North Shore Trip Part 2–Bucket List Item

For the second half of our trip, we rented a wee (and I do mean wee!) cabin right on the shore of Lake Superior.  I wanted a true lake experience for our trip and was fortunate to find this gem had a vacancy for our stay.  That’s no small feat, as the majority of accommodations are booked very steadily.

Our cabin located in Croftville, MN, just north of Grand Marais.  The ground drops off at the side of the cabin down to the rocky shore.  Yes, the lake is right there!

This cozy abode is just the right fit for us with everything one needs, including lots of windows with lake views and a fire ring! 

View of Lake Superior from cabin porch

View of cabin from the beach

Looking out the kitchen table window

Start of campfire on arrival night.  First campfire in 4 years!

As you can see, we are right on Lake Superior.  Boy, is it noisy with waves crashing onto the rocky shoreline!  It’s more like being at the ocean shore!  The first night it took me a while to go to sleep, perhaps combined with the excitement of being here.  Last night, well, the waves lulled me to sleep.

Grand Marais is really a tourist mecca, and the cost of food and goods reflects that.  Another factor is that it is really away from cities of any real size.  We’re not really into touristy stuff, spending most of our time here at the cabin.  The “lake experience” is what this is really about for us.

We’ve had campfires both nights so far and will again on this final night here.  This … the sharing of time spent by the fire, the simplicity of just “be-ing” is what makes our memories.

Being here, it’s really about the lake.  She is majestic, powerful, beautiful and fascinating.  And huge! 

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Here’s a few Lake Superior fun facts from Lake Superior.com:

World's largest freshwater lake covering 31,700 square miles (82,100 square kilometres), or roughly the size of Maine – and holds 10 percent of the world's surface fresh water.

Length: 350 miles (560 kilometres)

Width: 160 miles (260 kilometres)

Volume: 3 quadrillion gallons, or 2,900 cubic miles (12,100 cubic kilometres)

Shoreline: 1,826 miles (2,938 kilometres)

Average depth: 483 feet (147 metres)

Maximum depth: 1,276 feet (389 metres) - Note: Some sources put it at around 1,333 feet in depth

Note: Another source says it is the size of all the other Great Lakes + 3 additional Lake Eries

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We can’t even see the coastline on the other side from here, something one can do at other points.  We also are not on shipping lines (there’s a website for that, too!), so we don’t see ships from here.  Lake Superior has “tides” of a sort twice daily of around 0.5 to 1.5 feet.  Seriously, sounds like one is at the seaside here with the waves crashing against the rocky shore. 

We have had campfires both nights and will again tonight.  Once the fire is out, we enjoy looking at the night sky.  What was that line from 2001: A Space Odyssey – “My God.  It’s full of stars!”  Well, yes, it is. I don’t think either of us can remember a night sky so filled with stars.  It is seriously awesome.  The only thing that would top off our stay here would be experiencing Northern Lights, but that’s not in the forecast.  We were told they appear straight up in the sky, not on the horizon like at home.  Just. Look. Up.

It is simply amazing to be here … this experience.  Wow.

Along the lines of the beach house we rented for some holidays in Cape May during our years in New Jersey, this cabin is a place where we would return.

This trip has been pretty much of one of reconnaissance.  We have learned that we can make the trip here in one day, although it would be a long one.  We know that this cabin is a good fit for us.  We know that we would plan our entire stay here, and would bring our own food provisions and grill to do meals here at the cabin.  Eating out in Grand Marais is extremely expensive and choices are limited.  We find it more relaxing to do our own meals, anyway.  Of course, that doesn’t preclude a trip (or two) to World’s Best Donuts!  Today was our second visit there!

I would like to get up to Grand Portage and perhaps even Thunder Bay in Canada; however, we just don’t have time this trip.  We’ll save that for a future visit!

All in all, we’re having a lovely holiday.  We head home tomorrow.  It’s nice to get away, and it’s nice to return home.  We’ll have two full days before returning to work.

With that in mind, I’m outta here to go soak up the environment!

Thanks for stopping by!  Stay safe out there, okay?

North Shore Trip Part 1–Bucket List Item

One of the things I wanted to do when I lived in Minnesota years ago was a trip to the North Shore, including Grand Marais.  Well, it’s finally happening, albeit 11 years later.  I’m ticking off a bucket list item!

