Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me! I was out of the tent by 5:10am and had planned a quick pack up so I could get to Brule before any wind kicked up. By 6:05, everything was ready to put in the packs. It started to mist so I quickly stuffed it all in the packs. I finished just in time, because it started to pour and I heard some distant thunder. Since I had planned a no-cook breakfast (PB, chocolate, banana smoothie), I decided to mix it up while I waited for the thunder to pass. The wind started churning up white caps, so much for beating the wind on Brule.

The thunder was very distant and very, very intermittent so I decided to scoot right along the shore to the portage because it was super close to the campsite. At least then I could get the portage done and evaluate the state of the wind on Brule. The portage was straight up, so I was really glad I had stopped on Vernon the night before. I never heard anymore thunder. The wind and rain were dying down by the time I reached Brule so I headed out.

I followed the channel between the islands and the north shore so that I benefited from some protection from the south wind. There were no whitecaps anymore and the wind/waves were well within my capabilities. I passed only 3 occupied campsites and no one else was out paddling.

The portages between the Cone Lakes were uneventful. I never met a soul and none of those campsites were occupied. I started to feel like I had the whole BWCA to myself. I had a shore lunch just before I entered North Cone Lake. Hummus, carrots, coconut almonds. I saved some almonds, chocolate bar, and dried apricots for a snack later.

The 178 rod portage from North Cone to Davis is where it all started to go wrong. It is a very rocky and muddy portage, and the rain had made it extra slippery. While carrying the packs, I had my 1st fall of the trip. I stepped into some mud, my left foot slid out from under me, and rocks were blocking my right foot from shooting out to catch my balance. I slammed into the rocks on my right, and my right arm sunk into the next mud hole over. Obviously, I had to swear loudly, because studies have shown that swearing helps decrease pain (I always knew there was a positive use for swearing...lol). I evaluated the damage and was relieved that it was just a shin scraped on the rocks. I felt a bit silly, and I continued warily.

Apparently not warily enough. Awhile later, I was traversing a series of sloped boulders on a hillside. Suddenly my right foot slipped downslope. My left came twisting around for balance, but I was falling too fast. I slammed down the slope with my left knee and ankle crammed up tight under the weight of my body. OUCH! I didn't feel any pop in my ankle, but I sensed I had at least strained something. I decided to switch to triple portaging the remainder of this one.

I felt okay. I went back for the canoe and went very slowly with it. My left calf muscle had a balled up cramp in it, but otherwise I felt unscathed for the moment. Fortunately, I had planned to stay on Davis and the 1st site was unoccupied. Turned out, I had another lake all to myself. This campsite is very spacious with huge stretches of rock, good swimming, and nice tent pads. Cooking area is very exposed, but the weather was nice. Light south breeze kept the bugs away. I named this campsite "Moose Turd Pie" in honor of the Utah Phillips story, because the path to the thunder box was all moose turds. There were abundant blueberry bushes (not ripe yet) and a few highbush cranberry bushes (delish!).

Soon after setting up camp and making a quick cup of broccoli cheese soup with Parmesan cheese crisps, my ankle started to really hurt and my knee stiffened up due to swelling. I rubbed on some arnica, put on my ankle brace, swallowed some ibuprofen, and took a nap. When I got up, I took some Tylenol and started making dinner.

Wow! Best trail pizza I have made since my long tripping days. I made a wetter than normal crust (almost like pancake batter) and poured it into a very oily pan. I rehydrated pizza sauce, mushrooms, onions, and bell peppers. I added green olives, Kalamata olives, sundried tomatoes, pepperoni, and cheese. Perfect top fire and bottom fire. I had eaten like a hobbit today, so I didn't have enough room in my stomach to bother cooking my birthday cupcake.

All in all, a day mixed with pluses and minuses. Too hot to sleep, but too hard to walk to the lake with my ankle and knee pain. A bit worried about tomorrow.

~Vernon Lake, Brule Lake, South Cone Lake, Middle Cone Lake, North Cone Lake, Davis Lake

Portages: 49 rod, 30 rod, 25 rod, 5 rod, 178 rod

Miles: 9.5