"Hey, let's go two hours west of Thunder Bay, Ontario at the end of November for a self directed photography workshop." Really!?!

Isn't it cold that time of year? Won't there be snow and ice? What!?! The cabin we rented has no running water?? Not to mention is in the middle of nowhere. Jeez Louise!!

Pack your parka Alice, we're off to Quetico Provincial Park for whatever comes our way.

What came our way was an absolutely fantastic trip full of laughter, deepening of friendships, the serenity that comes with the quiet cold of northern Ontario and a new found appreciation for saying 'yes' to experiences.

Snow gently landed on our windshield as the three of us made our way west from Thunder Bay. The danger of hitting a moose after dark was real so our goal was to make it to the park before sunset. Had me wondering if this venture was a vacation or simply a game of chicken - Nature vs Human Numbskulls.

By happenstance, upon entering the deserted park we ran into Jason, a park ranger. I'm sure with thoughts of "OMG city girls in his head" he kindly guided us straight to our cabin. He let us know that we were the only ones in the entire provincial park. And his name was JASON!

Stepping over the threshold of our cabin the three of us were dumfounded when we saw that it was a single room cabin. Certainly didn't have to do much head swiveling to take in the whole place. We were going to have to be neat and definitely live out of our bags.

First order of business was to find the latrine. The three of us headed in the direction Jason had pointed. The sky was cloud filled and the park was being enveloped by darkness. It was at this point I realized that this 'vacation' would require a certain symbiosis among the three of us. Trust all of a sudden became paramount. I didn't expect anything disatrous to happen, it wasn't like we were attempting to summit Mount Everest, but still we needed to rely on each other to care for one another.

I love the our of doors but it still amazes me how a benign day lit landscape can become a menacing threat once the light of day disappears. Each sound is magnified and turned into a charging moose or a wolf with bloodthirsty fangs. With my vision limited and my ears as big as saucers I certainly made night time water getting, from the nearby lake, a very efficient activity. One of those challenges in life that is supposed to make me stronger I suppose.

Bundled up, our day hikes were marvelous. We stopped every so often to try to capture a shot but really the beauty of the day was in the soaking up of the peaceful atmosphere while enjoying the simplicity of it all. Besides seeing a few squirrels and a million rabbit tracks, a friendly Grey Jay was the only wildlife we saw. Skidding down some hills, preventing one of our mates from taking a picture of herself in front of a possible bear's den and having our Grey Jay dive bomb us made for the excitement of the day.

Smokey campfires, cooking (beer chicken on the BBQ), lively scrabble games, a little drinking, storytelling, futon fighting, photo reviewing thoroughly occupied our evenings. The ease with which we interacted was as refreshing as the cold November air.

Not surprisingly, some would say that this was not a vacation they would enjoy. For me, eventhough I could literally see the lake freezing, it was a wonderful trip. The three of us are already talking of backcountry trekking next SUMMER!! LOL