Friday, July 29, 2022 Up at 5:30 am to clear skies - breakfast of oatmeal and then packing up for the last time. It is always nice to pack up dry! Before launching we picked up trash at the site from previous campers - we were told there were more bears around this area. Hang your food! It was sad to leave this bit of paradise, but a nice day to paddle. The very short portage to Caribou was easy, and Caribou is a truly beautiful lake with nice sites. We didn’t talk much nearing the end of this trip, just paddled on reflecting on the week with gratefulness. As we neared the portage to Clearwater there was a family of loons calling and a bald eagle graced us with a low flyover, landing in a tree to give us a final view. As Daniel said, what an exit for us! The portage to Clearwater is long and tough, so be prepared. We stayed to the right and then paddled our final leg to the lodge. I cannot convey how wonderful, hard, and meaningful this trip to the North Woods was for us. The BWCA demands respect, but is worth the trouble to get a permit, make plans for transportation and lodging, and complete the adventure. We hope to return again, and I hope this remains a true wilderness for many years.