Grand Portage - July 21-28

Welcome to Grand Portage!

Grand Portage Lodge and Casino

The weather this week was a copycat of last week’s. This must be one of the coldest Julys in history; Sunday’s temps were in the high 50s as the day started, and didn't get much higher than the mid-60s as the day progressed. After attending church in Grand Marais, we were invited to my aunt Bernice’s for Sunday dinner of chicken, mashed potatoes, and all that goes with it. I provided rhubarb crisp for dessert.  We were joined by my uncle Erland, Bernice’s daughter (my cousin) Jane and her daughter Ashley. My family doesn't let one go hungry, that’s for sure! Always good food and good fellowship.

The weather improved to where we could sit outside so later, after returning to Grand Portage, we visited with Bob from Florida, Wes and Carolyn from southern Minnesota, Dick from Grand Portage, and Don from Two Harbors, and Al from Rochester, Minnesota.  There are always stories to share, and things to talk about. The fog rolled in again, so thick that Pete’s Island couldn't be seen in the harbor.

(fog photos)

Fog and sunshine!

Rain, rain, go away! Monday we were met with thunderstorms once again, and temperatures in the low 50s. Ugh… We decided lunch at the Portage Community Center was the thing to do so we chowed down on pulled pork sandwiches. They provide so much food for $4—and it’s good! The sun came out by mid-afternoon and the temperatures warmed up to the high 60s so we sat outside visiting with neighbors Bob, Wes and Carolyn.

As we were visiting we noticed a sailboat entering Grand Portage Harbor. The harbor isn't much more than 12’ deep in most spots, so we were interested to see that he was skirting the marina entrance, heading for much shallower water.  Eventually, the boat did make its way back to the marina, ultimately to refuel. The boat was too long to comfortably pull into the marina slips, but he did it anyway. After refueling, he attempted to back up and almost took out a large cabin cruiser directly behind him. With assistance from marina personnel, and much maneuvering, he did manage to begin to pull out of the marina, but took too sharp and too quick a left turn embedding the keel in a sand and clay bar just to the left of the marina entrance. Good grief… We watched as they shifted weight from side-to-side to break free, but no luck. They only succeeded in getting the keel more deeply entrenched in the muck. (They obviously didn't pay attention to the harbor map, which they said they had “somewhere” in the belly of the boat). After about an hour of trying to free the boat themselves, a large Case shovel was brought in to help. By attaching a rope, the Case was able to pull the boat free, so it could go on its way. We took photos, but wish we had videotaped it for you to watch. That was the most excitement we had had in quite a while. I'm sure it would've gone viral on youtube!

That evening, as we sat outside, Wes and Carolyn broke out their Mexican Train Dominoes. Fun times! (We need to invest in that game!)

WOW! What’s that golden orb in the sky?? Sunshine and 62 degrees at 7:30 a.m.! Tuesday was beautiful! We were able to walk a bit and ride bicycles in the park for a while. Dick also rode the motorcycle around the area a bit, as I worked on the blog.

Pass through Mt. Josephine, Grand Portage.

Grand Portage Harbor with Isle Royal int he distance.

Beaver dam along the Upper Road, Grand Portage.

After dinner we were still able to sit outside to introduce Pegs and Jokers to Wes and Carolyn. Such fun! Our hootin’ and hollerin’ drew folks from the park—they didn’t want to join in, but did enjoy watching us. We made plans with Wes and Carolyn to drive up to Thunder Bay on Wednesday, to see Kakabeka Falls, and to attend a free concert at Thunder Bay’s Marina Park, located on the Superior shore.

Not to be disappointed, Wednesday dawned sunny and beautiful, with a few floaty clouds going by. A good day for a day trip! After breakfast at the Grand Portage Lodge and a bit of time on the computer (we can only get WiFi at the lodge), Wes and Carolyn, Dick and I headed north to the Border.

Kakabeka Falls was running fast and furious after the recent torrential rains. Impressive! There wasn't quite that much water last year when Dick and I visited the falls.

As we were heading back to the truck—from the other side of the falls—the skies opened up and IT POURED! We were drenched!  Of course none of us were wearing rain gear—the sun had been shining! We drove into Thunder Bay for a late lunch/early dinner at Papa Piccolino’s, hoping that the skies would clear and we could attend the concert. That didn’t happen. We did drive around the marina, though, so Wes and Carolyn could see it—it’s lovely. Folks were setting up for the concert, but we didn't stick around. We thought a stop at Ryden's at the Border and an evening of Pegs and Jokers was much more “in the cards” (ha!) for us that day. By the time we had returned to Grand Portage the sun had come out and we were able to sit outside for a while, playing the game—at least until the mosquitoes took over and drove us inside. (Folks around here say that since the weather has been so cold, there was one massive hatch of mosquitoes rather than hatching over time.)

Had to include this photo; at Papa Piccolino's we ordered pizza and sodas. Really good pizza!

