Yao and I were ready yesterday, Scott was not. We planned to take the bus and meet Joe, traveling from Nebraska, at the Greyhound station in Minneapolis, but yesterday Scott told us he was not prepared at all, so he would drive Yao and I to Duluth where we would all meet. First, Scott has to get his gear from his parent's and grandparent's house. Why, you may ask, is Scott's gear in two different locations, and why isn't he prepared? These are questions only Scott can answer, and I'm not patient enough to get a straight answer, nor can I give away his email address in case you wanted to ask him yourself. Scott has a nice car, a good sense of humor, and is a great fisherman and camp cook so I'm not irritated. We meet Joe in the parking lot of Gander Mountain an hour before they close. We could all use some last minute gear, so this is a sensible meeting place. "85 dollars for a wide-brimmed hat?!? Excuse me, where is the Wal-Mart?" We sleep at a hotel in Two Harbors where I talk the proprietor down to 55 dollars for a double (30 less than the hat at Gander Mountain). Everyone is excited, even Joe who loses the coin toss and has to sleep on the floor.