On feeling slightly like a fraud

Boulder Junction seems to have started life as a "nowhere" stop on a local railroad serving the local iron mines. The immediate area industry seems to have been logging for mining timbers. At some early point, recreational fishing and support industries seem to have taken over. It is still going strong though other "Northwood" type recreations have been added such as snowmobiling and ATVing. It bills itself as the musky (as in muskellunge) capital of the world. (I have noticed a tendency in American towns to make themselves the capital of this or the first of that.)

So on the surface, there wasn't a whole lot to pique my fancy on my rest day (The rest day was imposed by the related concepts of the 4th of July long weekend and room availibility.) as fishing is something I am quite happy to let other people do. (My apologies to Grandpa.) However, it worked out very well. I slept in late, moseyed around town in my civvies. I was surprised by the large number of cyclists on the sunny day. Mostly casual recreational, but there was a tourer passing through. I waved at him as a fellow soul then realized he would only see a tourist in a Hawaiian shirt and a Tilley hat. I almost felt like a fraud!

There was a fire department chicken barbecue advertised. I added it to my gastronomic plans for the day. After using the Internet at the Library, I wandered in to the tourist information office to inquire where a swimming beach might be found. The lady informed me of a suitable location before telling me about the fire department barbecue. She then warned me that it typically sold out early.

About half past noon, I took in the event. As I paid, a voice behind informed the man taking my money that I had come all the way from Winnipeg in order to sample their chicken barbecue. It was the manager from my motel who was a volunteer fire fighter. He later told me they went through 1500 chickens! They had quite an installation for barbecuing all that chicken.

I went back to my motel room to prepare for my swimming expedition. I was delayed by sight out my window of a white tailed doe nursing her twin fawns! I couldn't quite see the fawns due tall grass and brush but I could see their white tails waving vigorously! The area has a significant deer population including a number of albino deer.

A decent day all told.