I'm up before sunrise again, I'm not sleeping well. Perhaps so much time lounging in the hammock has made me less tired than I should be, but a new sleeping pad is on my list of upgrades.

I turn on the radio to hear today's forecast, and an alarming weather report is playing. Serious thunderstorms and strong winds are on the way, they should be hitting any moment. Bummer. I get up and make breakfast, pondering the day trip to Phoebe I had been planning. can I fit it in before the storms hit? The skies are dark, severe weather seems imminent. Once the rain hits, it's not supposed to let up until well after I'm due to leave. I decide that I've already gotten what I came for, adding 2 more days really wouldn't be a benefit if they're cold, dark, and wet. I decide to break camp and head home while I can still consider the trip a great success. I pack up camp quickly to beat the incoming rain, and load up the gear into the kayak for the trip back.

The lake is windy and a bit rough, but the kayak is steadfast.

I reach the portage and begin to unload the gear. As if a lightswitch had been flipped, the skies instantly cleared. The sun was shining, and it was warming up. What cruel joke is this? I'm forced to ponder my options once again. I decide that even if it's nice, I'm still quite ok with the trip as it currently stands. I will not feel cheated out of the additional days, and some fast food on the drive home was sounding quite appealing. I load the gear back into the boat and begin the paddle back to the car.

I didn't make it very far. The change in the weather was stunning. Where it was dark and gloomy just minutes earlier, it was now clear and warm. I just sat in the lake pondering. I turned the bow towards the south, towards the road home. I began to paddle.

No. This would not do. I pulled a fast 180 degree and began heading north. There were some nice campsites on the north part of the lake, if nothing else, I would have lunch on the water, and then I could decide whether to stay or go. A great thing I've discovered about traveling solo is that you can change your mind as often as you like, and no one will complain. :) I found a great empty campsite and set up the hammock. I filtered a bit of water and had a great lunch while enjoying a wonderful view. After lunch I spent several hours exploring and taking pictures in the area near camp, then lounging in the hammock enjoying what had turned out to be another beautiful day.

The sun was starting to approach the horizon and I had to make the decision whether to set up camp, or head home. One of my purposes for this trip was to make up for my last trip where we had rain every day, so I was extra sensitive about bad weather. As I was trying to decide, the forecast contained more gloom and doom, and the skies started filling once again with clouds. I decided it would be greedy to expect, or ask for anything more than I'd been given.

As I paddled back to the EP, I caught myself thinking that the trip was absolutely perfect, with not a single problem worth worrying about. I wondered if I had jinxed myself to falling out of the boat or crashing my truck by tempting fate with that thought, but couldn't help it, this had been one of the best trips of my life. If there is such a thing as a perfect trip, this one would qualify.

On the way home, from Duluth to the cities I ended up driving through one of the most severe thunderstorms I've seen this season. The drive wasn't the most fun, but even if it was much worse, it would still be worth it.

I can't wait for next season.