Of course there is a light rain as we begin tearing down, which continues on & off throughout our journey back to Tuscarora Lodge. Once we leave the wilderness the last few portages seem more cumbersome than they should. I don't know maybe there really is something magical that happens when crossing that imaginary line? After arriving back at the lodge, our hearts sink when Andy tells us that they're out of propane (no hot water for showers). The continual cold & dampness we experienced throughout this trip have put a hot shower much higher on the priority list than usual. Gratitude isn't a big enough word to describe how we feel after Andy allows us to use the staff showers. So even though the owners have changed since last year, the great customer service continues on. A stop at Trail Center for food & then we're on our way home.

I can't recall a recent trip where the bugs were consistently so bad. Nor where the weather was as cold & rainy for so long. Bad site on Banadad. But, that's why I titled the trip the way I did; because the people I spent this time with make it enjoyable regardless of how crummy the conditions are. Even though we had to deal with all these obstacles I still confidently claim that we had a very good trip. (of course it could've been better - taking these things away) :) This was a challenging route (by BWCAW standards) that provided what we were looking for in solitude, scenery & special moments. In particular, further exploration on Rush Lake is what may eventually draw us back to this area.

Our new gear served us well. I've already spoken of Vickie's Old Scout reflector oven. We all also brought new Helinox chairs. The pack-ability of these very light weight, yet sturdy chairs make them indispensible. New CCS packs for Aurora &myself also lived up to their rugged reputation. Also, a few Camp Chow desserts that we tried were pretty decent.

Cross Bay Lake, Ham Lake