We started last Tuesday, the 4th, with our destination for 3 nights being Two Harbors, MN. 

First evening, down to the harbor

Dave rode his bike each morning, and we had two lovely main meals out during our stay.  The big thing here is the harbor and the iron ore docks, which are still in use today.

Cargo ship taking on iron ore at the docks

Dave having worked in the taconite mines a bit during our time in Hibbing (on the Iron Range) and with his history of being a pipefitter on naval vessels, this was interesting to both of us.  Using a website that lists harbor traffic, we made two attempts at being down at the harbor for their arrivals.  Unfortunately, shipping schedules allow for quite a bit of leeway.  We did get to see one fairly close to the harbor entrance, but its ETA was bumped out a couple of hours, so we decided not to hang around.  Good thing, because the ETA was later extended until 11 PM!  Really was interesting to see one that close, and would have been awesome to get a truly “up close and personal” experience as it entered the harbor but … oh well.

After a relaxing stay in Two Harbors, we headed off on the 2nd part of our adventure up to a cabin on the shore of Lake Superior just outside Grand Marais.  Check-out time at the hotel was 11 AM with check-in at the cabin at 4 PM, so we had 5 hours to travel about 87 miles.  We had plenty of time for stops along the way!

We stopped at Cascade River State Park and took a short hike to view the falls

Whenever we saw an interesting scenic overlook (and there were a bunch!) along Highway 61, we’d pull over for a bit.  Our next planned stop was Split Rock Lighthouse.

View of Split Rock from scenic overlook

View from base of lighthouse

You’ve probably heard about the Edmund Fitzgerald from Gordon Lightfoot’s song.  Interestingly, the maintenance guy for our community had a grandfather who sailed on the Edmund Fitzgerald, although he was not aboard that fateful night.

Traveling north on 61, Lake Superior is to one’s right. There is so much to see and do, but the predominant feature is the lake herself. 

Lake Superior at Knife River

Looks like this will need to be a two-part effort, so I’ll end here for now!

Thanks for stopping by!  Stay safe out there, okay?

Summertime on the patio

Our patio area in evening

It’s back to work today after a pleasant “weekend,” our two days coming during midweek.  Can’t say we did anything exciting, but we do enjoy our days off just “be-ing.”

We’ve started playing chess again, usually at least one of the nights we’re off.  See the table in between the chairs in the photo above?  Turns out it’s just the right height for a chess table.  As we progress through the summer months, you may just find us set up on the patio for a match or two in the evening.  Right now it’s still a wee bit on the chilly side for that, so we’ve brought the table indoors and have the chess set on it.

Residents in our community are not allowed to plant in the flowerbeds, but we can place pots around.  Flamingo now has a bit of company and color to the front of our townhome.   Folks have all sorts of decorations, potted plants and bird feeders in their flowerbeds and on their patios.  It’s fun to walk around and see what everyone has.  I’m pleased with ours this year.  Last year being our first summer her, we really didn’t do much with our area.  This year, however, it’s cozy, cheery and pleasant.

I’m grateful that we do have a patio area where we can just step outdoors instead of a typical apartment with no immediate access to the outside!  We feel we have the best location in the community located on the far side.  Our entrance and patio area are both very private.

One needs to remember that whatever one puts out on the patio, one will need to bring in once Winter starts to appear.  The plants will succumb to Mother Nature’s chill and the decorations will be stored in our garage.  Put the Summer things in and bring the snow shovel out!

At our site in New Jersey, I had a lovely clematis.  Have been wanting another and found this cutie the other day.  Repotted it and am hoping the blooms will indeed be the dark violet/purple color.  Should find out pretty soon, as there are a couple of blooms waiting to open! 

The newest – and probably final – plant addition this year is a Roma tomato!  We’ll see how that does.  If it and the cherry tomato plant produce, we’ll have tomatoes galore!

It’s June, but feels more like April with the exception of about 2-3 days of temps in the high 80s.  No complaints about that, but thinking it’s going to be a short summer!  Realistically, we have about 2.5 more months of “summer.”  With the arrival of September, it’s anybody’s guess.  We could ease into a nice autumn phase or … it might just start snowing with Winter fully upon us! 

