Friday, August 25, 2017 Beautiful, sunny, calm winds woke up at 8:00. We read some from our book it was chilly out. We both wore wool socks last night, felt great. We ate Sausage and biscuits and gravy. Then began packing up and repacking, folding and wondering where did we have all this stuff? This went on and on. We took our time talking to another canoer’s as they came by. Several in each group at least 3 groups of other canoes. Some starting out for the day and others had spent 3 days out on Long Island Lake. We were loaded and ready to leave by noon, like I said we were not in a hurry. We had planned to go as far as Cross Bay and leave the rest of the way out on Saturday. We seemed to find our way easier, it also helped it wasn’t as hot as the day we came in. We each had a smile on our face & hearts happy knowing we had accomplished much. We had a little trouble finding portage for Rib Lake from Lower George. We got to Rib Lake portage before we ran into other canoers on the portages. We did run into 3 other groups at the same portage, 2 headed to Long Island and one group of 4 women headed to Frost Lake. Dan showed one group on the map how to get to Long Island without doing the portage into it. Dan told them about our campsite and showed them where it was on the map, we also told them about the nudist across from us, the guy asked if it was a man or a woman? Told him it was a man and he was bummed. We laughed! We planned to stay at Cross bay campsite, we did eat lunch there again, but the other groups on their way in had commented about the rain coming in on Saturday all day. We decided to eat lunch there and head out while it was nice and everything was dry. I love this campsite on Cross Bay it is up on a huge rock, the whole camp is just one adventure after another. I had a little cry session at this camp trying to get out of the canoe on a wet sloped rock. It scares me to step out of the canoe on a sloped rock, I cried but made it. Dan is good about bringing the canoe in to land on rocks to keep our feet as dry as possible. It was 2:30 or 3:00 we decided to move on. The portages from Cross Bay on to the landing at area 50 are tough. Lots of huge rocks at either end. Steep climbs. I was thankful we made it thru with no falls or broken ankles. There were a lot of campers on Ham Lake enjoying the day. There are beautiful water falls at many of the portages in & out. Dan fished a little at the portage between Lower George & Rib Lake. Something bit his line right off. Exciting! We enjoyed the rest of the day with Sunshine. We arrived at our take out at 6:00 p.m.. Sad and glad at the same time. Dan does an amazing job of one footing it carrying a canoe on his head. I fall and stumble all over with clear view and both hands free. He can balance and jump from rock to rock. Now mind you he is 63 and in good shape. I need to shed 50 lbs., it would make it much easier. We were both so proud of Lilly, she did an amazing job portaging an carry her own backpack with her food. She would step where Dan pointed and get in and out of the canoe very gentle, except for her exit when she was being attacked by a big Northern.

Dan and I both agree the first trip in 2013 was special because it was the first one, but this trip was better than the other two. We loaded all our stuff in the truck & put the canoe on & away we went. Something different is we got a cooler that is to keep ice for 5 days. We left pop, and a variety of things in the cooler in our truck with milk jugs frozen we left Nebraska on Friday August 18th and when we got to our truck on August 26th there was still ice in our jugs and the pop was very cold. We were able to enjoy cold pop all the way back to Nebraska. We stopped for supper at Trails Center on the Gunflint trail. Now remember we hadn’t showered since Friday a week ago. Dan says it doesn’t matter they are used to this. We had to wait 20 minutes but it was well worth it. We both had cheeseburger plates and Ice water it was wonderful! We both drank and drank the ice water. I really miss ice. A neat place to look around. We then headed to East Bear Skin Lake to see if we could camp for the night, we found a site much better than the week before. No bugs or ants. It was 9:00 p.m. We put up our tent and went to bed.