Two Harbors, MN - July 20 -26, 2005
On July 20 we traveled north through forests and rolling hills dotted with wildflowers to Two Harbors on the north shore of Lake Superior. As we established our home at the spacious Penmarallter RV Park about two miles south of town we were very pleased with the cooler and drier weather - and very few insects. In fact, after our rather buggy experience in South Dakota, and all of the warnings we had about Minnesota's infamous mosquito population, we are very pleased to report that we have had very little issue with flying pests.
Lake Superior is so beautiful - and big. Susan kept forgetting she was on a lake, not the ocean. But, the locals also seem to make that mistake as they advertise for "deep sea fishing charters".
Duluth and the north shore's economies are based on shipping commodities such as grain, coal, timber, and ore. The shipping industry is still going strong, although the actual number of ships is diminished primarily because they are much larger and faster. While in Duluth we watched a 1,000-foot cargo carrier leave port - it took a very long time for it to pass by.
The Duluth Maritime Museum explained the evolution of the Great Lakes shipping industry and technology. Many of the changes in ship design were influenced by the progressively increased length and depth of the locks connecting the lakes, and the 1959 completion of the St. Lawrence Seaway. Since we were only familiar with containerized shipping and seaports, such as Oakland and Long Beach, we were surprised to learn that each type of cargo has a dock designed specifically for it to ensure efficient loading and off-loading.
The north shore is also a midwest tourist mecca. Apparently, people have been coming here since the 19th Century to escape the summer heat and allergens. In Duluth's Canal Park, the warehouses and shipping supply buildings are now restaurants, galleries and shops. The park includes a sculpture walk and numerous flowers beds. On the bright sunny day we visited it was bustling with tourists and alive with the sound of music and seagulls (once again that "sea" thing). We watched the big cargo ships slip from the harbor under the city's signature Aerial Lift Bridge that rises 138 feet above the water - and can back up traffic for many blocks.
It appears a lot of timber, shipping and mining money was made before the days of income tax, as there are numerous beautiful mansions along the lakefront and in the hills overlooking the lake.
The locals seems to celebrate the brief growing season by feverously planting flowers in every plot of ground, hanging basket and window box available. Mother Nature adds to the flora with an abundance of wildflowers much like those we struggled to grow in our California gardens. Coneflowers, coreopsis, daisies, day lilies, sunflowers, butter and eggs, foxgloves, goldenrod, lupine and fireweed bloom in profusion on green fields.
We took a day to visit the Two Harbors Lighthouse, now a bed and breakfast and, further north, the Split Rock Lighthouse now part of the State Parks System. We were able to go into the Split Rock lighthouse and the keeper's home and see how the family lived in the 1920s. The home was really quite comfortable for the time - running water and steam heat. Because the shipping lanes freeze during the winter, the lighthouse was only operational 7 - 8 months a year. During those months the keeper (and his assistants) worked many long days (14-20 hours) for which the keeper was paid a total of $1,500.
On Sunday, we drove the North Shore Scenic Drive between Two Harbors and Grand Marais, about 40 miles south of the Canadian border. Grand Marais is the trailhead for the Gunflint Trail, the northeastern gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The town has many outfitters and guides for canoeing and kayaking, as well as local arts and crafts galleries, and a lovely harbor.
On our last full day on the north shore, we hiked at Gooseberry Falls State Park. The Gooseberry River drops through a series of five falls before flowing into the lake. The park is really pretty and it was a great day for a hike.
Tomorrow (July 27th) we are off to Bemidji, headwaters of the mighty Mississippi. We will be there for three days to take care of some last minute business (like updating the website!) before heading for Canada.
"If the local folklore is to be believed, Duluth is … a city where bears wander in from the woods every spring, push their way into back yards, and imperturbably invade the lobby of the chief hotel."John Gunther
