We were up for the dawn on this last day, with a temperature of 51 degrees at 6 AM. The squirrels chattering and a loon calling on the lake; these are the sounds I will remember from this morning.

We had a leisurely breakfast of oatmeal with blueberries, MH scrambled egg with bacon mix (good, but not as good as the Denver Omelet.) We lingered over hot chocolate and coffee, and then packed up for our return to what most people call "civilization".

As we started out on the water at 9:15, the little squirrel came to say good- bye. The sun was warming up the air, and there was a stiff breeze. It seems to have been the morning pattern. The weather conditions for this trip, our first in September, were just about perfect, and we were thankful for that.

I wandered around on the landing and photographed a group of ducks while Neil loaded up the car and tied on the canoe. I talked with several people from the other parties who were at the landing, and all coming in agreed that the weather had been wonderful. One lady said it was her first trip, so I asked, "Did you enjoy it?" She responded, "Yes, but I wouldn't have if it had rained and been cold." Fine sentiments for ending your first trip, but as I think back to cold and rainy days on many trips, I must say that going to the Boundary Waters is worth the discomfort, and at that moment I was just hoping and praying that we would return, no matter what the weather!

We were back on the Fernberg Trail at 11:00. We had noticed as we came back out at the end of the trip that the trees were showing more color than at the beginning. This was dramatically evident on the road, where small maples were showing their splashes of bright red.

We checked into a room at the Super 8, had lunch at The Moose, and headed to the clinic at the hospital in Ely. I saw a doctor, had blood tests and a CAT scan (with contrast), and we went to the motel for a nap. At suppertime we went to Journey's End Café, then back to the motel where I downloaded images before we got some sleep.

Epilogue

I was up early the next morning and finished downloading the photos. We had continental breakfast at the motel, and drove to the ranger station at the Ely Wolf Center, where we unloaded our trash and I spoke with the Ranger about the Fire Lake fire. He told me that the fire was one acre or less, and that they always have to monitor from the air for fires after a lightning storm. He said the storm on Day 2 had over 3500 ground strikes, and they can figure that about 10% of them will start fires smoldering in the duff. They either self- extinguish, or they can smolder as long as two weeks before starting a fire above ground. Interesting.

I also asked about the snake and he told me that the only snake in the BWCA is the garter snake. We had seen three on this trip, one on a portage and two swimming in the lakes.

What about the head pain?

The trip home included another severe episode of head pain, this time at the Holiday Inn. I have followed up with my doctor in Michigan and have had an MRI. The head pain has been puzzling and has subsided somewhat with a change in blood pressure medication, but not completely. I have a neurological consult in a couple weeks and hope to know more then.

We have always said that we will continue canoe-tripping as long as we are able, and we realize that we will have more challenges each year, given our age and our general health. We still hope to be canoeing into our 70's. It certainly was easier when we were young and strong, but the satisfaction of the memories and the photos we bring back remind us every day that it is worth the effort!