Rain begins a little after midnight, and because my hammock is rigged a little funny to reach the trees-- I wake up with some water pooling by my feet. Temps have dropped quite a bit. So I hurry to adjust my tarp and do my best to get warm again inside the hammock. Not the best night's sleep, but the rain lets up before dawn and I get a few more hours rest in the hammock before breakfast.

Saturday is gray and cool with some drizzle in the forecast. Having gone much further than planned around the trail yesterday, I have time for a leisurely morning of coffee and oatmeal by the campfire. I wet my line a few times in the little cove to the south of the campsite as it seems like a "fishy" spot, but I don't get even a nibble.

Mid-morning I pack up and resume the trail. A light rain continues. Though I have not nearly as far to go today, my going is much slower. Rocks and roots are slippery on this segment-- including one very large boulder right along the lake whose moss is incredibly slick. After a few shaky attempts to cross it, I decide to bushwack around it and rejoin the trail after 10-20 yards-- but not before crossing paths with an angry grouse.

I stopped for lunch at the campsite near the old logging camp and watch a pair of trumpeter swans glide across the water as I nibble on my cliff bar and beef stick. I continue down the trail through some thick forrest to where the trail crosses the beaver damn. At the southeast corner of Angelworm lake the trail becomes quite marshy. Some timber has been laid out for a primitive boardwalk, but it appears many hikers trudge through the marsh. Again, I am thankful for an early September frost that has kept most of the bugs at bay.

I reach the intersection of the hiking trail and the portage trail back to the parking lot. It feels longer than 24hrs ago that I was here. The two mile portage trail back to the the lot feels longer going out than coming in. After the long slow climb back to the trailhead I arrive at the car, change into some dry socks, and begin the journey back to the Twin Cities (with an early dinner at Gordy's Hi-Hat).

It felt good to be back in the woods after many years away from the trail. I could probably stand to get in a little better shape before my next trip, but for all the challenge, the trip was full of good soul-medicine. Beautiful scenery. Peace and quiet.