Planning this trip was an adventure in itself, it started January of 2023 and was going to be a trip for myself and my two sons both in their 20’s. As luck would have it shortly after the trip was scheduled my daughter announced she was going to be giving birth to our first grandchild around the same time as our BWCA trip! Needless to say that trip was cancelled and rescheduled for September 2024, except neither one of my sons were able to go because of work schedules. This created some problems with my family because I was determined to go solo and they were all completely against it. I guess I should explain why they were all against it; I have had severe asthma for roughly 25 years now, this involves taking multiple steroids daily both in pill and inhaler forms. In 2020 I got covid and because of my asthma I was hospitalized for a while and was told to have my affairs in order because it didn’t look good for recovery. Obviously, I did recover but it did leave some lasting effects especially regarding stamina. I was able to convince my family, at least I thought, that I would be fine and that I knew my limitations and wouldn’t take any unnecessary risks that could potentially not end well. There were some stipulations; satellite phone, two separate doctor visits, family doctor and pulmonologist to get clearance from them and pre-medicating as instructed by the doctors if needed.  Getting back to the planning of the trip; over the course of several months prior to the trip I did additional research into the route and portages and gear and all of things I thought I would run into while on this trip. My trip was scheduled for a start of Sept 6, 24 and end date of Sept 10, 24 with an Entry point of Fall lake #24 and an exit of Mudro Lake. This trip was going to consist of traveling from Fall lake all the way up to Basswood Falls, from there down Horse River to Horse Lake, Tin Can Mike lake to Sandpit lake and out through Mudro lake. Working with Ely Outfitters, they were a big help, they got everything in order and were great about answering all my questions. I have been doing just leisurely day canoeing trips for years so I figured I was more than comfortable with the canoeing part but the portages were something I had never had to do, but being a stubborn 55 year old man that still thinks he is capable of doing things he has never done before I didn’t do any type of training or conditioning prior to my trip, big mistake! Day one of the trip started off great, it was a nice cool morning in the 60’s just a nice little light fog on Fall lake, just overall a beautiful day filled with high hopes and enthusiasm. After getting loaded up with all the gear and everything into the canoe I made a short video and facetimed my wife since I still had some good reception and then set out into the lake. After a fairly short period of paddling I reached my first portage, which from the map and my research was an easy short portage around Newton Falls. As I unloaded my gear and took the canoe out of the water, I noticed a couple of other canoes coming my way, so I moved everything off to the side to make room for others. Being full of energy and excitement and it being an easy portage I decided to carry two bags at a time so I wouldn’t have to make so many trips back and forth. I saved the canoe for last because to be honest I had never had to carry a canoe on my shoulders like that before and I was a little nervous. So on my third trip, two bags at a time for the first two trips (yes I had a total of four big bags) I picked up the canoe and made my way down the path. It turned out to be pretty easy carrying the canoe, it laid on my shoulders pretty comfortable and really wasn’t that hard to balance or anything. So having my first portage complete I was feeling pretty good, a little tired but still plenty of energy and excitement. As I made my way through Newton lake I was really taken in by the beauty and solitude of the BWCA, although I had seen people at the Newton Falls portage they were gone quickly on their own routes and I found myself alone and it was very peaceful. Paddling through Newton lake I was a little surprised at how easy it was to navigate with the map and the geography and with in a couple of hours or so I found myself arriving at the next portage next to Pipestone Falls. By this time I thought I might as well have a little lunch before starting the portage so after unloading everything and getting the canoe and all my gear out of the way I sat and had a little lunch. While I was eating I noticed several canoes coming my way and also had several groups coming from the opposite way on the trail heading into Newton lake. Everyone seemed in good spirits and high energy except for one group of four older guys heading into Newton Lake. Talking to several people while sitting there it seemed most of the groups were just getting started on their trip just like me, the group of older guys (probably the same age as me) had been out for a week and were the only group heading back in and they definitely had a more tired look to them. I finished lunch and started carrying my gear over and quickly realized this portage was a little different. Not difficult, just a little longer and a little more of a hill, so carrying two bags at a time only lasted for one trip, so this portage took just a little longer because instead of two and half trips it was three and a half trips to get everything over. So after getting everything over and loaded up I set out on the water with a campsite in mind to get to since I heard some campsites get taken pretty quick.  I ended up at campsite #6 which by the time I got everything unloaded and taken up the small hill to the site I was exhausted. It was a nice campsite, not completely level but it worked out really well. So, the end of day one, I was tired, my back and shoulders were sore but I felt pretty good, I still had reception on my phone so talking to the family was nice to end the day. Laying in the tent I started wondering if maybe I bit off more that I could chew with the five days, and after talking to my wife and studying the map I decided to take a shorter route and cut my trip down to three days instead of five. Not sleeping but a couple of hours and waking up to 30-degree temperatures I was ready for some coffee, as I walked down to the lake to get some water the cold air started to affect my breathing and I started to wheeze, nothing major just when I would try and take a deep breath. Using my inhaler and trying to remain calm I couldn’t help but let that tiny bit of panic creep in and started thinking about going into an asthma attack in the middle of nowhere and what would happen, this solidified my decision to take the short cut. Day two started off with a little wheezing, a little panic and the decision to shorten the trip by a couple of day along with heavy fog. Waiting for the fog to clear I made some breakfast, cleaned everything up and started breaking down camp. After the fog finally cleared up around 9am I got out on the water shortly after that and started the day. I made my way around Caribou Point and past Gary and New York island and went into a small lake off to the side right before Lewis Narrows. After going through this small lake I came to first portage of the day that would take me over to Jackfish Lake. Since I didn’t really know what this portage would be like I decided to take the canoe first this time. This was by far a more difficult and longer portage than I had the previous