored earlier in the season. I was a bit surprised to find that the small creek I was following is still babbling away and doesn’t seem interested in drying up. There was a swampy pond along this creek that I was planning to check out when the water went down, so I visited that too. It’s got some pretty deep muddy banks now and so shows some promise… I kept going and checked out another small pond I was looking at earlier in the year. It’s still full of water, so I didn’t hang out there for long. The small creek continues after the first swampy pond so I followed that side of it for a while, and found a nice deep spot along the side of the creek. I ended up doing my thing there. It was OK, but not really the best. It’s a good sized area and there was a thin layer of water on the top, so as I mushed around it got really nice, but it’s full of tiny little sticks and twigs and stuff and I spent more time removing them than I did having fun… So I would go back there only if there’s no other options.
For my next excursion, the plan is to go past the danger zone and continue exploring the marshy area yet again. The last time I was there the water was down enough, and I was consistently stepping in mud a foot deep or more. Now with the water down a little bit more still, I plan to go back and check it out. This area would be really nice to find a spot in because the forest isn’t near as thick (which means much fewer sticks in my nice clean mud), and it’s not directly along the creek’s main shore line, so the chance of encountering people on the creek is much less. I’m pretty excited about it, and I really hope I’m not getting my hopes up for nothing.
The other side of this plan is that I still pass the original Creeky hole. While it’s not as deep as the banks I’ve been playing in, the mud there is mostly clay, and is very clean relative to the other holes. It’s got a consistency and texture that is easily two steps up from the organic-rich creekside areas. There is a part of me that wants to return there. Whether it happens or not will likely come down to whether I feel like expending the extra cleaning effort (the clay is much more difficult to wash out than the more organic mud). There’s also the possibility that I would need to bring in some extra water to thin it out a bit… The thick clay is really awesome, but if it’s thinned out a little bit it becomes even more awesome, plus I need a bit less effort to move around in it heh.
The summer is pretty much over for cottagers and students, so at this point in the year, the MNR starts to lower the water levels in the surrounding lakes. I should start to see more deep mud shorelines emerging over the next month or so. Next week looks pretty nice, weather-wise. There are currently 3 hurricanes making their way across the Atlantic ocean, and the weather all the way up here is cool and wet as a result. Once they’re past we are expecting to warm up again…
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I took a trek through the bush again. This time I took a different route in an attempt to bypass the creek side path I’ve been following. I ended up wasting an hour stabbing myself in the face repeatedly with twigs. I did eventually find a better route for the second half of the trek, so all is not lost.
I wandered around the area past the place I almost got caught at last time. There’s lots of nice deep stuff there, but nothing like what I’ve been experiencing at Creeky Bog. And so I went back to Creeky Bog. Turns out there’s some nice bits nearby that aren’t quite as visible from the creek, but by the end of the trip I was back in the place I almost got caught at last week. So much for playing it smart, huh. Luckily, this time I didn’t have any visitors.
But it’s making me kinda sad. I wandered around in circles for almost 2 hours before I found the guts to play at the edge of the creek again. It was worth it, because the mud is beautiful… But now every single little noise freaks me out. Once the leaves are off the trees, which I expect to start in a few weeks, it’s going to be even more dangerous of a spot. So I don’t know what to do. I have this feeling I’m going to keep returning to that spot. There is some surrounding areas that are just as deep and aren’t right on the edge like this. I hope in a few weeks I’ll be able to do my business at least a few feet from the edge… But there’s still the pile of wood I left at the side as well that may attract some unwanted attention…
But all I can do is hope to get away with it for a few more weeks. Soon I’ll be whining about not being able to play…
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Well it’s another week here in Mudbog town. I have decided that the mud in this area is too good to pass up. I may try to visit some other areas this year, but for now I’m sticking with what works. There is still an increased chance of getting found out, but at the same time, the spots I’ll be visiting are about a half mile away from the nearest dwelling. They’re also around an area that is right along the creek but far enough away to not be visible.
