As much as we enjoy the time in the BW we also enjoy going home. We are up and away from camp quickly. L had miscounted the oatmeal when packing so our last breakfast is trail mix and dried apricots. The portage to Snowbank is easily dispatched. Snowbank is like a table and we are off the lake and packing vehicles by 9:00AM. Showers are taken at Red Rock and we hit Judy’s in Two Harbors for lunch.

After lunch the gang splits up. L and T head for the Twin Cities. C, E, J, and K are off to central Wisconsin with a quick detour through the Duluth Pack store.

We roll into my driveway around 5:30 PM.

Summation: -Wetfooting is the way I will go from now on. -I much prefer cooler temps; highs in the low 60’s is perfect. -The Eureka Tetragon 9 held up very well to the wind and rain. IMHO, the perfect size   for two adults and gear. -Even though I do not go for the fishing, fried walleye beats PBJ’s every time. -As petty as it seems, the occasional float plane overhead and the SPOT device detracted from the experience. -By dipping my drinking water from the lakes it was easier to stay hydrated (that can become a serious issue for me). -All my gear, including a 12# tent, weighed about 40#. So how come at portage time, after my first trip with the canoe and my daypack, I usually ended up with the gear pack that has the green suitcase in it with those hard corners? -No matter how laid back my brothers and I usually are, portages always seem like a competition. -E, T and J all had hiking backpacks. Canoe packs work so much better when loading and unloading at portages.