DAY 6 - Union Falls, NY, to Pickett's Corners, NY

F-2016-8-26 

Union Falls Dam--right next to my campsite

Start: Union Falls Dam

End: Baker’s Acres Campground near Pickett’s Corners

On the Way: Union Falls Pond, Saranac River

Miles: 21 (Milepost: 126)

Map: 3

Weather: Clear and bright.  Hurry up and rain already, dammit!

On the third and final stretch into Plattsburgh, and soon to be done with Map #3!  Since it’s private land along the river from here on in (which the NFCT maps helpfully show), I sprang for a site at a commercial campground, Baker’s Acres.  I feel a little ripped off.  I could have camped at the little Pickett’s Corners park and no one would have cared and I would have saved $20.  Plus I’d have been spared the surreal experience of sleeping under a tarp and mixing up Solylent powder and oatmeal whilst being surrounded by RVs with their loud occupants and rude dogs.

Saranac River NFCT Kisok

They apparently do flatwater canoe sprint races on this stretch of the Saranac.
It was kind of a sad river: lots of tires and debris from the long-closed mills along the bottom,
and lots of farmland erosion on either side.

Today’s mileage seems really short, but damn was it exhausting.  As per the advice received at St. Regis, I portaged around most of today’s Class II-III rapids, as much as it pained my soul to miss all that whitewater.  I vow to return someday with boats that can navigate them—and ones I don’t have to rely upon to get to Maine.  I love a nice bit of quickwater, and these rapids were continuous for about four miles.  So for me, that meant lots of walking and second-guessing the lame takeout descriptions.  There were supposedly some impressive 50-foot falls along the way—I missed them since I wasn’t on the river, and hauling a boat and gear over land does NOT leave one in the mood for scenic detours…

A comforting sight on the portage.

I must remember to be nicer to my back: it was really complaining at me by the end of the day.  More stretching, less pack-hauling.  If it gets so bad that I can’t paddle, this trip effectively ends…

The maps and guidebooks like to use this cute little word: “riffles.”  “Riffles” are a tasty kind of potato chips.  “Riffles” are what you add to dress hems to make yourself look like Kaylee’s idea of a good time: poofy and full of frills.  I think they here mean “riffles” as the kind of flatwater that’s just barely disturbed by submerged rocks.  They make it seem harmless, but nuts if that was “harmless” water that left my boat with ~+500% more gouges on the bottom than at the start of the day.  Not fun, and it makes me cringe every time I hear the foreboding, characteristic grinding sound from my hull.  I can only hope the low-lying Saranac behaves itself tomorrow.  [EDIT: Spoiler: it didn’t.]

Things Learned: 

+ Getting better at reading whitewater and –gag—riffles.

+ Lining in rapids is, no joke, tough.

+ Holiday Parks in the US are not as fun as the ones I experienced in New Zealand.

+ Carries become less (supposedly) frequent after NY—huzzah!

+ Cold instant coffee is actually OK, for the days where I don’t feel like firing up the stove before heading out.

Trail Magic:

+ On my portage around Trail Rapids—which were really fun-looking Class II-III ones—I found some nearly-ripe wild apple trees!  Good source of moisture and vitamins, and a fun distraction to munch as I slog the kayak along.

+ Today’s campsite will help test my theory of whether camping in the sun will help me wake up with the sun.  [EDIT: Fun fact: it does!]      

With literally one sturdy tree on my RV site, hammocking was right out,
and I had to get creative with tarp-pitching.  Hence, this is rigged off of the tree and the wheel well that served as fire ring.  Grass was nice, though.

+ We’re in the part of the world where poutine is served.  After pitching camp I hoofed it down the road in search of a laundromat and came across a gas station/country store with a made-to-order deli.  Chocolate milk, juice, carrot cake, and poutine for dinner.  Yisss.

+ No laundry at the campgrounds, as was advertised in the guidebook, and didn’t get as far as the laundromat to clean up my stanky river clothes.  But my first hot shower felt great.

+ Tomorrow, Plattsburg, Map 4, and my first mail drop!