I left my house in the Twin Cities at 2:45am. Took an hour nap while my EV charged up in Duluth. Amazingly, my Bolt was averaging 3.2 miles/kwh despite having a canoe on the roof. Did a shorter charging session and nap in Lutsen but was disappointed that the coffee shop was closed on Tuesdays. After charging to 75%, I backtracked to the Tofte ranger station to pick up my permit for Hog Creek. Rangers were warning campers to not leave packs unattended on portages due to bears in a number of areas. Glad I'm able to single portage!

I was on the water by 11am, but didn't plan to go far this first day. I waited at the short portage for a group of 3 to finish as they were returning from Perent Lake. This mini portage is very flat but rocky and had a beautiful landing on the west end. On Hog Creek, I had to get out to pull over 4 beaver dams, but was able to paddle/scoot over a few others. The creek winds around a lot and I took one brief wrong turn into a dead end due to inattention. To my credit, it appeared numerous others have made the same error. I started experimenting with leaning my Advantage solo canoe away from the turns and found that increased its responsiveness a lot. The whole creek took me about 80 minutes.

My husband, Stew, had been on Perent Lake earlier in the spring with a friend and I had laughed at his description of getting turned around on the lake. But he was right, there is something weird about navigation on Perent Lake. For an inexplicable reason, I found it visually confusing after spending so much time winding around in the creek. I was certain I had followed the east shoreline and islands far enough before turning the boat west to aim for the bay and shore with 4 campsites I planned to check out. However, the wind was deceptive, my compass kept floating away in the bilge water in the bottom of the canoe, and pretty soon I found myself completely confused. I came across a campsite, but nothing about the shoreline or compass direction matched with where I thought I should be. After scratching my head for a few minutes, I took the time to mop out the bottom of the boat so the compass would stay in place as I slowly rotated the canoe around. AH HA! I was too far south, so I rode the wind and waves across the bay and took the first site I came to.

I initially hoped to continue into the Perent River, but felt it was too late in the day to accomplish the 11-12 portages needed to reach the next possible sites. I made quick work of setting up camp and planned for an early dinner and sleep so I could start out at dawn the next morning. I would like to make up time tomorrow so no more navigation errors...that is just not like me. Also, rain is expected for 3 days starting Friday and I want to get far enough along on my route to have options as to which day to exit.

I always tether my canoe to a tree at night. [paragraph break] Beautiful start today. Saw a lot of turtles and had a trumpeter swan fly right next to me...boy are they big and noisy. The wind is keeping all the bugs away from my campsite tonight, so very pleasant. [paragraph break] Travel time: 11:00am-1:30pm (2.5 hours) Distance: 5.5 miles Places: Hog Creek, Perent Lake

First BWCA trip with my Durston X-Mid 1 tent. Other sleep gear includes Nemo Tensor insulated pad, Enlightened Equipment quilt, Nemo inflatable pillow.

Whew! This was quite a day! I was up around 5:10am, packed everything up and was on the water by 6:20am. I ate my cold soaked oatmeal in the canoe since the wind was blowing in the correct direction. Glad I started so early because the day turned very hot and sunny. I wish I had kept my journal handy during the travel hours to keep track of the numerous portages, but this is what I remember.

The first few portages were easy to find, were flat and had fantastic landings. I believe it was the 4th one had an up and a down. I also had a couple beaver dams to pull over. As the day progressed, I was extremely thankful that I travel light because it was a LOT of in & out of the canoe. Another bright side was it gave me a lot of opportunity to work on my efficiency transitioning at the start and finish of each portage. How few movements could get me out and moving?

After the initial portages, the landings started getting rougher and were harder to spot in the burn area. When I reached the 9th portage, I could not find a landing. I searched both sides of the river and even got out to walk the rocky shore in an attempt to locate it. Finally, I just lined the short section of rapids. I figured maybe that is what everybody had been doing. But then I couldn't find the 10th portage either and these rapids were much longer, shallower, and tough to navigate the boat from the shoreline. I searched and searched the shore for signs of a landing or path.

Self-doubt crept in. When you travel with a group, you have other brains to consult and compare notes. But solo, you have no one with whom to double check your decisions. Many solo travelers get into trouble when things go wrong and they fall into a pattern of confirmation bias where they are unable to recognize a problem and keep making their surroundings fit their expectation. So I stopped and thought through my options and what I knew and didn't know very carefully. First, I was on a river so chances of having taken a wrong turn were unlikely but not impossible. Could I have turned onto a "go nowhere" side creek? I studied the map and couldn't find any serious contenders for a wrong turn. Second, I was in a location where I still had a choice to go back upstream and just return to Perent Lake. I needed to be careful that I didn't travel too far into the "unknown" that I might lose that option.