day, the path was rocky and very uneven, narrow, hilly and just overall difficult. I got the canoe over and started back for the gear, I am not sure if I was just tired from not sleeping or just fat and out of shape but my energy level was already gone just from taking the canoe. Getting back to the gear I decided to just take one bag at a time, one because I was tired and two the path was so uneven I didn’t want to risk twisting an ankle. This portage ended up taking me five trips which was way too long and tiring but did again confirm my decision to cut the trip short. Getting into Jackfish Lake and already being tired the paddling into the wind seemed a lot harder than it actually was. I decided to try and camp at the end of the lake before heading into the creek that would take me to Sandpit Lake but when I got to where I thought the campsite was, there was nothing there. Not wanting to waste any more time looking for the campsite and because it was getting late in the afternoon, I didn’t want to risk being on the lake at night trying to find a place I decided to head into the creek to Sandpit hoping the one campsite would be available. The water level in the creek was really low and most of the time I used the oar as a pole to push myself along because it was either too narrow or shallow to paddle. The creek was which I use that term loosely because to me it seemed like just a swamp with a very narrow winding path proved very difficult to get through. I had to go over 4 beaver damns, several shallow spots where I had to get out and pull the canoe through and then suddenly the creek seemed to come to a dead end. The map online shows that this spot as a short portage because of rapids, the paper map did not show this so of course being tired, running out of patience navigating the swamp I was not happy and shouted some choice words at no one except myself. So once again I had to unload everything carry everything around the small section of rapids and back to the creek. Thinking that I was very close to Sandpit Lake, because it looked like it on the map I started to relax. This was very brief because instead of the creek just going straight it winded around even more with several shallow spots to pull the canoe through and two more beaver dams to cross along with slipping and going into the mud up to my hip and of course getting eaten alive by bugs the frustration was at its max! Finally making it through the swamp from hell (what I have named it) and into Sandpit Lake I could see the campsite across the lake and felt a small bit of relief that the day was almost over. Getting to the campsite I got everything unloaded and started setting up camp, which took a lot less time than the night before. This campsite was great, nice rocky area for a fire and plenty of spots to sit and cook at plus a nice flat grassy area for the tent, the only negative was there were a lot more bugs at this campsite than the previous. After setting up camp, I was stretching my back out and when I bent over I noticed something on the ground, at first I thought it was a spoon from a fishing lure but when I picked it up I realized it was an earing with the tree of life on it. I know this may sound weird but after deciding to take the short cut and taking the awful portage and going through the swamp from hell I felt so defeated, weak, old and dead tired I took finding this earing with the tree of life as a sign that I was still alive and able to do this!  Day three started off with only getting a couple of hours of sleep again and the need for some coffee and breakfast, so after eating some really bad sausage gravy and coffee I cleaned everything up and packed up camp. I knew I only had a short distance to paddle before coming to the portage that I was really dreading but then before I got there I noticed another canoe heading into Sandpit. After saying good morning and some other short comments I asked them how difficult the portage was, to my surprise they said it wasn’t bad at all, it was dry and not too difficult. So as I continued paddling I of course was talking to myself telling myself that I built it up in my head and was making it way worse than I thought, I even got a little smile of hopefulness that it wasn’t going to be that bad. WRONG!!! I unloaded the canoe and looked at the trail which from what I could see wasn’t bad so I decided to take two bags at the same time, that quickly ended because the trail took a turn for the worse and started to climb. I put one of the bags down off the side of the trail and continued on with just one bag, after climbing for a bit I had to stop to take a break and then again and again, four times I had to stop because it was a steep rocky hill that never seemed to end! Of course I was cussing the two guys that said it wasn’t bad, but of course coming from Mudro to Sandpit the majority of the portage was downhill. After my second trip I was taking a break at the Mudro side when a solo canoe came up, we started talking and even though the inhaler in my hand gave it away he could tell that I was already wiped out and offered to bring a bag back for me which I told him thanks but I could get it. I went back for a third trip and another bag and again had to take several breaks before getting to the top. On my fourth trip I had one bag left and the canoe still and was I dreading taking the canoe, as I was taking another break the solo guy from Iowa came down with his canoe and again asked if I needed help as reluctant as I was afraid of looking weak I said yeas and thank you and was extremely relieved that he was taking the canoe up that hill for me. He did tell me something very interesting and again a little weird Iowa guy tells me that he should have been way past that point that morning but he was having trouble with his GPS and was running late. He told that if that hadn’t of happened then he would have been long gone and wouldn’t have been able to help me and it was Karma or fate or whatever you want to call it, I call it incredible because I was struggling with that hill and gear! When the portage was finally over which I came to understand it was called Heart attack hill, rightly named, I sat at Mudro Lake just looking at the last lake between me and my truck! Looking at the map I had to go the length of Mudro, then a small stream or creek that I was sure was probably like the swamp from hell then I hoped a short portage to the truck. I was partially correct, the lake was an easy paddle the creek was what I expected, a lot of dragging and pushing and pulling but the last portage was a lot longer than I expected because the water was so low. All I could think of was that I that I was almost finished! So I went back to two bags at a time and got them to the truck, went back for the canoe and got it to the truck but along the way two older guys (again probably the same age as me) asked if they could help but again I told them thanks but I could get it. I got the canoe to the truck and started back, about halfway back the two older guys were walking towards me carrying the last two bags! I was so thankful and relieved, I took the bags the rest of the way to the truck. This trip was a combination of adventure, torture, happy, lonely, and any other adjective you can think of, it was probably one of the most physical things I have ever done and I cant wait to go back, just not a solo trip!! I am already planning another trip in the future and I think I will take most of my own gear and pack a lot less this next time around!