We departed home this morning for our 9th trip to Quetico Wilderness Provincial Park,  Our first trip to Quetico was in 2002, beginning a tradition of annual trips that continues today.  Canoeing, camping, and fishing in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters, Quetico’s U.S. twin, had been Number 1 on my bucket list since graduation from college in the early 1970s, and we were fortunate to get to make the trip to Quetico for the first time with Harry and Mary, our guide team couple; they have spoiled us greatly.  Quetico is just across the boundary between the U.S. and Canada, just north of Ely, Minnesota.

As is the now typical beginning day of travel, we stopped for coffee and a breakfast sandwich at Ava, MO, then traveled to near Springfield, MO, for cheap gasoline.  Traffic through Kansas City was pretty quiet, even for the noon hour.  At Kansas City, we transitioned to I-35 for the rest of the day, arriving in Owatonna, MN, about 6 PM for our annual buying spree at the Columbia outlet store, then to Cabela’s for spending a few Cabela’s bucks, then to our motel for the night.  Our motel was nothing to write about, good or bad.  It was relatively clean and had few amenities, but the price was right, and neither of were bitten by bed bugs!  This has been a really pleasant driving trip, so far.