•We had a very short paddle to the Birch/Sucker portage. Barely long enough to get the blood flowing. •We saw at least two bald eagles during our morning paddle. As an aside, I don’t think I’ve ever seen as many eagles and loons as I did during this 3 day trip. Part of this may have been that since we base camped, we were seeing the same birds over and over again, but in any event, it was a treat to observe both birds’ behaviors for such extended periods of time. •At the Birch/Sucker portage, we were met by a couple that we had seen a few days earlier while heading out of Prairie Portage. We chatted with them shortly before their tow arrived. Our tow came a few minutes later. •After a quick shower, we were on the road to Ely by 11:15am. •Lunch at the Culvers in Superior was absolute euphoria. With all of the “gourmet” burger joints in Chicago, in my opinion, Culver’s deluxe double butter burger competes with the best of them. •We were back at my place in Chicago by 9:45pm. •Dad had time to do a quick load of laundry before he caught his flight to St. Louis the next morning.

Special thanks to BKBlair for the info he provided ahead of time. It definitely made this short trip more enjoyable. Very much appreciated!!