When we had gotten back to Windigo on Wednesday, we talked to the ranger about switching our pick up location from Rock Harbor to here and she said no problem, they’d let Voyager II know. It was now our last day so we had breakfast and headed up for showers. What a joy a hot shower is after 8 days of grime and cold weather. All three of us had clean sets of clothes we had kept for our return to civilization.
On the way to the shower, I had a scare, compliments of Pam. Pam only has one scream, be it good or bad. We can be driving down the interstate and she’ll see something she likes and she’ll scream. I’ll think a semi is about to run us down, but it will just be a couple deer grazing in a field. Pam saw a bunny by the shower house and she LOVES bunnies (we have 10,000 figurines that confirm this fact). I thought she’s finally seen a moose and it was charging me.
The shower times were actually quite generous. Pam and I shared a shower with double tokens. We both got clean and had time left. Since I’d paid $3.50 for each shower, I felt obliged to use the time. Pam was dressed by the time my hot water ran out. Unfortunately, she didn’t have a blow dryer and all she could find was an electrical outlet to put her fingers into in an effort to dry her hair.
Once we were clean and packed up, we dropped our packs by the dock and headed up to the general store for a drink (unlike the Grand Canyon, there isn’t alcohol at this end of Isle Royale). When we saw the ferry enter the harbor we headed down to the dock. We had about a 4 hour ride to get back to Grand Portage because Windigo is the first pickup in their circumnavigation of the island. We got a table down in the galley but didn’t play cards—we were played out. We just watched the island and eventually fell asleep.
I get a feeling of melancholy at the end of a trip. It is alleviated some if we have another trip planned (which we do, Olympic in September). I’m usually ready for some of the pleasures of civilization, but I’m never ready to return to work. We got into our car and headed back for a late lunch in Grand Marais at the same pizza place we ate at on our last night in civilization (pizza provides a safe transition back from dehydrated food). We called the airport once we got into cell range and someone honest had turned in George’s camera to lost and found (you’ve gotta love Scandanavians!).
I would rate this as a successful trip. Although we didn’t hike our original plan, we adapted. The original plan was to hike about 50 miles and we ended up with approximately 32 miles with packs. It was a good reintroduction to backpacking for George (plus he got his camera back). I probably would recommend going to Isle Royale around Labor Day when it’s warmer and just past black fly high season, just be careful about going too late because what little facilities there are on the island do close down for the season.