We asked for cups for the soda -- we got 'em!
Each held 2 oz...hmm...

Rain, rain, go away!! Thursday dawned overcast and drizzly, with temps in the low 50s. (We’re getting really tired of the rain!) Wes and Carolyn packed up and headed to Duluth, for a family reunion weekend at Spirit Mountain. Dick rode his bicycle around the park; I made banana bread, which we shared with Don and Gloria, Dick and Bob. Nothing like the fragrance of home-baked goodies on a rainy day! By noon, thunder storms hit again—with lots of rain.

Our plan was to head to Cloquet on Friday to see Mom, and to attend a Brummer reunion (Dad’s side of the family) on Saturday in the Minneapolis area). So, between raindrops, we packed up the black beast and headed south along the lake. We were on the road by 9:30. The drizzle let up a bit, but by the time we got half-way to Cloquet, the rain started again.

Rain knows no boundaries! It rained in Cloquet Friday and Saturday, too! Yuk—although there is no threat of forest fires in Northeastern Minnesota this year! My brother and sister-in-law, Ron and Debby (who were vacationing in Biwabik, MN) picked us up Saturday morning to drive to Shakopee, near the Twin Cities, for the family reunion. It rained most of the way.

My dad was the oldest of 11 children: he had 3 brothers and 7 sisters. Only 3 of the sisters are surviving, and all were there. We were missing some of the cousins, but most who were there I hadn't seen in 48 years. Other than being older, they looked like I remembered them. There was lots of food, conversation, photo ops, and laughter; lots of memories of being at Grandpa Brummer's farm for reunions and pheasant hunting.

Dad's surviving sisters: Millie, Odella and Ruthie (seated).
None of the brothers are still living.

"Some" of the Brummer cousins. Not all who were there
made this photo.

"Some" of the Brummer clan attending the reunion.
Again, not all who were there made this photo.

We returned to Cloquet for pizza and ice cream with Mom, Ron and Debby, Rich and Karen and MacKenzie. After Ron and Debby left at 8:30 to drive the 1 ½ hours back to Biwabik, Rich, Karen, MacKenzie, Dick and I played the crazy game “UNO ATTACK” until 11 p.m. Oh, my…we’re too old for those hours! It was fun, though. (We need to invest in that game, too!)

Here’s to a week of sunshine! We hope you’re doing well, staying healthy, and enjoying life. We miss you, and send you hugs!

Dick and Gail

Grand Portage - July 13-20, 2013

 Greetings from Grand Portage, Minnesota!

View of "most" of the RV park. 

 At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I say again that we’re in the chilly, rainy and foggy capitol of the world! Even if we awakened to sunshine and blue skies, within hours the skies covered in clouds, fog moved in off the lake, and it rained. This was true Sunday through Friday. Ugh! Temperatures didn't get much above the high 60s for most of the week. However, I must say, that this is still a beautiful place to be spending the summer. We continue to watch the weather reports, and are leaning toward the positive that the sun will again shine for us and the temperatures will rise.

Last week I mentioned that there had been a bear sighting here in the park. A live bear trap was set, but so far he hasn’t returned—at least if he has he’s steering clear of the trap!

Live bear trap -- empty...

We attended Cornerstone Community Church in Grand Marais on Sunday, where we were blessed by the ministry of The Faithful Men Quartet—a service of southern gospel music. After church and a quick bite at Subway we headed to the Grand Marais library Wi-Fi to catch up on emails, etc. There was sun sighting off and on during the day, but it was mostly cloudy and foggy. As soon as we returned to Grand Portage the heavens opened and it rained—again. (Good thing we have a supply or reading material and indoor projects to keep us occupied!)

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were much the same…early morning sun followed by heavy rain and fog by noon. By late in the afternoon on Wednesday the sun decided to show itself and the temperatures warmed up to the mid-70s. Sure could use more of that! We had originally planned to drive up to Thunder Bay for pizza and a concert that evening at Marina Park but because of the rain we cancelled. At a little after midnight we lost power for about 7 hours, and we heard reports that this happened throughout much of Cook County, where we are. Thanks to propane, I was able to make coffee (egg coffee!) the old fashioned way—boiling water and adding the grounds. Just about the time it was done, and we had downed our first cup, the power came back on.

Our park neighbors, Rogene and Dwight, invited us and another couple, Don and Gloria, for dinner Wednesday evening. She served beef stroganoff, fresh fruit salad, fresh cardamom bread and warm rhubarb crisp—YUM!  Good to get together with friends over good food and conversation. (A gal after my own heart, Rogene loves to cook and bake!)

That night the rain started once again, with heavy downpours and continuous thunder and lightning. Neither of us can recall every hearing thunder roll continuously for over 36 hours. Quite unbelievable! The rain! By Friday morning 4” to 6” was reported throughout Grand Portage. There was no let-up! We discovered a couple of leaks in the trailer (bedroom and couch side of the living room slides without slide covers), most likely due to the  many hours of torrential rain, and possibly due to the fact that our trailer isn't quite level (little high in the front).