When I explored this area earlier this year, there was lots of water still around, but I was stepping into some pretty deep mud, so I’m expecting to have a choice of deep mud holes to play in. I’m getting a little bit excited about going there again, but I’m also feeling a little nervous. I really want to avoid being seen on my way in to the bush now. I’m afraid if someone does see me it will be very bad. Luckily there’s only a very short walk down the road before I reach a trail I can use.
I’ve mapped out a different route this time. It will keep me away from the creek more and will be a slightly more straight and direct route through the bush. If it works out for me this way then I will use it going forward. I am also planning to go later in the day. I really hope the mosquitoes don’t wreck an otherwise enjoyable hike.
So, everyone, wish me luck. 🙂
Related Images:Well a mixed up freaked out bag this week! I went out for the day with the idea being to casually explore around the Creeky Marsh this week. I wasn’t sure where I’d end up. The spot I’ve ‘used’ a few times this year was an option. But this time I didn’t make it that far. Instead, I discovered that I was able to get to Creeky Bog and there is some mushy shore line starting to peek out!
So that’s as far as I got. Like last fall, the whole area is mushy and deep. But I found one particular spot that was waist deep without even trying. I was so incredibly happy. I spent at least an hour clearing debris and yanking out sticks and mushing it around to a very, very excellent depth and consistency. It was wonderful to play in! Eventually after a solid hour of playtime, I managed to fight my way out of the deep hole and off into the trees to clean up.
So I’m maybe 10 minutes into my cleanup, taking my time. The bugs were pretty bad but I lit a smoke and that helped. I got a few bits of clothes off and rung out and flung off as much mud as I could, then hung them on a tree branch, like I usually do.
And then I heard it. Continue reading
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I went back to the mushy spot I found earlier this summer and found that the water has receded enough for me to get down and dirty. It’s a nice sized pit and the mud is very mushy. Even the less-saturated part of it is really mushy and fun. Since I’m now officially using this pit, I suppose it should receive a name, which I’ve decided will be ‘Creeky Marsh‘ since it’s in the Creeky area and is a rather large marshy area surrounded by these mushy boggy bits.
I went a bit earlier in the day, too, and noticed the mosquitos weren’t quite as bad. I guess the lesson there is to not go at dusk because that’s when they all come out in force. Being able to move at a more leisure pace really helps make the time out more enjoyable!
Since I’m having a little bit of trouble getting access to laundry facilities this year, I’m happy that this mud washes off much easier than Creeky’s extra-sticky clay. It also means that I can simply wring out the clothes and hang them up for a few minutes in the sun and the mud all just sort of peels off and all I need is a quick rinse at home and it’s ready for another trip. I’m considering going out more than once this next week because of this.
Meanwhile, my vehicle is in good shape, having put a few hundred bucks of work into it in the last few months. This means I can finally take an afternoon away and go visit Truck Hole Trail. It’s coming up on 2 years since I visited it last, and I’m a bit anxious to check it out now. It’s really a prized spot since it’s essentially one giant truck-stirred mud pit. It might be a bit difficult to deal with the mosquitos, tho. Since it’s right beside a trail that people actually use, and since it’s occasionally visited by country kids and their muddy trucks, it’s not a good idea to go there before evening…
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I think it’s been long enough since I last provided a mosquito’s dinner. I am starting to get antsy for a day out before the end of this week. Today would have been the best day but the threat of thunderstorms loomed and, now that it isn’t rain every single day, I am happy to wait for a dry day.
The water levels seem to be dropping again slowly. It looks like it’s low enough now for some of the areas I’ve been exploring during this summer to be available. I am really hoping so, anyway. With the weather being a bit more cooperative, it is starting to look hopeful again.
Still there will be hoards of mosquitos. I really am still tempted to go buy the crazy expensive refill kits for this ridiculous bug repeller. It’s almost to the point where I’m simply curious to see how spectacularly it will fail against the water-raised mobs out there!
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