We were up early enjoying every second of our last morning in the woods and the clean fresh air, the water and the silence. This was the coolest morning yet and the mist rising off the lake was mesmerizing. The eagle was still on the limb it claimed the night before and then a second eagle flew in. After packing up camp and hitting the water I decided to record a video if we could paddle close enough to get the eagles to fly. Wil's camera was still dead so I got everything set on my cheap Kodak camera as we glided in closer. The eagle started to fly as I pressed the record button. The camera blinked then died. What are the odds?
We paddled up the Little Indian Sioux River towards the takeout, crossing the small beaver dam and the 60 rod portage. We met a guy at the portage from Iowa paddling an aluminum canoe with two huge packs. He was on a solo fishing trip. We wished him luck and finished our trip doing the 40 rods up to the vehicle. There was an outfitter unloading two other groups and we wished it was us going back out instead of finishing. After loading up the car we headed down the echo Trail and found three geocaches I had printed. The day was very warm now and we couldn't wait to take a shower and have beer and pizza. Stopped at Voyageur North Outfitters and took showers. Wow, hot water running all over my body! Wil picked up an aluminum wind screen for his stove at another store in town before our trip. I liked how it worked and decided to get one. VNO had them for $3.00 less than the store uptown. After some souvenirs at VNO it was off to the Boathouse for beer and pizza. Found out they do not serve pizza so went to Sir G's and had a wonderful pizza pie.
A couple more stops in town then we drove out of Ely heading south to Duluth. We wanted to spend more time in the Duluth Pack store so thought about a hotel in downtown Duluth. I called my wife and she looked on the internet but everything seemed full. After all it was Labor Day weekend. She gave me some phone numbers to try and we got lucky. The Inn on Lake Superior had a cancelation so we got a room at a decent price. While checking in a guy was at the service counter with a bottle of wine trying to get it opened. I was kidding the clerk about free wine and she just laughed at me. After Wil and I got in the room there was a knock on the door. An employee was standing there and handed me a bottle of champagne. He said it was from the front desk. Wil and I looked at each other. We both had on the same shirt that we had made on the last trip five years ago. All we could think is they may have thought we were gay lovers on honeymoon. NOT! We walked out the main lobby doors and crossed the street and right there was the Duluth Pack store. We closed the store and while checking out we were talking to the clerk named Tom. He seemed like any other employee in the store as they all were very knowledgeable and friendly. Come to find out Tom is the owner of the Duluth Pack Company (so he said) and his wife was in the back doing the books, on a Friday night at 9:00pm on a holiday weekend. We got supper at Old Chicago then watched a ship leaving the harbor before calling it a day.
The soft hotel mattress was rewarding and after the free breakfast we started the 15-16 hour ride to home. We had a really great and rewarding trip and all we can say is: "It is great to be us!"
The Journey continues...
Tony and Wil's Video Podcasts on You Tube.