For now, it’s enjoyment of the sunshine and warmth!

Hope your days are sunny and pleasant!

Ya’ll stay safe out there, okay?  Thanks for stopping by!

Wrapping up May

We had a lovely 4-day mini vacation, staying home but making day trips.  One of those included an outing to Itasca State Park and the headwaters of the Mississippi River.   We’re fortunate that so many state parks are just a short drive from home!

Weird – I notice the date on my post about the Itasca State Park outing is May 16.  Really?  We were on vacation from the 21st through the 24th, and the trip occurred during our time off.  Looks like Blogger was off about a week on that post.  I’ll be curious to see what date shows up for this one.

We wandered over to Park Rapids one day, just because we could!

We strolled down the main drag, stopping in a few shops here and there.  Just playing tourist a bit.  The population of Park Rapids is just around 4,000, so it’s not large by any means. 

That’s not traffic in the middle of the street; it’s parking!

I had not seen a Ben Franklin store in … well, I just don’t remember.  It’s been that long, and I had no idea there were still any in existence.  Just had to duck in there for a wee look around.  It contained literally just about everything!  It was like stepping back in time a few decades.

One thing we did notice was the high cost of goods, even in Ben Franklin.  Yikes!  I wonder if that is because it is such a small town and is pretty much geographically away from everything.  There is a Walmart there, but we didn’t see it.  Park Rapids does have community activities and festivals, and I bet during summer months it is busy due to its proximity (there ya go, Sue!) to Itasca State Park.

At any rate, it was a nice run for the Wee Beastie and for us.  Yes, it really was that cloudy in the photos!

Our patio with some new additions this year.  The yard crew will be around soon to mow the grass.

It was raining somewhere on this evening.

One of the pieces from Bemidji’s 2018 Sculpture Walk.  (The website has not been updated for this year yet.) In addition to the sculptures, there are various painted dogs throughout downtown this year.  This one was, of course, outside Lucky Dogs, a hot dog café!

We’ve resumed our usual routine of work and life after a pleasant respite.  It was good to get out and about, but we also enjoyed just hanging out at home and truly relaxing. 

There is another vacation in the planning stages, this one a #MNbucketlist item for yours truly!  We’re looking at doing the Highway 61 North Shore drive in early Fall.  As former full-time RVers, this is not a massive undertaking, but will take a wee bit of planning. 

Looks like fun!

Stay safe out there, okay?  Thanks for stopping by!

Day Trip to Itasca State Park–Mississippi Headwaters

Dave had a bike ride this morning, and then we hopped in Wee Beastie for a run of about 35 miles south on Hwy 71 to Itasca State Park.   As you can see from the photo above, this is the origin of the Mississippi River! 

There is a small beach there, and we both put hand in the water.  Cold water, that is.

We could not have asked for nicer weather today!  I think we peaked at 85 F, which was warm but comfortable.  I took along my “real” camera, but didn’t use the telephoto lens.  At least the camera got out of its bag for an outing!

Here is where the water spills out of the lake and begins its journey as the Mighty Mississippi

Itasca is Minnesota’s oldest state park, having been established in 1891.  It’s pretty large at more than 32,000 acres and more than 100 lakes.  You can read more about the park’s history here. 

We parked at the Mary Gibbs Mississippi Headwaters Center, strolled down to the headwaters and then walked the Schoolcraft Trail.

There’s a café and gift shop at the Center, but it’s still too early in the season for them to be open.

The 2 “dots” in the center of this photo, those are birds on the lake.

After completing the trail, we drove the Wilderness Drive, which is a 10-mile, one-way loop.  It begins at the Headwaters Center and brings you back to the main park office.

To the left of center is a good-sized beaver dam!  Biggest one we’ve seen in the wild.

We also saw a porcupine, but by the time we got close enough to get a really good look, he/she was meandering back into the forest.  Oh well, at least we can say we’ve seen one in its natural environment!

Another reason for moving this far north is the fact that we are so close to several state parks.  We hope to get out and make use of that proximity throughout the months of good weather.

Back home a few hours later, relaxed, and fed with leftovers from yesterday’s dinner.  Getting out for a wee day trip – out in Mother Nature – makes me feel like I’ve had a real weekend.

