Re-entering the U.S. was no trouble - they took us back without complaint. The first stretch of coastline in Minnesota was along the edge of the Boundary Waters Area. There were many rivers that emptied into Lake Superior and many small bays. I practiced my new skills by converting miles into kilometers out loud for Dennis' amusement. We noticed right away that gas prices have risen dramatically in the week or so that we've been in Canada. We heard about it on the news, but we were still in sticker shock with price per liter. The first gas station we saw was in a popular tourist area and the price was $2.89 per gallon. However, the price around here in Duluth is $2.59 - still thirty cents more than what we last paid in Brighton.
Welcome Back
We stopped to visit the Split Rock Lighthouse outside of Two Harbors. There is a state park there for camping and hiking, but you can also just take a tour of the lighthouse and grounds. It is all beautifully maintained by the local Historical Society. The keeper's house is furnished with original furniture from the 1910 era including a state of the art wood stove with "built in" water heater. The people who dress in authentic garb and talk about the various features were great fun and informative. I've wanted photos of this lighthouse for awhile. I can't believe it is located outside of Michigan, but we don't have such steep rocky shores. I have to confess that I was mildly naughty and set a bad example by climbing on a low rock fence to get a better picture. Lots of people followed my example and I took a picture for another family standing on the wall!
Split Rock Lighthouse
Fresnel Lens and 1000 watt Light
Keeper's House
When we arrived in Duluth, we checked into our hotel and the woman working the desk told us about a new brewery (Hoops) down in the Canal Street area. The whole area was jammed with holiday weekenders, but we found the brewery and a place to park (no mean feat) and tasted some delightful beers. We had a chat with the owner. It reminded me a bit of Brewery Becker because it was an old renovated building (warehouse) and the owner only sells beer and pretzels. However, he has a "menu" of neighboring restaurants from whom you can order and a "runner" who will go get your food and bring it back if the restaurant does not deliver. He also has board games for folks to play while they are drinking.We went to Fitger's Brewhouse for dinner and had to wait almost an hour to get seated. The food was really good and the beer was, too, but not as good as the beer at Hoops. There are lots of good places to eat and drink in Duluth and it seems like a fun place, for a city. I especially like the fact that they put in a seven mile long river walk so everyone in the area can enjoy the lake.
We celebrated Labor Day by going to the Maritime Visitors Center. This is a fabulous museum that was built by the Army Corps of Engineers. They also built the aerial lift bridge in the harbor, widened the harbor, and dredge the harbor to keep it clear.
We loved the museum - I had fun captaining a ship from the mock-up. I pretended to crash and got one little girl to laugh.
Captain MaryAlice
But I have to say we were most impressed by the lift bridge. It is an amazing concept, a working marvel of beauty and engineering.
Aerial Lift Bridge
Bridge lifting to allow boats through
We have talked about this trip and agreed over and over that it is about the Lake. We've seen beautiful waterfalls, and will see more. We've seen rock and forest and charming villages. But every museum we have visited is all about Lake Superior and the importance it has to our economy as a shipping giant. The Maritime Visitor Center had a stunning display about the Edmund Fitzgerald and the Split Rock Lighthouse does a lighting ceremony every year to commemorate that fateful voyage. There is no denying the power of this lake and its impact on the surrounding land and people.
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