Monday, June 06, 2011 - My Drive to LaTourell's.
I went to sleep early evening so that I could wake up and leave in the weeee hours of the morning. I started driving at 1:10 am, driving from St Louis through Rockford, Madison, Eau Claire, Duluth and Two Harbors before reaching Ely and then on to LaTourell's. I was a little early getting there, so at 3:30 pm I was doing a litle "scouting" up the Echo Trail for my next trip to EP 23. I found the Fenske area, and then headed on to LaTourell's to check in and take care of things. Bob greeted me and was doing his usual busy chores with groups. He sold me a fishing license and took care of my paper work for my permit, then introduced me to my new canoe, which I promptly took out for a short paddle. With a 30 liter dry bag of water BDB'd to the front end (really the back end), I could paddle very nicely sitting in the front seat facing backwards. When I returned, I had time to sit out on the boat ramp and start reading "Follow the River." An hour later it was getting dark and chilly, so I checked my gear one last time and hit the sack in their bunkhouse.