We have a short work week of 4 days starting tomorrow, and then we’ll be taking a wee staycation of 4 days.  I already have another couple of day trips in mind.

Hope you’re having a great week!

Stay safe out there, okay?  Thanks for stopping by!

January Winding Down

Here we are at the tail end of January already.  Seems like the weeks just fly by!  We’re really into Winter now and experienced a “January thaw” a couple of times.  Our world outside has been white since – what? – November.   This morning it snowed for a couple of hours and now the winds have kicked in and powdery snow is blowing. 

Still, it is somewhat amazing to live where everything is white outside for … months. 

Questions I Get from Friends in Southern Climes

Are you staying warm?   You betcha, indoors and out.  Structures are built differently here, as is outerwear.  Furnace thermostat is set at 70, and we stay comfortable.  We have appropriate outerwear – parkas, boots and cleats for them when needed on the ice, and warm hats and gloves.

Are you snowed in?    Several friends I’ve talked with ask if we’re buried in snow, snowed in, and so forth.  Nope.  There’s way less than a foot on the ground, maybe 6 inches.  Maybe.  When it does snow up here, the flakes are so fine … think flour falling from the sky and lying on the ground.  Really light and powdery.  Takes a lot  of “flour” to build up to any accumulation of note.  It’s also often just too cold to snow up here.  Technically, that’s not true, but … well … it sort of is, too.   Let’s just say that when it’s –35 F out, you’re probably not going to get snow.

Aren’t you going crazy or getting depressed?   Nope.  Nada.  We did purchase an exercise bike, since Dave’s not cycling and I’m not walking – both outdoor activities.  We’re both very happy to be back Up North and sure glad we made the leap! 

Is this it?  Is this where you plan to stay?   Had another friend ask recently if this is “it,” where we plan to be.  Yep.  This is it.  Even if we did move from this specific spot, we’d still stay up here.  No plans – or urge – to relocate.  We have traveled quite a lot, both individually and together.  While I bet there will be road trips around the state and perhaps even out-of-state, I think it’s safe to say we’ve gotten the “hitch itch” out of our systems.  We certainly have no plans to travel back to Scotland.  We’re done flying.

We’ve talked about “escaping” to a cabin for a few days at some point.  Have a campfire again and a wee holiday.  That should be doable at some point in the not too distant future.  We sure won’t have to travel very far, as those types of accommodations are plentiful up here.

You were smart … One friend said we were smart to move “where no one wants to go.”  Yep.  I think so, too.

Sure do like our town and the life we have carved out for ourselves here.  Sometimes on our days off we just hang out at home – like this weekend – and watch the snow fall.  I’ll cook a bit, Dave’s been tinkering with his bikes, we may get in a game of chess later.  Other weekends we explore the town a bit, prowl a bookshop or two, or perhaps take a wee drive.  Of course, when it’s not Winter, we’re out cycling, walking, hanging on the patio, and out-and-about around town.  Or not.  Ha!

Looking out at ice houses on Lake Bemidji

Snapped the above photo when out running errands last week.  There are usually a bunch of ice houses on the lake, and there was an ice fishing tournament coming up the next weekend.  What’s an ice house?  Check out this dealer’s web page.  Some of them are just about as nice as a regular travel trailer! 

These two have been growing, so they got new “homes” last weekend.

I still read RV blogs, most of which I started following and/or reading years ago.  One I’ve tapped into recently is Travel with Kevin and Ruth.  They are currently serving as wagon masters for an RV caravan touring Mexico.  There are so many RVers who venture south of the border, some for short visits and others for seasons at a time – or permanently.  I applaud Kevin and Ruth not only for taking on the trip and responsibility, but for telling it like it is!  It certainly sounds like an adventure! 

Bemidji was named Best Town in Minnesota for 2017, by Minnesota Monthly.  Not don’t ya’ll all get the idea about moving here!

Well, that’s it for today.  I think I’ve rambled on enough.  I really should keep a notebook handy for the blog ideas that pop into my head at random times.  I’ll try to start doing that …

Thanks for stopping by!  Stay safe out there, okay?

A First for Me Today

It was a bit warmer today at around 5 F and sunny at times.  We ventured out to L&M Fleet Supply for new headgear for Dave.  He walks to and from work – just under 10 minutes – and could use some new gear truly designed for this climate.  I have taken him in the car when the weather’s been really nasty, but I think he enjoys the walk when it’s doable.