After careful review of the map and carefully comparing compass readings with the shape of the pool in the river, I was as certain as I could be that I was exactly where I should be and it was the portages that were either marked wrong or were hidden by the burn area regrowth. I also determined that the next pool had a very unique shape and a bend north in the river. I set a rule for myself that if it didn't match the map, I would force myself to turn around and abort my trip. So I lined the more difficult stretch of river and was relieved that the pool matched the map exactly. AND I easily found the next portage precisely where it was marked. I still have no idea what happened to those other 2 portages. I even searched for the downstream landings to no avail. I was too tired to worry anymore about it and was just relieved that I had not made any navigation errors.

In Boga Lake, I forgot there was a 16 rod portage that bypasses Azure so I ended up lining another rapids. It looked like site #1921 might be active again, but I didn't stop to confirm. I made it to Isabella Lake by 11:30am. I passed 2 canoes as they were returning to site #2320 and stopped to chat when one woman asked about my canoe. They had explored the lake and said site #1922 looked decent, but they never found any of the others. I wasn't stopping in Isabella so I pushed on and knocked off the 28 rod and 20 rod portages easily. I saw a fire grate at site #1928 so it is active again.

I was feeling good and really cruising. I thought I could just keep going and try to get free of the burn area today, but then I messed up finding the start of the 126 rod portage. I stopped too early and followed a fake, dead end path. So make note that to find the correct path, you need to go past the first rocky shoal and then past a bay. The correct portage will be REALLY obvious and is a lovely path.

Temps had really climbed during the afternoon and I was getting overheated. I tripped on the flat path and realized I was also getting very tired so stopping at Rice Lake would be the smart choice. After my first solo trip where I took a bad fall and injured a knee, I have become much more cautious about over extending myself. On a solo trip, I am especially careful to avoid injury.

Took a bit of searching to find the site #1938 because it was further along than my Voyageur map indicated. I really didn't want to stay there because the sun was really beating down and there was no shade. I downed a recovery drink and took a swim which made me feel a lot better. I considered continuing but decided to be prudent for safety reasons. I pitched my tent next to the massive boulder in a way that the shade would start to creep over me. Normally, I am an extensive planner. I get as much joy planning the details of a trip as in taking the trip, but this trip had been different. I had struggled to find the motivation to plan it. My meals had come together at the last minute by scavenging through my camping cupboard and included leftovers from past trips or meals I purchased on a whim to test out. I didn't make my normal list of gear item weights and didn't plan out caloric intake like normal. I had just tossed stuff into my pack haphazardly based off memory and instinct. It seemed to fit my mood since quitting my job...half motivated to accomplish some neglected tasks and half "I don't give a f***". My spark feels dim and I'm hoping this trip will fan the flames a bit. My friend, Nan, said she just slept for months after she made a similar exit from the same employer. The MR150 canoe marathon earlier this month had provided some motivation, but when it was over I had to balance recovery with not becoming a total blob. Not sure I succeeded in avoiding blobness.

Upon reflection, it does feel good to be on this trip. I have to THINK. I have to stay aware of my safety, my location, my hydration and nutrition, my goals, my frustrations. There is no support crew to help me make decisions or to look out for me. It is just me. I can't afford to be mindless or lethargic.

Summer solstice today. The light does not want to leave the sky. Little black flies came out and sound like raindrops bouncing off the tent. A damselfly flew under the tent flap and munched a fly that was taking a rest break. Then, the damselfly artfully hovered down and under the bottom lip and zoomed off. Dragonflies put on an aerial show at sunset. It finally cooled off a bit and I drifted off to sleep. [paragraph break] Travel time: 6:20am-2:40pm (8.3 hours) Distance: 15 miles (15 portages) Places: Perent Lake, Perent River, Boga Lake, Azure Lake, Isabella Lake, Isabella River, Rice Lake

Today I left Rice Lake and continued on the Isabella River to Bald Eagle Lake, Gabbro and Little Gabbro. Then I traveled up the South Kawishiwi River and through Lakes 1, 2, and 3. It was a long day with a lot of portages. The 2nd portage west of Rice L. was runnable rapids as was the section by the little 8 rod portage. I timed things well today. On the water by 5:45am and made it to Bald Eagle Lake by 9:30am with little to no wind. Wind did pick up and was coming mostly out of the southwest so I felt it as I crossed some of the bays, but it didn't get stronger until I reached the Kawishiwi River. Then it was behind me and pushed me along nicely.

