Awoke to 38 degrees and overcast.  There was a wind, but nothing when compared to the prior several days.  Breakfast of pancakes (Ethan discovered that he LIKES sweet potato pancakes), and a couple of photographs, including a turtle nest that Nibi Mocs had witnessed being created back in July. 

Steve didn’t want to face another day of big water/big wind on the lakes any more than I did, so he and Ethan had looked at the map on Day Five - as they did every evening in the tent – and suggested we take the extra 3 portages – one of them a 170 – into Rifle.  I jumped on that, and after breaking camp with some spitting rain and a paddle around Turtle Bay, we headed north toward Fire.  This entire route was beautiful; enjoyed by all, especially since there was less wind, and the sun came out!  Lovely portages; lovely portage approaches.  The 170r into Rifle is a beautiful walk, one I enjoyed walking 3 times, in spite of being rugged and steep.  (Ethan chose not to double for my pack on that one.)  Nice campsite, pretty lake. 

Nice, lazy afternoon, Ethan napped in a Byers’ hammock we brought.  According to my journal, it was 44 degrees, but with no wind, it felt warm. 

Dinner was macaroni and cheese with tuna, followed by chocolate pudding.  The mac ’n cheese was enjoyed by all, and so was the pudding.  It was the first dessert I’d made this week, because we’d had such large amounts of the main course, I had figured the dessert would go uneaten.  I felt bad that I hadn’t been making dessert for Ethan, but I promised he could make it up at the Chocolate Moose.