Speaking of Cramps...

This entry will get a little personal, so if you are squeamish, or put off by "women's issues," I suggest you skip this one and wait with bated breath for my next entry.

Speaking of cramps, I was experiencing some of my own. On Day One, I chalked it up to the intensity of the portage, and the weight on my back. By the middle of Day Two, I knew that my ovaries were tap dancing, and my uterus decided to dance along. Damn it all, those stupid birth control pills didn't work!

For three months prior to leaving for Canada, I took birth control pills, to (hopefully) keep myself period free while on the circuit. The "white pill" period started the Sunday before we left, so I skipped them and continued with the yellow pills, which contain the birth control juju. I was doing just dandy, thank you, until Day Two. My cramps increased, and yes, the vermilion Lady M decided to pay me a visit.

Not only did she decide to pay me a visit, she canoed along with me until our last night on the circuit. This was the longest period I've ever had. And did I mention there were two ziploc bags I forgot at home? The first one-- I forget what it had in it, and in the end it didn't really matter, because the second one I forgot contained my just-in-case stash of "feminine hygiene products." I became quite creative with the 8 travel-size kleenix packets I brought along as my second luxury item. Even with them, however, I bled on everything I brought with me. Thank goodness most of my pants were black, and my fleece pj pants were too thick to bleed through.

The "Be careful, or the bears will get you" video didn't specifically mention anything about menstrating and attracting bears, but it was in the back of my mind. We saw bear scat right on the portage trails on Day One, so I know they were within the vicinity. I brought along a big pack of body wipes, so I could sponge bathe, but I did worry about the lingering blood smell. Thank goodness all of us stunk-- my stench wasn't any worse than anyone else's.

Also, rinsing out my clothes wasn't much of an option. I washed my Day One shirt in the lake on Day Two, before it rained. Even with the quick drying material my shirt was made out of, my shirt didn't dry until Day Four, because the weather was so crappy. I took every opportunity to dry that stupid shirt over the camp fire, in between squalls.