![junkit bird junkit bird](http://blogoscoped.com/googlebook/image/large/13.jpg)
Eventually I packed it in, ready to head out and explore more of the Canol Road. I'd be less of a person without these moments. No distractions from the simple fact and intensity of being. So immensely peaceful - and living in a big city with its constant background noises, smart devices, and distractions - moments like this are both rare and restorative. Sipping my coffee in the chill air, enjoying the deep silence, broken periodically by a scolding squirrel or an isolated bird call. Still, morning was bright, and sleep was good enough. So I was up every hour or so, breathing more air into the deflated pad - too tired to go back down to the lake and look for leaks again. I plugged it with some gorilla glue and tape, but a slow leak remained. It didn't take long to discover a leak by plunging bits of the pad underwater until the air bubbles appeared, but I was tired and called it quits after finding one, big leak. When I crawled into my sleeping bag the night before, it was clear that the pad wasn't holding air, so I trudged back down to the lake with the pad and headlamp. But the other function is insulation, and that's not so easy to do without when the temp is around freezing, as it was that night at Quiet lake. I don't love it, but I can sleep well enough on bare ground. The thing about sleeping pads is that comfort is only one function. Which is just a long way of saying I didn't hit the road until about 10:30am because.why rush it? I want to savor each moment of peace and quiet at least as much as I want to experience the ride. And I know I'd be the shittiest possible riding partner for those folks.
![junkit bird junkit bird](https://www.babysavers.com/wp-content/uploads/angry-birds-press-junket-hawaii.jpg)
There are some great ride reports out there from serious road warriors like this one by that I enjoy the heck out of reading. There's a chill in the air, but well above freezing and with the morning light, blue skies, surrounding mountains, gently lapping waves and the overwhelming quiet - really, what's not to like?
![junkit bird junkit bird](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JyQaVUwU5qU/maxresdefault.jpg)
If there is a heaven, I expect lots of mornings like this if I'm able to sneak my way in. I head down to the lakeside and brew up my standard camping breakfast of oatmeal and coffee and enjoy the tranquility. I'm in no rush in the morning, and by the time I'm out of the tent at 8am most folks are packed and gone. The enclosed tent space at Congdon Creek Campground got a burst of new folks as the sun set - probably a half dozen different tents, though the lightly wooded area gave a reasonable sense of separation.