Thursday, September 17, 2026 We got up early at Lake One Outfitters bunkhouse, ate a huge breakfast, loaded the boat and started out. It was the stunningly beautiful morning. Our plan was to take it real easy. We didn't want to over-do it. We (I) had concerns about our (my) fitness level. After a bit, we picked up a breeze on our tails. Very nice, it was. It was the exact temperature of a cranked up air conditioner; perfect for paddling. When we got to Hudson Lake, where we had planned to head north out of the burn to make our first camp, it was like eleven o'clock. Not even lunch. Although I had meticulously planned breaks and and an old-guy-friendly travel schedule, we decided to go for Insula. Why not? What's the use of a plan if you can't scrap it? We hammered a peanut butter sandwich and some mixed nuts and kept on going. My tiredness/dehydration/low blood sugar began to rear its ugly head just about the time we made it to Insula. I had to relinquish (happily) navigating since none of it made sense to me anymore, and we found a nice site right on the edge of the burn that didn't have much curb appeal, but turned out to be roomy and have a wonderful view of the non-burned shore across the way. We set up shop in a hurry, filtered water, hung the tarp, pitched the tent, got out a box of wine, ate supper and zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Nine hours, 6 portages doubled, 63 years old, not in shape, big grin and a fist pump. We enjoyed PERFECT conditions. Breeze on our backs, mid 60's temps, smart and strong wife. Great day.