I heard a wolf baying off in the distance. I had taken one of my two huskie dogs with me on a camping trip to the Upper Peninsula and now even he was drawing close in to me. Frack was with me while Frick stayed back in Scottville with my wife Darlene.

I had just fixed up a supper of fish and beans with some bacon on the side.  Frack was helping himself to the side dish along with a bowl of water.  The only light for miles was our lone campfire.  The moon and a million stars were out that night casting their pale reflections of the lake I was camping next to and a nights chill was in the air.

I did have a third partner alongside me as well that being my rifle.  One never knows when a bear might show up.  I stood up to walk down to the lake for another bucket of fresh water.  Every few seconds I heard that wolf in the distance cry out.  It was both somewhat comforting and a little scary all at the same time.

As I returned to the fire I could hear it crackling and I began to yawn.  Frack was lying about four feet from the fire warming himself.  As for me, I was wondering what the fishing would be like in the morning.  I had brought along my canoe and it was tethered to a tree by the lake.  Aside from my tent and canoe I was all alone by there.  I don’t know why but once a year I always camp alone in the UP.  I guess I enjoy the solitude for those five days.

The night view was spectacular and you couldn’t get a better sound system to sleep by than that wolf howl in the distance.  The more I heard it, the more secure I felt.  As I crunched on that last piece of bacon I began to yawn knowing sleep was just a few short minutes away.  What a life!

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