After a short stop at Grand Marais for shopping, we traveled to Ely, shopped there just a bit, and had our lunch at the Chocolate Moose. Then we drove out to Little Long Lake to spend the rest of the day and the night with Ray, Sue and Sarah Replogle. Their log cabin is going to be very nice when finished, and Sarah is so cute! We had a lovely dinner, topped off with smores at the campfire. Doug and Jean Bobo and their son and family came by in the evening for a visit. [Ray was a fellow camp counselor with Neil at Camp Easton for Boys on Little Long Lake back in 1965 and 1967. Doug and Jean were the owners and operators of the camp.]

We were on our way after breakfast the next day. We stopped in Tower/Soudan and toured the mine.

Next stop: Lake Ossawinnamakee near Pequot Lakes, to visit with our good friends Jack and Mary Swanstrom (friends from church days in Morton, Illinois.) We enjoyed our traditional pontoon boat ride around the lake, followed by a lovely dinner. And again, we left after breakfast the next morning.

On to Minneapolis, to check in at the Comfort Inn. We went to see our dear friends Paul and Merodie Nielsen in the late afternoon, and enjoyed Italian food "out" with their family. Paul and Merodie are the ones who always kept our two children while we went canoe-tripping. [Any trip we make to Minnesota always includes a visit with them--even in current times.]

Then on to Madison, Wisconsin where I celebrated my birthday with a free dinner at Denny's. The next day we headed for my childhood hometown, White Pigeon, Michigan, and celebrated again with my parents at the Golden Buddha Restaurant in Sturgis.

Finally we were back home on Sunday. Ed was proud that he had everything neat and tidy, and he had even frozen the green peas from the garden--43 bags of them!! I was SO impressed! A nice way to arrive home.

We had been gone for a month and loved it! Even though it wasn't quite the trip we originally planned, and the weather could have been better, still it was the time of our lives!

That autumn Spartan1 began to experience severe anemia and elevated blood pressure, so he was referred to a nephrologist who diagnosed kidney disease. Over the next 16 years we endured the kidney diet and the restrictions on sodium, potassium, and protein presented a challenge for canoe-trip menus. He began peritoneal dialysis shortly after our canoe trip in 2007, and then in 2009 he received a kidney transplant with a living donor (our daughter's mother-in-law.) We continued canoe-tripping until 2012 when my mobility issues made it too difficult.

REFLECTIONS:

It is nice to be out long enough to lose your aches and pains, and to really feel your body adjust to the relaxed and more daylight-oriented rhythm.

It is also interesting to see the seasons begin to change. We could particularly notice this in the bunchberries, a tiny wildflower of the dogwood family, which was at its peak in mid-June and losing its little white blooms by early July.

Advantages of an earlier trip:

Campsites cleaner.

Things less trampled.

Fewer people are out (or was this the difference between Ely area and GM?)

The biffy is much cleaner and smells better. [Better? Smells less horrific.]

Wildflowers are spectacular.

Love the butterflies.

Wildlife may be less "spooked" by people.

Disadvantages:

Cold temperatures (although this was unseasonable).

Bugs are worse.

More rain?

Don't see as many loons on the water.

I had a "notes" section at the end of the book, too, with comments about the trip in general. Here are a few highlights:

Neil needs a new camp saw and a warmer sleeping bag.

Don't bring 50-50 sweatshirts for WARMTH! Bring wool sweaters instead.

Lynda needs a set of SmartWool long johns.

Only bring wool socks and lots of them!!

One roll of TP per week is cutting it too close!

Bring one paperback book per week per person.

Never, NEVER wear cotton socks in wet tennis shoes!

The special pancakes were a treat, like cornmeal and oatmeal (made from Jiffy Muffin Mixes). Also, the dried tortellini with homemade sauce was a hit. (Sauce made from Knorr Tomato Basil Soup and a packet of Spaghetti Sauce mix.)

Desserts, like peaches and cream pie, and cobblers, from dehydrated food companies are a good treat and easy to fix.

Never underestimate the number of snacks needed!

Remember that cold weather requires more food.

And finally a personal note: I need three pairs of long pants on a substantial trip. (So that there is one wet, one damp, and one dry.)