7MAY2011 near Hoff, ND - Today was picture perfect calm until about 1800 when a troublesome headwind kickede in. One big lesson I have learned regarding lakes is to take what is given. So today I took the calm and paddled 35 miles, stopping 6 miles from the Prairie Winds Casino Marina. Several things combined to make me stop short, among them the gathering clouds, the head wind that had tired me as I exerted against it fotr the final two miles, and that I found an indoor place to bed down. It is an irrigation pump house with an unlocked door. The pumps are not yet on for the season, so the building is quiet , warm and calm. Perfect - and it is also dry ... very nice since a violent, short duration storm swung in on us during the night. Had I pushed on to Prairie nights I would have needed to invert the canoe to assure being dry - this pumphouse is far better.

Today I saw many people bank fishing and a fair representation of boats. Having floated out of the fishing derby area, the number of boats was much less than the previous two days. I saw a northern pike and a bass getting caught and several carp doing their aerial show. Beavers, ducks, pelicans and geese were also seen.

Upon entering the Standing Rock reservation I saw a lodge on a hill looking similar to the ones seen last year. Since I was paddling for mileage, I eschewed looking at it closer.

Trees are showing some green hue; the ground is greening very well. It appears that I finally caught up with spring.