The fire permiters haven’t change—and containment is on the rise…65% on the American side. The kids and I are still officially evacuated and in Grand Marais >.

We’ve set up an office in Kim and John’s Nelson’s place (High Doubt) just outside of Grand Marais. We miss Andy, the road block is just a mile from our mailbox at Tuscarora–hoping that we can all be home together soon.

In the meantime, we’re trying to figure out how to get all of the BWCA trippers into the woods-if not with us, then with our neighbors. Please feel free to call with specific concerns about an entry points/dates.

Andy and I are “newbies” in the Gunflint Trail buisiness community. We know these woods intimately—we’ve paddled and guided and camped in this area since 1978…but we’re still marveling in the way that small buisinesses work in our neighborhood.

Our friends, our running buddies, our surragate families, our kids’ “next of kin” around here are in largely our direct competitors. They may have benefitted the most if we had burned—yet they were the first ones in to help us when the flames came our way. They were the first to reassure us that we would find a way to serve our customers. They’re not looking for compensation, they’re looking out for people.

We took a “buisiness” trip with Nancy and Dave Seaton (far left–Hungry Jack Outfitters) last October. We were checking out campsites, the changing wilderness, trying out our gear, etc. Rather than guarding our buisiness secrets, we spent the entire time comparing equipment, sharing menu ideas. (We’ve added Santa Fe chicken to our menu–with tortillas– it’s the BEST) , discussiong the pros and cons of the Wenonah Escape vs. the Wenonah MNII. …

Is this good buisiness? Maybe, maybe not. We’ve found that it is the way it works around here. And it certainly makes the Gunflint Trail a great place to be.