After a fitful 4 hours of sleep in my truck, I head to the Kwik Trip for coffee and breakfast of a ham, egg, and cheese croissant. I am limping rather badly as I head to the cash register and pay. It is now nothing but 11 hours of driving with a couple of stops for gas… I pass out of Minnesota, stop at Des Moine for gas, then on to Peculiar MO to finish filling up the tank so I will not have to stop again… I pull into home at 2:45 pm. 11 hours and 15 minutes, I go into the house where I am greeted by my youngest son. I then head to the clinic… there is no pain now the foot is swollen so much, top, bottom and sides. I greet my wife with a kiss, and the camera to show her the pictures I have taken. She guides me to the x-ray room where they take several x-rays and then to a small room to await the doctor. He looks at the x-rays and tells me there is no clean break, but the foot is red and feverish with possible infection. He tells me he is going to treat it as a stress fracture and gives me the biggest walking boot I have ever seen to wear until next week when he will check it again… I kiss my wife goodbye and head home to rest! My solo is over…

While this trip was filled with unexpected problems it was an enjoyable time for me. The fear of being alone never came to haunt me although I daily missed my wife and family and wished they were there to share my experience. All of my gear worked great! Although I brought too much… next time no depth finder… fish current!! My meals were great! My biggest pleasure was the Beavertail paddle I bought, it was great and easy to paddle with even in shallow water. There were basically no bugs on this trip or at least I was not bothered by them. The weather was perfect!! Rain is going to happen… you deal with it and go on. Perhaps the best part of the trip was the friendship I made with Monte and Amber from Brainerd, they helped make my trip enjoyable. And finally getting to meet my friends at Bottle Portage, to put a face with a name and shake their hand was priceless… I know that while I may never do another solo, I have done it now! And next year when I head north it will be to share the experiences with my family which I love so much!  I also have a feeling that we will all meet again in the place I love, the BWCAW.

I know this has been long and I appreciate those of you who bore through it to the end with me and shared my journey!

Bruce