End of July

I finally got around to riding my bike on the Mesabi Trail.  My first effort was to ride from Marble to Pengilly a round trip of 14 miles.  This section includes what I call Mexican Hill (Juan Helluva Hill).  Other than the hill the ride was very pleasant with an abundance of wild flowers.

Mesabi Trail in Pengilly

Yellow Flowers on Mesabi Trail

Yesterday we drove to Duluth for an appointment at the Honda dealer for an oil & lube and to resolve an issue with the check engine light.  After installing a new fuel/air sensor for $500 we were on our way.  Nine tall ships were arriving in Duluth so we decided to check them out.  Canal Park was already crowded at 10:00 AM so we headed up the North Shore where we managed to see a couple tall ships at a distance.  

Tall Ship Headed for Duluth

Our second clever strategy was to have lunch at Fitgers Brewery and wait for the ships to get closer.  

Fitgers

Mary at Lunch

Lunch was over and the ships were no closer.  The parking meter wouldn't allow me to add coins so we went home.  We stopped at sister Kathy and Buck's to check out the Model A Ford he is restoring.

After dinner we went for another pontoon ride and dip in the lake arriving back at the dock in time for yet another sunset shot.

Sunset on Twin Lakes

Weekend at Twin Lakes

We passed our weekend with a visit to the car show - swap meet in Grand Rapids, a little fishing and a nice swim in the lake.

Grand Rapids Car Show

My sister Kathy and her husband Buck make the car show an annual event so we were able to enjoy some time with them during our visit.

Buck and Don

Kathy

Our weekend fishing was for Crappies at sunset.  They are small but mighty tasty.  Don's daughter Joleen, her husband Nick and son Max were the successful fishermen.

Max with Crappie

Joleen with Crappie

Nick with Crappie

Of course we enjoyed a cruise or two on the pontoon boat and just relaxed in the beautiful weather.

Rosie on the Pontoon Cruise

The Baby Eagles are now Flying

Yet Another Loon Shot

The Baby Loons are now Diving

We all enjoyed the playing with Joleen and Nicks new son Connor.

Connor and Bumpa Don

Connor

Life in Minnesota is good!

Visit to Duluth

We fired up the Winnebago for the first time in two months and headed to Duluth with Don & Bobbi.  Our favorite campground at Indian Point was full so we stayed in Saginaw about 15 miles from downtown.  This campsite was nice as well but the setting is not as pretty as Indian Point.

After settling in to the campsite with a nice lunch we piled into the CRV to take care of some necessary shopping and then to my brother Dave and Sharon's for dinner.

Our destination on Thursday morning was Canal Park in downtown Duluth to check out the Duluth Pack store and the Aerial Lift Bridge (a Duluth institution).

Mary Navigating the Fish Fountain

Aerial Lift Bridge Raised for Boat

Our next adventure was a ride on the DM&IR Tour Train for a ride to Lester River and back.

Mary on Tour Train

After a nostalgic lunch at Sammy's Pizza we returned to the Rail Museum for a look around.

SOO Line Engine

Great Northern Dining Car

Jim Hill's Line

We drove a bit of the Skyline Parkway on our way home for a view of Duluth.

Aerial Lift Bridge from Skyline Parkway

Blatnik Bridge from Skyline Parkway

After an early morning visit to Menard's on Friday morning we headed back to Twin Lakes.

Bay Lake for the Weekend

Friday we headed to Bay Lake near Deerwood, MN for a weekend with our friends Roger & Audrey Dietsch at their lake home.  After lunch we visited the museum in Aitkin, MN where we learned a lot about the early history of the area.  Paddle wheel steamboats plied the river from Aitkin to Grand Rapids in the very early 1900s.  Goods brought up by rail were transferred to the boats for delivery up river.

Mary at Museum

After a bit more touring of Aitkin we returned to Bay Lake for an afternoon cruise and swim.

View from the Deck

Captain Roger at the Helm

Cruising Bay Lake

After a substantial breakfast on Saturday morning we loaded the bikes for a ride on the Cuyuna Lakes Bicycle Trail.  Our ride came to an early end when it began to rain.

Audrey and Mary on Bike Trail

Taking a Break

One of the Cuyuna Lakes

The rain didn't stop for seven hours during which 3 1/2 inches fell.  Nice for napping though.

Sunday morning we attended church services at the Lutheran camp on an island in Bay Lake.  What a great way to worship.

Church Services on Church Island

Coffee Hour after Worship

After lunch we went for a cruise on Bay Lake with neighbors Jim and Faye.  Once again we enjoyed a dip in the lake.

Floating in Bay Lake

Cruising Bay Lake

Then we had another relaxing evening with a meal of barbecued sweet corn and hamburgers.

Jack with Brook

Monday morning Mary and I drove back to Marble via the Great River Road which follows the Mississippi River.

Touring MN

Bobbi, Don, Mary and I went to Virginia today for lunch and a look at the mine there...plus a little shopping.

Mine View

Don with "Little" Mining Truck

Weather forecasters were predicting serious thunder storms for last night and today.  Fortunately the majority of them went south of the Iron Range and we experienced only a bit of nice rain.

Enjoying Twin Lakes

We have the motorhome to ourselves again, which is nice in a way but we do miss having Mary Francis with us.  Brother Carl and wife Rose headed back to Watertown, SD on Monday morning which is making it even more quiet.

We did manage an on-board Farkel game on Monday evening along with a nice swim in the lake for Nate and me.

Don, Mary and Bobbi at the Farkel Festival

Nate in Lake

Don and I fished the lake yesterday afternoon with good results for me.  Don said it was because of his good guiding but I credited the results to my red Rapala Shadrap.  My total catch was five northerns and one bass, including a six pound northern.

My Six Pound Northern

I also couldn't resist capturing the image of mom & baby loons again.

Mom and Baby Loon

I did manage to clean the month old bugs off the front of the motorhome and Mary got clothes washed yet again.  

Mary Francis Returns to Riverside

The Floodwood Catfish Festival took place this weekend.  Brother Carl and I went to the event on Saturday and were underwhelmed.  Not too much activity taking place.  We visited with a few friends from the past and had a beer with brother Dave and then went home.

Floodwood Catfish Festival

Storms were moving through the area today and provided an interesting sunset over Twin Lakes.

Stormy Sunset on Twin Lakes

On Sunday morning at 6:30 AM we headed for Minneapolis to put Mary Francis on her flight back to Riverside.  Our early departure allowed us to visit the Mall of America for a couple of hours.

Mary at Mall of America

Mary on Ride at Mall of America

We said goodbye to Mary as she boarded her plane for a 1:55 PM departure for Dallas and then a transfer for her flight to Ontario.  She arrived in Ontario safe and sound and we returned to the sanctity of our empty Winnebago.

Visiting

Another morning cruise today to check out the Eagle and Loon families.  Both families are growing and doing fine.

Baby & Mama Loon

Mama Loon

Mama Eagle and Baby in Nest

Baby Eagle in Tree

Today we took Mary Francis to my home town of Floodwood for a visit.  We went by way of the Headbom Trail, dirt on lane road that runs for 19 miles through the forests.  We hoped to see animals along the way but didn't see any deer until we reached the end.

Cornish Flowage off the Headbom Trail

Black Eyed Susan on the Headbom Trail

We finally saw this doe and her two fawns feeding in a field.

Doe in Field

Her Fawns

We went to my brother Dave's cabin in the country for a visit before touring the old neighborhood.

Nate with Tractor

We even drove past my first school, St Louis County School 111 where I attended school for five years.

My First School

We stopped in at Floodwood but the Catfish Festival action won't really start until Saturday.