Stories

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The next day I went into Quincy, a picturesque little town and by asking, found a combined hardware store with back-packing snuck into the back. It was amazing that they had a part replacement kit for my pump way out in the boondocks, and because the pump was so new, on the market only a few months. I told the proprietor. I was astounded figuring there would be no way to ever find such a part - period, let alone out there. It was a little expensive but I was overjoyed and it came with replacement check valves, springs gaskets, grease and what all, in a nice little round flat plastic container. I asked the proprietor if he knew of any good back-packing spots, and he directed me to the vicinity of my next week's stay, with the name of a lake and proximity. I cannot really divulge the spot because the locals who I met when there, asked me to keep it secret. They said it was an Indian holy site and I promised that my mouth would remain mum.

I had more trouble finding my way in and had to stop at a Ranger Station where I got the appropriate instructions by an elderly lady volunteer. I did get there and parked in a lower elevation lot, where it was wall to wall recreational vehicles and large tents - a city in the woods. I discovered later that I did not get the secret back road short-cut, and had to do a hard uphill hike. It was late Monday afternoon when I hauled myself and my gear up that mountain a goodly ways. There were two closely situated lakes and I found the one suggested and got the premier and only good camp-site, again on a cliff overlooking the this jewel of a lake. And I was the only camper around.

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