The original plan for this year’s trip was to put in at the Moose River North EP. For some reason there was still one permit available even late in the spring so I snatched it up. From reading trip reports from BWJ and the websites this area looked to have a lot of options and I was pretty stoked to check out this new area. But then the son of one of the boys was having his driver’s test and he and his father decided to cancel. Being a little bummed out I cancelled the permit and decided my wife and I would do something else on our own. However one of the other adults (also known as Dr Z) was not to be deterred and got his maps out, powwowed, and made a reservation at Brule Lake EP. Brule Lake!! That is serious big water!! I had read about major waves and folk being wind bound on this 8 mile wide lake. I had endured my wife’s protests on Jackfish Bay the previous year as we paddled into serious wind. The time frame was moved to go in on Saturday July 21 not earlier in the week as originally planned. That also got me concerned….there could be a lot of traffic on a day like that…Saturday even!! But hey….if the winds were brutal and crowds everywhere…it wasn’t my idea and therefore not my fault…. So the plans progressed from there. We had 6 of us this year….4 adults (big kids) and 2 scouts (including one newbie). Jeff and his son would bug out a couple days early so we travelled with 2 vehicles and 3 canoes….no canoe trailer which helped out gas wise on the Suburban. We left from my house near Kewaunee Wi by 6:15 AM on Friday and headed west on Hy 29 and then North on Hy 53. Road and travel conditions were great and we made good time to Amnicon Falls SP for lunch break. The river was really moving so there was no wading in the water this trip. After lunch and time to stretch our legs we continued north to Superior / Duluth and continued on to Tofte arriving by 3:15 PM. We got things squared up with our permit and continued on to Crescent Lake CG where we had a reservation. Hey….this looked like a neat lake to paddle on even though outside the BW. We didn’t have the time this trip but I could go back there again. Golden age passport….for those of us who have reach 62. It had been mentioned to me early in the spring to check into getting one but I didn’t. Well, if we did we would have saved half the cost of the camping fees but oh well…. There is also an additional charge for a 2nd Vehicle. Dinner that night was sloppy joes which we had made up and froze before the trip, brown beans, and apple sauce….easy and fast. We did the usual packing and repacking for the next morning. There was some cloud action, thunder, and the looks of rain but none ever arrived during the night. Sleeping conditions were pleasant. Crescent Lake CG…nice outhouses and water from solar powered well…a nice place to stay.