Dear Boundary Waters....

This post has been long coming and so I apologize, especially to my fellow adventurers.

Dear Boundary Waters,

It seems that every summer there is a chant from my head, no maybe my heart, that starts early and as the season goes on it gets steadily louder:

the sun on the water, stroke, stroke, stroke, the smell of the woods, clomp, clomp, clomp, the myriad of animals all around, stroke, stroke, stroke, the sound of the wind in the trees in the middle of the night, clomp, clomp, clomp, the silence that is all around, stroke, stroke, stroke, swimming in the cold water, clomp, clomp, clomp...

It continues and continues and only ends the first time I try to lift the Duluth Pack with all of our gear in it.

This year was no exception -- the pull of your glistening waters and fresh smells lured us to you once again... I have to admit, you did your fair share of playing hard to get... Strong head winds every day, lots of people our first day in, some horrible reports of bugs, bugs, and more bugs... I began lots of letters to you out loud and in my head as we were paddling into the wind, but as usual, I ended up falling in love with you all over again.

We decided on a different approach this year, and I was just waiting, waiting to decide that only some parts of your sprawling lands were nice... Not true, heading up the North Shore and up the Gunflint was a great decision and you granted us with beautiful, glorious weather the whole way through. Although our entry point was busy and our first lake had a few too many campsites on it, the tame portages and beautiful river and lake paddling was reassurance that we did like you.

Our first evening was a fabulous time of swimming, eating wild blueberry's from the island off our shores, and reading in the sun. Even the dinner of slightly charred beans and rice couldn't subdue the feeling of happiness and contentment that you spread over our campsite. (It was only Kodiak the Dog's arrival at our campsite that made me somewhat skeptical of the solace you had been offering relentlessly to me.)

The second day was exciting, we had been flexible in our plans and had not decided exactly which route we would take or where we would end up. Our wanderings brought us to a beautiful, deserted river of yours that we paddled on for much of the afternoon- beautiful cliffs, tall trees enticed us further and further. Even the portages around the rapids and smaller rivers were gorgeous... (Well, I am purposely blocking out the portage where there were two paths... thanks to SH for picking me up in the canoe).

The only point of crisis you presented us with that day were the white caps as we rounded on to Lake Alice, tired and with limited desire to paddle all the way back to campsites we had seen. Although I cursed you, your breezes weren't as bad as they appeared and we found a terrific campsite across Alice where we had good tent spots and an area of tree roots that were absolutely magical. These by the way, are the things- the unexpected beautiful surprises- Dearest Boundary Waters, that pull me to you every year.

Our third day included experiments with pancakes and dumplings, some beautiful morning paddling... ahem... against your winds... again, and some truly wonderful wildlife sightings: a group of playing otters, sunning turtles, a mink running along the shore, and the closest I have ever been to a Bald Eagle. There were the usual variety in Beav houses and lakes to explore and then we ended up back in Polly. It was a perfect afternoon- swimming in your cool waters after another sunny day followed by a quiet evening by the fire warmed up in our fleece and long-pants drinking warm beverages, reading and talking.

That night must have been the "seal the deal" package because we were honored with a cool, crisp night, a beautiful fire, a full moon glittering on the glassy lake, and a complete lack of the usual audible swarm of mosquitoes driving us to our tents. It was almost made me not want to go to sleep... You really turned on the charm.

Which I now know was just preparing us for your moody nature the following day... On our way back to the landing, your wind nearly caused me to curse you LOUDLY, the mud that I stepped into up to my thigh made me think nasty thoughts about you, and I will be honest, a few of the Surprise! This is PORTAGE! made me downright frustrated.... But in the end, I knew it was just you being you...

Our floating lunch on a picturesque little river, passing the peanut butter and discussing the Crystal Light packets with friends, helped me understand your allure... Not only is it beauty and a treat for all of our senses, but it is also valuable time to be ourselves, to spend time with our true friends, to share stories, long silences, funny memories, some butterscotch schnapps, and in the very end some Sven and Ole's Pizza (so yummy- even LEH agreed).

So, B.W. another season has come and gone. Thank you for sharing your splendor with us yet again, letting us see you in all of your lights, and most of all for remaining one of the places that I feel most content in this world.

Until next year, good-bye Dearest Boundary Waters,

Love,

KLOU