It's hard to let go. So if you don't mind, here's a few reflections on our trip, with one picture from each day.

Our route -

I've been wanting to go down Cutty Creek and over the Death March for a few years now. This was the year. We originally planned to take this route in ten or eleven days. But other commitments cut the trip down to nine days. That was still plenty of time for the trip. We even had a couple very short days. In an ideal world, though, I would have wanted a few more days for this route to stop and explore more along the way. Sark Lake and the message cache sites on Delahey and Ted are on the top of my list of places I want to spend more time. I wish I were starting that trip right now.

Day 1 - Pond between Burke Lake and North Bay -

One thing's for sure. It was a trip of portages - about 50 in all, including Yum Yum, the Death March, and many little-visited trails.

Day 2 - "Inspiration Point" -

Even though it was mid-August, we found a lot of solitude. From our second evening on Kahshahpiwi until our eighth day paddling along Wednesday Bay and past Table Rock, we saw only three other canoes. I wonder why more people don't head this way?

Day 3 - Cutty-Sark Portage -

Cutty Creek was one of the highlights of the trip. I had been assured that water levels on the creek would be high enough to paddle even late in a dry summer, but I'm not sure that was really true. The water was probably lower in this area than anywhere else on our trip, and if it had been any lower, we would have been slogging. But it didn't quite get that low, and it was all part of the adventure.

Day 4 - Cutty Creek below Baird Lake -

Then there was the Death March. I've been an apostle about the benefits of double portaging for several years now. I like the way it gives you a chance to enjoy the inland scene when walking back across a portage between loads. Still, I think I would have preferred to single portage across the Death March - with plenty of breaks along the way when we could have enjoyed the portage scenery. It just took too long to cross a two-mile string of portages three times. But if you pack for double portaging, you can't switch to single portaging an a whim. I'll have to think that through a little more before the next trip with really long portages.

Day 5 - Old Black Spruce Boglands Along the Death March -

In terms of tripping techniques, our most important innovation this year was a simple one: packing out toilet paper. Quetico has a problem with TP around campsites. It seems that even if you follow all the guidelines and bury it properly, animals may dig it up and you're left with white blotches littering the landscape. So for a few years now, they've been asking people to burn their TP or pack it out. We tried burning in previous years. It's not that easy. It turns out that packing the stuff out is really easy and sanitary, despite the initial ick factor. I recommend it to all you Quetico trippers. Let's keep Quetico clean and beautiful for those who follow us.

Day 6 - Darky River flowing out of Suzanette Lake -

One of the best parts of this trip was not in our original plan: the day we followed eight little-used portages from McIntyre to Gardner Bay, via First Unnamed, Second Unnamed, Earl, Ted, Milt, Newt, and Little Newt. We'd been on Ted and Earl before, but not via these portages, and the rest of the little lakes were new. On the map, it's not that far, but psychologically, this route feels like you are crossing vast uncharted territory. These portages are definitely not for everyone, but it sure was a great part of the adventure.

Day 7 - Gardner Bay after Little Newt Portage -

It was also the "trip of favorable winds" - for the first six days. The headwinds after that and the thunder storm on our last night added to the adventure.

Day 8 - Post-Storm Sunset on Moose Bay -

Exiting via the Horse River to Mudro was also a great last-minute adjustment to our plans. I love the Horse River. And going out that way instead of returning to Prairie Portage eliminated backtracking from our route. It's a long last day, though, and we should have arranged for a pickup later than 2:00.

Day 9 - Getting ready to line the last rapids going up the Horse River -

After Helen picked us up at Mudro, we headed to Ely to check into customs. It looks like Barney Fife is gone, replaced by a professional in the new ranger station, who quickly scanned our passports and sent us on our way.

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Postscript: We got to spend a week at the cabin after the trip. In addition to Helen and the dogs, a couple friends joined us with their 3-year-old daughter Ella, whom they adopted in Nepal (during a revolution no less, but that's another story). It was a great time, and I think Ella may be a budding outdoorswoman.

Ella and Ho Ho modeling the Portage Burka on North Hegman Lake -

Well, that's it for the 2008 Ho Ho and David Adventure. Thanks for following along. I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. Time to start planning for 2009!