He’s starting to take on the appearance of The Invisible Man just a wee bit, eh?

Our first stop actually was the recycle station not far from home.  We had a couple of boxes to “donate.”  One was from a new ceramic heater.  We use a couple of those in different rooms to supplement the gas floor heat now and then.  The other was from …

Half of our living room looks more like a bike shop/workout area.  Ha!  Good thing we aren’t wanting a dining table, as the bikes and this piece of equipment are where a table would be.  Unconventional, but it works for us.

Now that Winter has settled in for real, Dave obviously isn’t getting any bike time on the roads (or anywhere else, for that matter)  and I’m not getting my walking.  We initially talked about joining a gym for the winter months – him for the cycle/spinning equipment and me for walking equipment - but this makes much more sense and is less expensive than a membership.  At least we can keep the blood flowing and retain some sanity during these really cold months.  This way we don’t have to pile on coats and gloves, drive someplace, change into workout gear, use public equipment, pile on coats and gloves again … you get the idea.  Again, it’s waaaay less than a membership would have been for both of us.

After those two errands were done and dusted, we decided to drive down to the lake and take a look.  Ended up at one of the various parks in town, and ended up doing this …

Me on Lake Bemidji

Dave on the lake.  Note the truck cruising along in the background!

That was my first time to walk on a lake.  Now I can say I’ve done it.  Guess we’re adapting to and embracing living back #UpNorth.

Oh!  Yes, it’s been incredibly cold, even for up here.  Bemidji now has a hashtag - #brrrmidji.  Ha!

So our wee outing today was fun!  It’s so easy to just stay indoors and at home when it’s cold out but, you know what?  Life goes on up here and one just needs to get out and about when it’s safe to do so.  Errands still have to be run, and there’s some silly fun to be had around town and the area during Winter.

This sure as heck beats sweating and being miserable in warmer climes, and we’re happy and grateful that we’re back up in the #MinnesotaNorthwoods #UpNorth and #brrrmidji.

Thanks for stopping by!  Stay safe and warm out there, okay?

Happy Boxing Day

Here we are on Boxing Day, the day after Christmas.  Spent a good chunk of ours getting a jump for a dead car battery and then over to the Ford dealership for a new one. 

Dealership doggie has the right idea, soaking up some rays.

This was the original battery, so it was just time for a replacement.  We have complementary road assistance with Ford, and it was prompt and courteous.  Opted for a slightly “bigger” battery than the factory-installed version.  So, our Wee Beastie is happy again.  It, and us, will be happier once we score a garage, but there have been no vacancies, so we remain 3rd on the waiting list.  Since our temperatures are consistently subzero now, the Ford tech recommended running the car about 30 minutes each day when we fall below zero.  I have been running the car for a while, but not every day, and even doing it 30 minutes/day probably wouldn’t have helped the old battery.  It was just time.

So we’re on day 3 of our 4 days off for the Christmas holiday.  Wow.  Christmas Eve I spent making goodies, and snacking was enjoyed instead of a proper meal.  So nice to have a larger kitchen and big oven again, although I did all this in the RV for about 7 years. 

Christmas was the major cooking day, turkey breast and the usual side dishes.  Didn’t do this at Thanksgiving, so made up for it this holiday. 

Our tree turned out pretty well, and we’re enjoying feeling festive this year.

Figured out the bindings on the snowshoes, but haven’t had a chance to try ‘em out yet.

Visions of snowshoeing, taking walks and other outdoor activities over the holiday have not been made realities, as it’s just too darn cold.  Yes, too cold.  Warnings for dangerous/life-threatening wind chills and really low (even for MN at this time of year) temperatures have kept us inside for the most part.  It’s just 6:30 pm, and the outside temperature is –18F with a wind chill of –33F.  And it was warmer today than yesterday! 

Early morning – December 21, 2017.  We’ve had snowfall just about every day, often for hours or even most of a day, but tiny flakes. None since the temps dropped into the deep freezer, though.  No big storms yet with significant accumulation, but we’ll see what January and February bring.