Once I left the emptiness of the Isabella River, I started seeing a lot more people, but they were all fishing or camped. No one else was traveling from lake to lake until farther north on the Kawishiwi River. I took a break to swim in the small waterfall along with another group. They said they had seen a lot of solo paddlers, but never a woman traveling solo. I met a couple from Tennessee and Kentucky who were on their first BWCA trip and met a group of 4 women coming from Lake 2 on the final day of their trip.

I almost got a site on Lake One, but my decision to double portage for the one and only time on this trip cost me the last site on the lake. That's okay. I downed a recovery drink and made the decision to push on. Told myself I would take the first open site I found at 4:30 or later. So I paddled through Lake Two and into Lake Three. Found an open site at exactly 4:30pm. Could not have timed it better. Long but satisfying day. I'm feeling strong though my middle back is pretty fatigued. I put on a Biofreeze patch after taking a refreshing swim. Made a mental note to get a new filter for my BeFree 1L since it was getting too slow. Unfortunately, the idiots at a next door site left their aluminum canoe sitting in the water tied to shore, and it keeps banging against the rocks making a lot of racket. Hopefully, they'll drag it ashore before night time. Lots of wildlife out and about. A beaver swam directly toward me with a curious look on his face, until he suddenly startled and slapped his tail as he dove out of sight. An adorable mink with masked marks on its face swam by and then climbed out on a nearby log. Lots of turtles as well. It is one of the things I love about solo travel. Since I'm so quiet and still at my campsites, I typically get many more wildlife encounters. [paragraph break] Travel time: 5:45am-4:30pm (10.75 hours) Distance: 30 miles (14 portages) Places: Rice Lake, Isabella River, Bald Eagle Lake, Gabbro Lake, Little Gabbro Lake, South Kawishiwi River, Kawishiwi River, Lake One, Lake Two, Lake Three

I let myself sleep in today and woke around 6am. On the water by 7 with cloudy weather that threatened rain. The wind was from the N and NE but the rain never materialized. Clouds ebbed and flowed with the sun peeking out for a bit. The smoke from Canadian wildfires was thick today. Lake 4 and the western end of Hudson were pretty full but the people thinned out a lot by the time I reached Insula. This was my first time through these lakes and I found the view along the portage from Hudson to Insula to be very beautiful though scary to think about the wildfire that created such scenic views.

I met a couple groups headed out and an Outward Bound group on day 17 of 28, but I never met a soul on a portage. Seems most people were just base camped rather than traveling. I stopped to chat with a delightful couple from Duluth who were fishing the stretch of the Kawishiwi R. just after Lake Insula. They come every year and base camp on Alice in order to fish for 2 weeks.

It has been really delightful to follow so much of the Kawishiwi River on this trip. I have a much better understanding of its wandering watershed now. The portage from the Kawishiwi R. to Malberg lake has gotten a lot worse. I paddled across the western beaver pond mid portage and then waded the eastern beaver pond (which I don't even think existed the last time I was here 2 years ago). Big pain! However, the ponds were teeming with tadpoles and lots of baby frogs were at the west end of the portage so some good comes from the beavers' engineering projects.

I camped at the same site #1056 on Malberg I used 2 years ago for my Louse River solo. Seemed like the only other people on the lake were occupying the 2 western most sites. I considered pushing all the way out tonight but common sense prevailed. I would've reached the takeout late on a Friday night, faced the 2.5 mile hike back to the car, and would most likely have nowhere to camp. It would have been unsafe to drive all the way home. Better to stop and give my body a chance to do some recovery muscle building.

My middle back (between the shoulder blades) has really been bugging me after I stop for the day. Laying and stretching on the rocks has helped. So after I stretched and snacked today, I rolled over on the rocks to take a nap. Thunder rumbled in the sky just as soon as I closed my eyes. The storm never hit me, but I used it as an excuse to tidy up around camp and get dinner in me. I had planned for a week long trip but was going to finish the route after only 4 nights so I didn't bother cooking tonight. I just wolfed down some of my extra granola.

I spent some time planning my food and nutrition for the upcoming Voyageur Border Route Challenge. Tentative ideas: Wake up = almonds and choco covered coffee beans. Breakfast on the water = smoothie. 2nd breakfast = Skep's trail mix (macadamia nuts, dried cherries, almond M&M's). Lunch = salami, cheese, energy bar. Snack = recovery drink, M&M's and almonds. Dinner = oatmeal with nuts finishing off with chocolate pudding. My plan is to have all non-cook foods so I don't bother with the added gear weight.

