Friday, August 22, 2008 We took our time packing up and getting ready to leave. It's always with mixed feelings that I leave the BWCA. On the one hand, it's a trip that I dream about for months before the date finally arrives. The days spent there are like heaven, and always pass too fast. Leaving the beauty and solitude of the BWCA for the Twin Cities and the responsibilities that await me there is never appealing. On the other hand, I'm usually ready for a comfortable chair and greasy burger by the time departure day comes. After packing up, we slowing made our way back to to Mudro Lake, paddling contently against the wind and travelling about one mile an hour. The last portage back into Mudro (I think) was brutal, but as one fellow paddler commented, "it keeps the weak away." Back to the car and civilization, we were all pretty quiet as we made our way back down the Echo Trail, reliving the last several days in our minds, and thinking about that greasy burger. Can't wait for next year's trip!