Yao and I get an early start. It looks like it's going to rain. Our map and Scott and Joe's overlap at this point, so there's no concern about getting separated. The bugs are bad, and I realize that we have all the bug repellent. I leave one container of dope on a rock at a protage with a note for Joe and Scott. It starts to rain at a later portage, so we hide out under a tarp, protected by trees. It comes down hard for a few minutes and passes. We are going to exit at Sawbill through the Louse River, and the boys catch up to us just before the start of the Louse River. After not having seen anyone for three days, this lake seems downright crowded.

The Louse river is tough, and the bugs are horrendous. The mosquitoes are tolerable but the ticks are everywhere, each time we end a portage we do a tick check and we all find three, four, five or more ticks each time. We go as far as we can, and camp at Post(?) Lake. We are all exhausted, but in good spirits. I could stay eight more days. Yao is ready to get back to civilization. She's been tremendous this trip, but I don't think that she'll be coming back anytime soon. She's not weak, but this trip has taken a good deal out of us all. Yao was met with shock and consternation when we told female friends about our BWCA plans. "That's really long", and "I'm sure you can do it, but ten days with three guys" were some of the things we heard. They have no idea who they are talking to. No doubt about it; this has been a heck of a trip, and Joe, Scott and I are convinced that she has set the record for the longest trip to the BWCA by a female Chinese national. Indeed, in preparation for the trip Yao looked for info, and only found one trip report from Chinese, and they didn't portage in.