: John,
: Please accept my apology. I should have figured you'd have other compasses
: aboard. Guess my synapses were drawing a part in the heat.

Russ, you have no idea how much I have relied on your advise and knowledge for this trip and how much I appreciate it.

I do have my propane stove and two bottles of fuel packed for a back up to a fire ban. As for food, I have been practicing eating the lower insides of cattail leaves along with chopped roots with salad dressing and it is delicious, so as long as I can find cattails I will dine in style. The Indians knew how to eat. I will have plenty of food packed also.

I am very dissapointed that I didn't get my coaming finished so I could have a skirt to keep water out of the yak. Even water coming off the paddle handle. But I have packed three water proof bags holding my food, one for my sleeping bag and pillow and one for clothing so even if the yak should flood, the important stuff will stay dry. I have a hollow fill II 0 degree sleeping bag, a good Slumberjack sleeping pad and a large Kelty hiking backpack and day pack to make my life easier plus lots of other things. The challange is to compress all of this so it fits into a 12 foot yak and that is the fun right now. Smaller and lighter. Clothing is a challange since there has been 90 degree weather in the BWCA and also the earliest snow on record has been Sept. 6th.

I have a question. Should soap be stored in the food bag that is rope pulled up into the trees to keep away from the bears? I thought they might be attracted by the sweet smell.

I will leave on the 21 with an 18 hour drive, rest up and get last minute things and report to my put in on the 23, so if you have any word from your friends about conditions in the BWCA I would need the advise by the 20.

Thank you Russ,
John