The Wheels on the Bus go round and round, round and round, round and round. : Lake Superior

Duluth

Whenever I think of Duluth I think of the Duluth Trading Company. The company was founded by two brothers in 1989. Their headquarters floated on the Lake Superior waterfront, but there was never a retail location. The company has finally opened its first store in its namesake city in the spring 2014. It's about time.

Looking towards Canal Park

Uncle Harvey’s Mausoleum AKA “The Cribs”

Many dramatic theories have been proffered about the original use of the concrete ruins that lie about thirty yards into Lake Superior just off the Lakewalk behind some of Canal Park’s hotels, used today by scuba divers and adventurous folks who swim out to the concrete ruin and use it as a diving platform. It is also home to nesting ducks. One story claims it was a prohibition-era gambling house. Federal lake charts identify the ruins as “the cribs,” but it is more popularly known as “Uncle Harvey’s Mausoleum.” The truth is neither glamorous nor grim. “Uncle Harvey” was Harvey Whitney, one of the Whitney brothers of Superior. Built in the winter of 1919, the “mausoleum” was no burial site but rather a sand and gravel hopper that was abandoned in 1922 after another of Duluth’s building booms reached its end.

Aerial Lift Bridge

A major landmark in the port city of Duluth, Minnesota. The span began life as an extremely rare transporter bridge — the first of just two such bridges ever constructed in the United States. Originally built in 1905, the bridge was upgraded in 1929–30 to a vertical lift bridge, which is rather uncommon, and continues to operate today. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day the bridge will lift on the hour and half hour when boats are present. The bridge will lift at any time for large commercial and government vessels.

View from the bridge

Decided to try some Minnesota Mexican food

Chicken Chili Rellenos

They were pretty good.

The Fountain of the Wind

Stepping stones guide you through this fountain in Canal Park. Bronze sturgeon and lake trout with water jets surround a mythological wildcat dreaming in the fountain’s center.

Knife River

The only campground we have ever stayed at where the owner came to our campsite as we were leaving, shook our hands and thanked us for our business.

Foggy day

The flood of 2012

Bent bridge railings

Two Harbors

Edna G Tugboat

This classic tugboat currently resides at the ore docks. It was built in 1896 and worked along the Two Harbors waterfront until her retirement in 1982. The Edna G was one of the first and was the last coal-fired tug in operation on the Great Lakes.

These girls seemed so tame, I was looking for their collars

The Two Harbors Light is the oldest continuously running lighthouse on the North Shore. Overlooking Lake Superior's Agate Bay. The first lighting of the Two Harbors light was April 1892. While the lighthouse is still on the Light List as active, it is listed as a private aid to navigation and is no longer maintained by the Coast Guard.

Two Harbors Breakwall

Strolling along the Breakwall is an excellent opportunity to get out on the water. This is the perfect place to watch the big ships come into the ore docks.

Ore Docks

View out onto the Lake from the end of the Breakwall

Lunch time

Broasted chicken

I know what you're thinking. Where's the pie? We got a turtle coconut piece to go.

Gooseberry Falls

You can hear the thunderous roar of the Upper, Middle and Lower Falls of the Gooseberry River as it plummets through a rocky gorge.

Split Rock Lighthouse

Built in 1910 on a 130-foot sheer cliff. It is considered one of the most picturesque lighthouses in the United States. Split Rock Lighthouse was built in response to the great loss of ships during the famous Mataafa Storm of 1905, in which 29 ships were lost on Lake Superior.

Beaver Falls

Sullivan Lake

McDougal Lake

Grand Marais

Celebrating 3 years of retirement at the Blue Water Cafe. Taking advantage of their Tuesday night special. Half off all burgers. We had their Behemoth Burger. A cheese burger sandwiched between two grilled cheese sandwiches piled with fried onions and pickles

Grand Portage National Monument

Located on the upper north shore of Lake Superior that preserves the fur trade era and the rich heritage of the Ojibwe people.

The Grand Portage trail is an 8.5-mile trail connecting Grand Portage with Fort Charlotte on the Pigeon River.

High Falls
A 120-foot waterfall, the tallest in the state, on the Pigeon River.

What happened to the border crossing?

The old border highway now dead-ends at the footings of the bridge built in 1917 across the Pigeon River into Canada, which was removed shortly after the opening of the current border crossing in 1963.

The old border crossing first came into use in 1917 after local groups on both sides of the border decided to build a bridge over the Pigeon River. The locals had become sick of waiting for approval from the U.S. and Canadian governments. It ended on each side with steep ramps due to a shortage of materials. The bridge therefore became known as the "Outlaw Bridge" because of its less than legal origins.

Native people have traveled this footpath between Pigeon River and Lake Superior for centuries.

The Moose Ridge Trail shelter looks a little under water

Can you see the beaver hut and the beaver dam?

Arrowhead Trail

Upon returning back to Grand Marais, after a full day of sightseeing decided to grab some dinner at Dockside Fish and Seafood next door to the RV park. The only place I have ever seen with a Yelp rating of 5.0