Another weekend, another road trip. This time to the North Shore. We made a pit stop on the way to Duluth at Rush City Bakery.
Grand Marais Best Western this time. Sweet.
Blake showing off his garden.
When I asked Blake if we could stay at his house on the way to Grand Marais he mentioned there was going to be a poetry reading that night. I thought we wouldn't participate until we found out there would be a dunk tank involved.
It sounded lame. But it was once again a Duluth counterculture classic.
Only Meadow was bored. But when is she not these days?
As more and more people arrived Daniel kept bringing out chairs from who knows where.
This turned out to be a fun night and we almost skipped it.
When a poet is also a standup, it's probably going to be a good time.
Every time I'm in Duluth some building just hits me like a sledgehammer. The glass block in the Masonic Temple is S-tier.
Theo asked for sushi for dinner. Blake said Wasabi was closing so we had to go one last time.
I've never seen it this quiet before.
RIP all you can eat sushi in Duluth. Luckily their Superior location will live on. But it won't be the same.
I don't know what's happening here, but Theo and I look so happy.
We'll miss you Wasabi.
Indeed.
We picked up some cinnamon bread at the Rush City Bakery on the way up. The next morning Blake made us french toast with said bread.
Back down the hill we went towards Canal Park.
We always go by Lester River Trading Co. This time we stopped inside.
I thought Meadow would love it, but Theo also wanted everything.
Meadow found herself a cat mood ring.
The reason for our trip to Canal Park was to take part in the Junior Ranger program at the Maritime Museum.
Welp. They got their badges. So many badges.
Then it was time to drive up the North Shore.
We stopped for lunch and pie at the Rustic Inn Cafe.
Of course we all got pie. Are you a Rustic Inn or Betty's stan?
After our big meal, we didn't think we'd be hungry for dinner. We stopped in Silver Bay to get some Jiffy Pop in case we got hungry.
Much to the dismay of the kids this weekend would feature lots of hiking. It's what you do up here. We did our first hike at Temperance River State Park.
New hike. All the hikes on the North Shore are near the best you'll find in the Midwest.
The kids are always fine with the hike as long as there's some water play.
Not a bad hike.
We camped for the night at Ninemile Lake Campground in the Superior National Forest. While the state parks are always booked, there's always openings in the national forest.
Get a little bit off of Highway 61 and you are in middle of nowhere. Might as well be in the Boundary Waters.
After learning there was no water at our campsite and not bringing any, I guess we had to get donuts for breakfast.
After a small wait we got our donuts.
Donut kebab for Theodore.
These are really good.
Though he didn't have to work yet, Scott got a few shots in early.
The kids and I played on the beach while we waited.
Always going the extra mile. It was beautiful out and needed to make sure I got the best shots for one of the nicest Best Westerns in the state.
I have never been north of Grand Marais. We took this opportunity to go up to Grand Portage National Monument for the day.
Well, we'd been to the Nanibojou for brunch when it was open to the public, but not any further. First we explored the visitor center.
This historic site was pretty neat. I have to admit I didn't know the Pigeon River was used to mark the border between Canada and the US.
I didn't really understand the portage of Grand Portage. The Pigeon River was impassable at the modern day Minnesota/Canadian border. So the Voyageurs with the help of the Ojibwe paddled down the north shore to Grand Portage and then carried their goods 8.5 miles back northwest to the Pigeon River.
A few of the buildings were recreated for the national monument.
This makes me want to go back to Fort Snelling again.
This lodge would've only been used by the highest ranking voyageurs and dignitaries.
The four rooms in each corner were originally bedrooms, but they showed off different aspects of the fur trade in this recreation.
Theo looks dastardly.
After our summer of visiting all the Minnesota historic sites, Meadow still remembers how top hats were made.
If you wanted to take on the challenge, you can take the original 8 mile portage trail to the old Fort Charlotte site and camp there.
Future trip. For sure.
Being as this was a national monument, the kids earned another badge.
Next we went to Grand Portage State Park.
Both the national monument and state park are on the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa's reservation and run in conjunction with the tribe.
I didn't realize you could get this close to Canada. Had we been here a few more days we would have ventured into Canada. Next time.
Gotta love a good winding trail through the Northwoods.
High Falls wasn't raging, but it was still cool to see Minnesota's tallest waterfall. (Wisconsin's tallest is way better FYI.)
This last stretch of the North Shore is gorgeous. Makes you just wanna keep on driving to the Canadian side.
Some day, when we do the Lake Superior Circle Tour.
Back in Grand Marais we went to Sydney's for dinner. While waiting for our pizza we had ice cream.
It was meh and overpriced, but it did the job.
Meadow accidentally dropped her new ring and it fell through the boards onto the roof below.
Whoops.
While Scott did twilight shots, we went over to the lighthouse.
Gotta make that money.
The next day while Scott was still working, the kids and I went to Judge C. R. Magney State Park. I had been wanting to come to this park for a while.
This is the state park that has the split waterfall, one continues down the Brule River while the other mysteriously goes into a hole to nowhere. Though scientists believe it reemerges below the river.
Today was hot even for the north shore, so water play was a must.
After Scott was done working we walked over to Voyageur Brewing.
After our feast we went back to Artists Point to hike the north side.
We tried to find another geocache by the breakwater wall.
I just took glamour shots of Brooke.
This time we made our way over to Artists Point, just as the sun was setting.
Right about here I twisted my ankle. Like I do.
This hike is short, but I'm not sure there's a better trek.
Meadow joined me for early breakfast before I had to work.
I finished up work early and then played with the kiddos. We jumped in the water for a second and then checked out the hotel's very large whirlpool. It's closer to a warm pool to be honest.
Finishing up my work before we head home.
We always drive by and hear about Palisade Head. This time we made the stop. When we got up here we were like, is this it?
I mean, it's cool and all, but normally you just drive up here and then look at the cliff. Maybe if it wasn't so gloomy we would've been more gung ho.
We made another stop at Gooseberry Falls. Scott hadn't been here before and the kids loved it the last time we were here.
Now this is not disappointing. Best waterfall in Minnesota?
Not a bad spot to play.
Even I braved the more secluded spots.
We could have stayed all day but it was time to get to our next stop.
We had to stop at Betty's Pies to compare with Rustic Inn. I think next time we come here we share. I actually felt sick after eating my pie.
She always orders the candy bar pies. Wonder why?
We had to stop once again in Duluth to go back to Lester River Trading Co and get another ring for Meadow. The sales clerk even recognized her from the other day.
While in Duluth we decided to get dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant the Cantonese House.
The food? So good. The picture? Not so good. She actually complains about the pictures I take...
So happy to have her ring again.
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