Oh!  On Christmas Day morning, we had sundogs!  I couldn’t get a decent angle for a photo, but you can read about sundogs here.  Pretty darn awesome.  Just a gift from Mother Nature for enduring the harsh Winter.

See the 2 specks on the roof peak?  Work has continued on the new cancer center down the street, even in the cold weather.  And snowfall.  And winds.  Gotta admire these guys!

It’s so nice to feel festive again for Christmas, this is the first time since 2013.  Last year really was a nonevent, with only having 1 day off and having lost our wee Maggie in October 2016.  I can’t even recall last Christmas.  We were still in Texas, so I imagine it was warm hot.  This year, however, we are in a much better place – geographically, financially and spiritually.  What a difference 12 months can make!

I do still miss our Maggs and having a doggie around, but did get out to the shelter to donate the dog sweaters.  That helped a bit, and they seemed glad to get the sweaters.  One of these days when I ever have spare time again, I’d like to volunteer my time. 

We sent out Christmas cards again for the first time in a few years and received some.  Certainly isn’t like “the old days” of receiving a lot of cards.  Everything and everyone seem to have transitioned to electronic greetings.  Don’t get me wrong, that’s nice, but there’s just something about Christmas cards.  I miss that.  Received some holiday phone calls, and those were very special.

My annual viewing of White Christmas took place on Christmas Eve; it’s just not Christmas without seeing that movie.  I’ve been watching it at this time of year since childhood.  Tonight It’s a Wonderful Life is on tap, and I’m looking forward to that.  It’s another holiday tradition in our home.

I don’t know that anyone really reads this blog these days.  It’s different now that we’re not full-time RVers.  Its purpose is more of an exercise in recording our life … I just don’t seem to have the creativity to even write … just write … at this point.  Probably because I’m too dang busy living life.  Working, my life with Dave, routine chores/housekeeping/cooking/errands … by the time I think of something to write about, I just don’t have the time or ambition to do so.  Too, it’s easier to toss out a simple post on Facebook vs. putting together a blog post.  I know I’m not the only one experiencing this, but I do miss those evenings of purely … writing.  Oh well. 

If you have made it this far, thank you so much for stopping by! 

Wherever you are and however you celebrate, I wish you the peace, magic and joy of the season.

Let the Holidays Begin!

All that snow I talked about in my last post disappeared with the mild temperatures we’ve had lately, but … forecast is for possible blizzard conditions tomorrow with 4-10” accumulation.  We’ll see what happens!

It’s almost 10 pm on Sunday night, so this will be a quick post.  Really this post is for Sue, as I promised to put up some photos of our Christmas decorations.  So … here ya go, girlfriend!

I confess to this being the earliest I have put up decorations, having them out and up about a week before Thanksgiving.  I know that’s early, but there was snow on the ground, it was cold, it’s our first holiday season in a sticks-n-bricks home again in about 8 years, and Dave and I both really like Christmas.

Decorations box – items we used in the RV

The stocking Dave gave me Christmas 2005 in Scotland.  It became the doggies’ stocking after that.

In the RV, we had a small – about a foot high – tree that had fiber optic lights on it powered by a battery.  We wanted something a bit larger now that we have more room.  So we bought a 4-foot artificial tree, some ornaments, a topper and … icicles!

I’d either forgotten how to do this or was the victim of poor packaging!

The end result wasn’t bad, after all!  The “snow” at the bottom is the old-fashioned cotton kind, but has iridescent fibers in it, so it shimmers or “twinkles” a bit when the tree lights are on.  Pretty nifty, actually.

That’s the little “RV” tree in the center.  That’s the front living room window.

Front door

My office

Last Wednesday, we drove down to the visitors center/park at the lake.  The town lighting ceremony was the weekend prior, but we didn’t attend.  That’s an evening of “lighting” downtown for the holidays, a parade, bonfire, and cider/hot cocoa at the visitors center.  Maybe next year! 

Trees in the park at the visitors center

It was really breezy that night, so the trees were swaying – interesting effect with the lights.

Hey!  Look!  Now I just need some snow!  And figure out how to lace my boots to ‘em!

Gotta get the car washed frequently up here with all the snow and salt.

Bought some sweaters which will be donated to our local shelter.

Ciao for now!

Thanks for stopping by!  Ya’ll be safe out there, okay?