Words by Jen Hanson | Photos by Hank Devos & Jen Hanson
Last weekend we kicked off CIM’s 2015 Adventure Series in Ontario with one of our favourite programs – Our 5.5er Canoe Trip. CIM’s 5.5er Canoe Trips are a chance to share the power, energy, and atmosphere created by the CIM Community with the support crew that helps keep us, as T1Ds, going. We have affectionately dubbed our support crew 5.5ers, named after that “perfect” (please include air quotes) BG of 5.5mmol/L – the BG at which our friends, family, healthcare team – all of those folks who play an important role in keeping us sane and healthy – always seems to hover.
CIM’s 5.5er Canoe Trips launched in 2012 led by the efforts of one of CIM’s first 5.5ers, Erin Randall. Since then, CIM has run three 5.5er Canoe Trips. These trips are a chance for 5.5ers to get a glimpse into the life of others with Type 1 diabetes and, perhaps more importantly, other 5.5ers. It’s a chance for people to get to experience the Slipstream and to learn experientially about the important role 5.5ers play in the life of someone with Type 1 diabetes.
This summer, the 5.5er Trip pushed off amid the rain through Smoke Lake in Algonquin Provincial Park.
You know that saying “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing choices”? We figured, we’ve got this! Off we went.
After all, it’s just a little bit of rain! CIM had launched a few trips amid raindrops in the past – this was nothing new!
But then it kept raining. Then it REALLY started to rain. Then it was a torrential downpour. You know that saying “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing choices”? Yah, that’s officially not true.
I was SO PROUD of the entire group for keeping their spirits up, despite being cold, wet, and under a veil of clouds that seemed to suggest that our dreams of sunshine were just that. We all clung to the small glimmer of hope that the sun would be shining at 8pm. After all, that’s what the weatherman had told Becky’s weather app before we paddled out of range earlier that morning.
It’s surprising what a bag of jujubs and some hot chocolate and tea will do for your spirits when the rain is pounding – In fact, after we warmed our bellies and consumed some calories (to compensate for the cold… right?), it seemed like no time before the rain stopped, we got a roaring fire going (yes, we can start fires in the rain!) and began to dry out.
If you’ve ever been on a CIM canoe trip, you may know that one of my favourite parts is the food. There is something about trip food that just cannot compare to anything you could prepare in your own kitchen.
The next morning, we were greeted by some glorious sunshine and a beautiful morning on Big Porcupine Lake. We packed up camp and hopped in our boats to make off to Parkside Bay where we’d settle ourselves for night number two.
With just one portage between us and our home for the evening, we were flying. We had practiced going UP the Devil’s Staircase, taking us from Ragged Lake into Big Porcupine the day before – Going DOWN was a breeze! (Devil’s Staircase is an aptly named portion of the 650m Portage between Ragged and Porcupine referring to the countless number of natural ‘steps’ that seem to start at Ragged and End 650m later at Porcupine. It lives up to its name!)
We arrived early to our second campsite and had time to set up, take a swim, head out on a paddle, and even check out the local rope swing (those are for adults, too, right?)
Now wouldn’t you know it – We awoke Sunday morning to more rain, but by that time we were pros. We launched through our three portages of the day (at record speed, in part because of the unbelievable number of mosquitoes that greeted us at each of our portages) and made it back to Smoke Lake for a farewell lunch.
And, of course, some ice cream from the portage store. (We used this opportunity to dispel the myth that people with Type 1 diabetes can’t eat sugar. Experiential education. It was totally necessary.)
Thank you to all of the 5.5ers who came out to join our adventure in Algonquin this June as well as to all of the 5.5ers who love and support the Type 1 community. We could not do what we do without you.
