Our last day is cool and cloudy. I crawl out of bed intending to visit the outhouse and go back to sleep, but hear thunder and think perhaps the wood should be moved inside the cabin. So, I'm doing that, and hubby starts mumbling some nonsense about pack up and hiking out now! Well, there is no decent coffee between us and Iron River, and this little addict is NOT waiting that long for her morning coffee..no way, no how. The secret to a long-term relationship is compromise, so this is mine....if I can have coffee, we will hike out afterwards. I make a fire and start the water going- and just as it is hot enough, the sky lets loose a deluge. We sit in the cabin drinking coffee and watching the fire being put out....it takes less than a minute. Our gear is stowed away, sleeping bags tied to our packs, and the rain has basically stopped- a good time to go. Hubby takes the packs outside, and I sweep and mop the cabin, and lock it up. The hike out seems much easier than the hike in! Before we know it, the parking lot is in sight, and we load up the car and return our keys. We drive over to Union Bay campground and shower, and decide to take another short hike through one of the older hemlock forests, on the Little Carp river Trail . The sun is peeking through the clouds as we hike, and the trees are massive. Once we get a half mile in, we don't see anymore hikers- it was pretty crowded near the trailhead. We hike about 4 miles, to Trapper Falls and head back to the car, tired and content.

The drive back passes quickly- before you know it, Superior is in sight and the hills of Duluth are rising above the lake. We pull into the driveway and unpack the car....these trips never last long enough. At least we have the BWCA to look forward to on 8/13!