Reflecting on this trip, one of the most interesting things has been transitioning in and out of the burn area vs. non-burn area. Yesterday, I really noticed the smell of the trees as I re-entered the non-burn area. The scent of pines and cedars was very distinct.

With the early stop today, I spent time on a little experiment writing flash fiction or micro fiction...in other words writing a story in as few words as possible. This is a rough draft of one attempt:

Sign up, they'd said. Seemed sage advice. As the youngest of seven, not many opportunities abounded. Small and stocky stature made him the ideal voyageur. They'd neglected to mention the bloodsuckers. At the strike of dusk, winged devils descended to torture body and soul. A cacophony of high-pitched hums and constant pinprick bites. Huddled wretched and sweaty under wool, he dreamed restlessly of the blessed release paddling brings each morn. [paragraph break] Travel time: 7:00am-3:00pm (8 hours) Distance: 22 miles (9 portages) Places: Lake Three, Lake Four, Hudson Lake, Insula Lake, Kawishiwi River, Alice Lake, River Lake, Malberg Lake

Yikes! I could NOT fall asleep last night. Brain was wired and then the thunderstorm had me on edge. The tent performed well though. Even with the vents open and wind gusting like crazy during the downpour, I was dry. I really like the space in my new Durston X-Mid 1.

It stopped raining by morning and I got moving quickly because the bugs were awful! I ate breakfast out on the lake. The portages were all well traveled and pretty flat save for 1 or 2. Most landings were easy. Came across a couple beaver dams including one that required a 2 rod portage that wasn't marked on the map, but then one of the other portages that was on the map didn't exist anymore. Guessing due to the beaver moving a dam...good old beavers. You can always count on them to keep us guessing.

Once I reached the Kawishiwi Lake entry point landing, I left the canoe off to the side and started carrying my pack to the Hog Creek parking lot 2.5 miles away. However, about 15 minutes into my hike, the family I had chatted with at the landing pulled alongside and offered me a ride. Very nice couple with 2 adult sons. Apparently, I had also paddled past them as they were fishing on Kawasachong Lake earlier.

Once I had the car loaded, I was eager to get on the road thinking I would be home in time for dinner. Just a few issues would prevent that. Remember back to the beginning of this tale when I mentioned I had charged my EV to 75% capacity at the Lutsen charger? Well, I had counted on being able to top up in Lutsen again upon exiting the Sawbill Trail. However, in the 4 nights I had been on trail, that charger had gone on the fritz. Ugh, only choices were Grand Marais which was the wrong direction and Duluth which I quickly calculated was outside of my remaining battery pack capacity. I had no choice but to go out of my way to Grand Marais. Unfortunately, upon arrival in Grand Marais, I pulled into the lot just in time to see a couple in an Audi attempting to use the fast charger. So I had to plug into the level 2 unit until they were finished. They had some difficulties connecting so I helped them which paid off when they paid for my charger after I had trouble getting my card to work properly. Nice couple on their first EV road trip.

I wandered around town and got a much needed meal. Once the Audi was done, I topped up to 80% on my Chevy Bolt and headed back down the shore. I had a very strong tailwind so my range was starting to look like I might be able to make it all the way home. So I bypassed the Duluth charger (good because there was a big weekend line) and Moose Lake. Then the winds shifted, I suddenly had a head wind and saw my range start to creep down. After calling my husband to ask exactly how many miles from North Branch to our house, I realized I would have to stop in North Branch for a short charging session before making it home. Once again, someone beat me to the fast charger by moments and I was relegated to the level 2. Fortunately, I didn't need many electrons to make up the difference to get home. I used those minutes pick up a pizza at a nearby bar and use a restroom.

This trip was wonderful. It really cemented my confidence that I could do a lot of miles in a day and get up fresh the next day to do it again. It also cemented my portage technique: step out, split my double blades and bungee them into the canoe, flip the portage yoke from behind my seat to proper portage position, put on my pack after stuffing the BeFree and map into a side pocket, flip up canoe and GO. Few steps, done efficiently, less than 2 minutes at each landing. I felt ready to tackle the Border Route Challenge in September! Story to be published at some point :) [paragraph break] Travel Time: 6:00am-10:00am (4 hours) Distance: 10 miles (8 portages) Places: Malberg Lake, Koma Lake, Lake Polly, Kawasachong Lake, Square Lake, Kawishiwi Lake [paragraph break] Total trip was about 82 miles in 5 days, 4 nights (including 47 portages). Damn! I rocked this!