This presentation describes Steve's experiences as he paddled a Klepper Kayak 3000 miles through lakes Michigan and Superior and along the network of rivers, lakes, and portages commonly called the "Voyageurs Highway" in Canada. He was 19 when he set out from Evanston, Illinois in 1975, socially inept, disillusioned with civilization, and convinced he wanted to become a hermit. When asked about future plans by a High School Guidance Counsellor, he described his life goal as "Finding a remote valley in Canada, building a log cabin, and watching civilization deteriorate from a safe distance." But after two years in the wilderness he returned to civilization as a reasonably well-adjusted young man ready to embark on the new adventure of a college education. In his travels he experienced fear and triumph, deep depression and great joy, profound loneliness and the growth of true friendship. It was the defining experience of his life.