Forecast: Sunny, high of 75° Low of 54°

Lakes: (Day Tripping) Adams, Beaver, Trapline, Kawishiwi River

Total Miles Traveled: 15.1 (round Trip)

I get up around 7 and again bring out the fresh eggs and hash browns (with Tabasco of course). I then hear some noise from across the lakes and soon realize its wolf pups at play, too cool. Then it sounds like Mom put an end to the play.

We pack up a small food pack and head out for our day trip. Our goal is to head back down to Beaver, Trapline and to the Kawishiwi and then turn East and head towards Pan Lake to explore that area. The waters are calm. We decided to take the 90r portage we had avoided the day before and find it very easy. Then again we didn’t have any packs! We come across the group from the night before they were a group of 1 Adult male, 2 Adult Females and 5 teenage girls who are on day 16 of 22. I had to think about that one for a minute. 3 weeks! I wish I could get 2 in! It turns out they are an outreach group of at risk teen girls from all over the country. We ask the guy if they are having fun and he admits “they are, they just don’t know it” Kudos to those leaders who take on the responsibility of such a group.

We talk with them for a bit, one of the Female leaders asks us if we could hear them last night, I said only a couple of times, nothing bad. Then she tells them “See you ruined their experience.” I was a little taken aback from this. I felt bad for them and told her didn’t bother us at all. We aren’t old and cranky. But she wasn’t convinced. I hope she didn’t come down to hard after we left.

We trek our way down the same route we came from the yesterday till we get to the Kawishiwi. We then head east and enjoy this beautiful area. Can only recall seeing 1 group the whole time we were out there.

About 12:30 the winds start to pick up behind us and we stop at the last camp site before Kivaniva Lake to have lunch. We realize the trip back is going to be a long trip back because of the wind which seems to be picking up even more. We abandon our plan to go to Pan Lake and start the trek back to our site on Adams.

The wind is really moving against us now as we head west. I start to see white caps on the water. With 3 of us paddling we make some headway hitting about 2.8 MPH. In some spots it barley seems like we are moving at all. We get to the point where the river heads north to Trapline and we see 3 guys in an aluminum canoe ahead of us paddle up and get pushed back out. They try again and get pushed back out.

We go for it and make it through, but that was hard paddling and we were only moving about 1.6 MPH. We finally make it up to Trapline and are relieved that its narrow width and blanket of lily pads keep the water calmer. We hit Beaver and more of the same fighting the wind. We push on and make it back to our site on Adams. We were quite satisfied that we had the metal to fight out the wind like we did. We take a late afternoon swim and then dry out. I pull out the Ritz crackers and sliced pepperoni. Bill’s night to make dinner and out comes the Mountain House Turkey Tetrazzini. It wasn’t bad but I tell them guys next year the dinner you prepare has to have at least one time be of something other than Mountain House. They grudgingly agree so we shall see.

We play some Gin Rummy but the mosquito’s have been given clearance for take-off at 9:30 for the evenings sorties, (seems like Bill was the target!). So he heads for cover. Paul and I move down to the rocks on the shore and stare at the night sky.

Lying on my back I saw at least 5 shooting stars and 4 satellites in orbit moving through the sky. I have to tell you I felt like the stars were all around me, felt like I was in a 3D movie. We could see the nebula dust also. It was one of the most incredible nights I can recall in all of my trips. Finally went to bed, but with the clear night came the cold and bundled up in my bag and fell asleep.