Week 16 (7/30 - 8/5)

Remember? We are in Minnesota, land of 10,000 lakes and 10 million mosquitoes!

Another boat trip, but that is the only way to see Voyageurs National Park.

After the boat trip we returned to camp to give Daisy a little quality time.

We are in Minnesota, land of lakes, iron mines, trees, and mushrooms.

We discovered quite by accident the Greyhound Museum! It was very interesting and unique.
We went to the museum to learn more about iron mining…
There was a very interesting traveling exhibit on…
(Was this Poop Exhibit an attempt to get 10 year old boys into a museum?)

Visiting another mine.
We toured an abandoned mine now owned by the state. This was an eye opening tour which explained why there were so many bars in town and this was a good clean mine! Mining is HARD WORK and I am glad I never had to do it!

We have been trying to get to Ely Minnesota since 2005 when we met a lady from this area who told us how wonderful it is. Finally we are here, it is a cute town with intriguing looking shops and I am not going to just drive right on by!!!!


Even after 42 years together, Jamie amazes me!

We leave Ely and drive northeast to the most amazing view of the trip!

More Voyageur history here just before we enter Canada.


This was a wildflower I had seen and puzzled about over a month ago. Now that I see the white as well as the yellow version I'm able to ID it in my book!

More Voyageur history from the Canadians who recreate their history so well they put Williamsburg to shame.

I just may write a book about the different shower experiences in parks!

This is in the town of Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Later that day…

We will eventually go on that bike ride to silver Islet but right now we are at the end of this week!

Week 15 (7/23 - 29)

We are on the eastern edge of South Dakota and have one more stop in Brookings to see a few of the University's museums which AAA classifies as GEMS.

But first my comment on South Dakota's massive amounts of farmland. It can't be healthy for the farmers.

The gardens were very pretty, but I was wondering, if they want anybody to visit and admire them, why not turn the sprinklers on at night?

This was a magnificent little museum! All about farming - yes, yes, I know we all know all about farming, but…
The curator cleverly used cartoon drawings by Bob Artley to tell a complete story of what it was like to be a boy growing up on a farm and all the chores he tried to avoid in the early 1900s . The drawings were delightful and told a wonderfully amusing story. I googled the artists and discovered he is in his 90s now. I hope he stays healthy long enough for me to get home and try to contact him to let him know how much I enjoy his book and farm museum display!

This was in the section of the farm museum covering different inventions by South Dakotans - mostly for farming things - well all except this one.

We purposely entered Minnesota in the southern portion because someone told us about Pipestone. It is a very unique geological place used for centuries by the local natives to harvest this special stone for pipes. In the past they traded their pipes to tribes all over the US, in the present the pipes they make are pieces of art.

Having a GPS is so nice and has made traveling so much easier, but sometimes our 'Gabby' takes us round robins nest and thus …
We are now heading NE across Minnesota toward the lake area.

The National Park Rangers are so knowledgeable but it is different with State Parks, although we really love them as they are always wrapped around some treasure. This is my little adventure in trying to find the name… of yet …another…wildflower!


Mystery finally solved!

This little town has a real treasure! A farmer discovered the stone in 1862 while attempting to remove a tree and this stone was wrapped up in the roots. First people believed it to be real, then the authorities declared it was a fake and the farmer was completely shunned. It wasn't until much later that it was declared to be real. Apparently Eric the Red was in Iceland and kicked out because of bad behavior. He moved to Greenland then on to what they called Vineland (Massachusetts). The Vikings were ordered by the Pope to expand as well as make sure the other Norse settlers were adhering to his religious command (this religious affiliation I did not know about). Apparently the band that came to Minnesota came by boat and was exploring. The inscription on the stone said they had come to the area, left ten men with the ship, a 14 day walk to the east. They left 10 men at a camp where the stone was and the remainder went north for fishing and hunting. When they returned they found all 10 men bloodied and dead, it ends with Holy Mother Mary of Jesus. Many artifacts have been found here such as iron tools made in the Viking way and more found through out the midwest to indicate a Viking inhabitation . Not to mention the blue eyed, blond haired Indians the Europeans found living here when they came to America!!

It did not take us long to learn that Minnesotans love and use their state parks!! Michigan also.

See what I mean, state parks are so fun!

Minnesota is made up of trees trees trees!

I actually don't know why this town has such a big statue of Smokey, but he was impressive.

We are in International Falls and take a tour through a paper factory. Minnesota + trees = paper!!



Boise Inc. Paper was a great tour!

This area of Minnesota is all about the Voyageurs who transported blankets, tools, beads, etc. from Montreal into the wilds of northern Minnesota and Ontario as trade items for animal furs from the natives. Beaver hats were in high fashion and great demand until replaced by silk from China. The Voyagers were French men hired to paddle trade goods from Montreal to Northwest Trading Company's headquarters in Kakabeka Falls, Ontario (where we will visit next week) in large 18 men canoes. There the goods were divided and transfered into smaller 8 men birch canoes to travel through small lakes, rivers, and portage over land when necessary. Today everyone marvels at the ruggedness and stamina of these men. They had a very good relationship with the Indians and thus were able to travel unharmed.

Minnesota is the land of black flies! Always has been as the Voyageurs had their own methods of dealing with them - rubbing skunk grease on themselves!
The boat trip followed the voyageurs path through one of the lakes. Of course we stopped to see other sights as well.


Lots of eagles in the lake district of Minnesota.

We were lucky enough to see and hear a family of loons. Special to us because "Loon" has always been the name of Jamie's boats.
The end of this week. We will continue to head northeast eventually going into Ontario.