With Eagle ailing in Duluth, we took the truck up Minnesota's famous North Shore of Lake Superior. Starting in Two Harbors (lower left), we drove along the Highway 61 Scenic byway 164 miles to its end at the Ontario, Canada border.
We rolled along enjoying the scenery
and views of Lake Superior (the horizon lost in thick fog),
running past large patches of lupines
most with flower heads a foot tall
and through large patches of fog
which hid the lake entirely.
Just north of Grand Marais (Moray) passed these bicyclists laboring up a hill.
Our first stop of the day--Grand Portage National Monument Heritage Center
and reconstructed 1797 Northwest (trading) Company Depot. We looked around this area for about an hour (that's a story for another day) then drove 6 miles to
Grand Portage State Park on the Pigeon River which forms the border between the US and Canada. We turned left into the park just short of the border crossing
and took a 1/2 walk along the river enjoying Canadian trees in the distance
and American trees along the walk.
The trail dipped to the river in a couple of spots. Duane had decided to take a dip, but I persuaded him to continue to
the High Falls. 100' up at the top of the falls logs were gathered and funneled into a flume along the Canadian side (right) and returned to the river at the end of the cascade. On the left (American side) is a viewing deck closer to the falls, with a corresponding one on the right. No Canadian visitors to wave to today, though.
As we exited the park for the drive home, we encountered our bicyclists, still slogging along from the first time we saw them 35 miles back.
We made three stops on the bay back to Two Harbors. The first was to view Wauswaugoning Bay
with a view of the Susie Islands, and beyond, Isle Royale, which is claimed by Michigan. That completed our "to do" list for this area.
Our second stop was in Grand Marais to check out the blacksmith shop. Duane was disappointed to discover this is not a working shop but an historical site. Hopefully the Cook County Historical Society has plans of restoring and reopening this shop at some time in the future.
Our last stop was at Schroeder. We were driving across a bridge and happened to see this wonderful waterfall. This is the Cross River Falls, viewed from the bridge as it tumbles down a sloped bed of basalt,
eddys in a couple of pools, then cascades under the bridge
and finally settles down to flow to its end in Lake Superior.
We drove the rest of the way home in light showers, a precursor of the rain which stayed with us all evening.
Lots more to see.
Louise and Duane
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