Sep 20, 2012 - Quebec (additional photos)

Photos of Quebec City Not Previously Posted, August 18, 2012 (6 photos) I am sifting through all of the photos taken on the trip and, with less time pressure and better internet connections, am posting selections from some of the high points. On our second day in Quebec City, we took a tour on the St. Lawrence River. Most of these pictures were taken from the boat....

Aug 13, 2012 - On the road again - finally!

Day One, Monday, August 13, 2012, On The Road Again ( 4 photos) Intended departure date was yesterday, Sunday; however, at the last minute we realized our wheels needed to be retorqued. Steve was at the dealer’s at 7 AM today (not open Sunday) and we were on the road by 10 AM. Stopped in Marquette, MI to purchase pasties, a delicacy of the Upper Peninsula. Arrived at the Munising (MI) township campground at 5:00 CDT, but we are now in EDT. Encountered moderate construction; made 300 miles. Went for a walk along Lake Superior, and Parker...

Jul 31, 2012 - Duluth MN

The largest and busiest harbor on the Great Lakes is also the world’s most inland seaport. Well over 1,000 lake and ocean vessels call on the Twin Ports of Duluth and Superior WI each year, moving 40 to 45 million tons of cargo. The harbor entry canals and breakwaters at Duluth and Superior along with more than 17 miles of dredged channels inside the harbor are maintained by the US Army Corps of Engineers to keep traffic flowing safely. Entry lighthouses and dozens of buoys mark shipping channels. Each dock in the seaport is specialized for...

Jul 31, 2012 - Duluth is fun and pretty

Sunday we continued back east and stopped in Duluth, MN for a few days. We are staying in a city park on Lake Superior. Good thing we have full hookups since it is much warmer and more humid than the weather we had gotten used to in MT. The Duluth, MN and Superior, WI area is very pretty with views of Lake Superior from almost everywhere. We saw most of the things to see in the area....... The lift bridge, Canal Park, Leif Erickson park, Park Point and Skyline Parkway. We rode the bikes on a couple of trails near the RV parks although they...

Sep 8, 2011 - Minnesota

Today I drove 318 miles. (yesterday it was only 140) While still in the UP, I stopped at a BestBuy in Marquette. I was there for a long time as two different geeks tried to get my computer to go on the internet. No use. Being as I was in Wild rice country - both MI and MN, I kept looking for a good buy. I learned that there is Lake rice which grows wild, puffs up like puffed wheat when cooked, is lighter in color, and is not as flavorful as cultivated or paddy rice. You can buy it whole grain or broken. The broken is good for soup or...

Aug 26, 2011 - Changes

Now that I am off from rowing for the next week (and even when i return to it on Monday, i will only be going a few times a week), I expected to be very bored. Surprisingly I have been busy every day so far and I have gotten a lot of tedious things over with in anticipation for the trip. I am really happy to get to do other things now that my time is not completely consumed by rowing. These last few months I have not had time to do many other things that I love because by the time I finished the workouts for the day, i was far too exhausted...

Aug 23, 2011 - North West Regatta, and the finishing of my rowing career (for now)

On August 18th I left with the rowing team for Duluth, Minnesota for one last regatta. North West regatta was described to me by my coach as the party regatta. He explained to us that Western Canada Games was like Christmas (you anticipate it so much and then it's over in a flash), and that North West was the New Years of it all. He was very correct in his saying this. This trip felt like a complete vacation to me and I am very glad that I decided to go on this one last trip with the rowing team. I was sceptical about going at first because...

Aug 21, 2011 - Three Small Lakes and Big Fun in Minnesota

August 21 2011 Pike Lake MN One of the first things you notice in this area of Minnesota is the number of fishing boats. These are not your big bass boats, even though there a few of them, but more like the boats back in the day. Lund, Starcraft, Alumincraft, Crestliner, Smoker Craft to name a few. These boats are ideal for fishing the small lakes in this area. Many of the boats have older motors on them. 60's, 70's and 80's. I know those motors as we still own a 77 Evinrude 35HP and a 83 Johnson 9.9. The 9.9 has a throttle restrictor...

Aug 19, 2011 - Duluth and Lake Superior and the North Shore Scenic Drive

August 19 2011 Duluth to Illgen City Shoreline Drive I was told when in Duluth make sure you take the route 61 scenic drive that follows Lake Superior. I am glad we took that advice. The pictures says it all. A very pleasant drive through the Minnesota Country Side After that drive we stop at LA's Place in Pike Lake Minnesota. This was Friday night and they were providing a all you can eat Walleye Dinner with all the trimmings. It was great and we did ask for walleye refills. The walleye does come from Canada, but that is okay. The...

Aug 9, 2011 - A Swoop Back to Duluth

As the morning progressed to our tentative departure time, the sky kept losing more and more blue sky! After checking the weather channel AGAIN, we decided we would just take our chances, head up to Duluth, do the Skyline Parkway Drive and get it out of our systems! I had one pit-stop scheduled along the route though before we left Wisconsin! The Wisconsin Point Lighthouse. The drive northward was once again like being in a forest tunnel with very little to look at along the course of the drive; actually was pretty darned boring. We...

Jul 27, 2011 - In Duluth; Let the Party Begin!

In answer to several queries “Why Duluth?” Well, quite frankly I don’t know why I selected Duluth as the place to celebrate my milestone birthday; just knew I wanted it to be something different and some place we’d never been before! And then when Randy and Konnie said they’d join us to celebrate and drive the 350 miles from their home at the Lake it became even more special! We coordinated our appetizers and refreshments, meal choices, and how to spend the days. Duluth is the third-largest city in Minnesota and is a city of many faces. It...

Jul 13, 2011 - Duluth

We took two days to get to Duluth. Winters are bad here-apparently lots of people make giant sculptures to put out on the highway. In the middle of ND there is a road off the interstate that is lined with giant sculptures. We have seen giant leaping deer, giant cows, giant fish, and buffalo of various sizes and colors. My camera was not always ready when we suddenly came across one. We spent the night on the way to Duluth in the Detroit Lakes region of Minnesota. Minn is the land of 10,000 lakes with (according to AAA) 15,000 lakes. Along...