Flute Reed River before the storm.

Flute Reed River after the storm

Wes and Caroline, folks that Dick met in Welcome, Minnesota last fall, showed up in the park for a week, and got set up just before the heavy rains started on Thursday. (Whew!) They’re parked directly across from us, so we’ve become acquainted and have shared stories of our travels. Also joining us is Bob from Florida, a full-timer who lives and travels in his camping van. We met him here last year. 

Friday we decided to head to Grand Marais to get propane (in case the power went out again we wanted to be covered). At the library we heard that a portion of Highway 61, the only road along the north shore of Lake Superior, connecting Duluth with Thunder Bay had washed out in the Cascade River area, causing major headaches for those on the road. We also heard that in the same spot a pick-up truck pulling a boat was almost washed into the lake.  The highway was repaired and one lane made passable by late Friday; both lanes were open by Saturday. Never underestimate the power and strength of gushing water.

There was sun in Grand Marais, just 34 miles from Grand Portage, so we took advantage of the day to take a couple photos of the downtown and harbor area. These are just a few of the places that keep Grand Marais hopping.

Coast Guard Station at Grand Marais harbor

Grand Marais harbor

"The" place to get pizza in Grand Marais. They say, "Yew haven't
been to Grand Marais unless yew've eaten at Sven & Ole's!"

You an get almost anything here. It's been around since at least the
1950s when my family and I lived in Grand Marais.

"The" meeting place in Grand Marais.

Sailboat in Grand Marais harbor.

Fog was so dense here in Grand Portage this week that it was impossible to see most anything. There was a fishing derby scheduled for Isle Royal Friday through Sunday, so fishermen were “grounded” for most of the Friday as they prepared to head out. Our neighbor Dwight and his three passengers did leave for the island in the midst of the fog but he went real slowly, he said. They returned to Grand Portage on Sunday, with the report that they caught lots of fish.

Saturday: sun, Sun, SUN! Beautiful! We could see Isle Royal in the distance, and Lake Superior was calm as glass. NO FOG! NO RAIN! Everyone was out, and boat after boat launched into the lake.  Temperatures reached the mid-70s by the late afternoon.  Again, I say, beautiful! This weather is supposed to hold through Sunday. Here’s hoping!

Photos above and below are views from our site this year.
Beautiful!

Dick decided to check out the top of the slides to see if he could identify where the leaks were coming from. Somehow the ladder twisted and collapsed under him, causing him to fall and get pretty banged up, especially his right side and hip. Thankfully, he didn't break anything—the grass created a bit of a soft cushion—but the bruises are quite colorful!

Saturday afternoon we watched four eagles as they “played” with seagulls down at the marina. Seagulls can really squawk!!! Was pretty entertaining. So fun to watch the eagles soar and float on the air currents.

Hope the sun is shining where you are, and you’re enjoying the last few weeks of July. Our time in Grand Portage is almost half over.  Regardless of the weather, we’re so blessed to be here to enjoy God’s creation.

Blessings and hugs to you!

Gail and Dick

Grand Portage - Week 2: July 8-13, 2013

Welcome to the fog capital of the world – or at least that’s what it seems to be. Of the 13 days we’ve been here we’ve had 10 days of either fog or rain, with temperatures barely reaching 70. Most often temps have started in the low to mid 50s in the morning, and maybe getting into the low 60s by afternoon. The sun threatens to shine occasionally, but it’s still been very cool and damp. It really puts a “damper” on our exploring!

It’s interesting to watch the fog roll in to Grand Portage Bay from Lake Superior.  The fog is so dense at times that it appears there is no land in sight across the water. Here are a few more photos of the bay, looking across to Grand Portage (or Pete’s) Island.

Last week I neglected to provide a couple of photos from my Mom’s:  her clivia plant (one of two that bloomed while we were there in June) and the apple tree in her yard that was in full bloom. What fragrance! Obviously the cool weather had a lot to do with the timing of the bloom.  When we return to her place in September I hope to harvest some for apple sauce, apple crisp, apple cake, apple…

Sunday June 30 we had breakfast with my brother Ron and his wife Debby before they headed home for Roseau, MN. Also joining us were my brother Rich and his daughter MacKenzie (Karen, wife and mom, was working).

Back in Grand Portage: Sunday through Wednesday were foggy and rainy, especially in the mornings. Monday afternoon the sun began to burn off the fog—enough that we were able to sit outside for a while. I pulled out a jigsaw puzzle to work on at the picnic table; our neighbor Gloria came over to help me, while Dick spent some time reading. 

Tuesday was more of the same—fog, drizzle, etc. During a break in the weather we went to the Lodge to catch up on emails, since (unlike last year) we don’t have access to the Internet in the park. (No Internet, cell or TV…kinda nice once you get used to it.) Dinner at the Lodge that night was steak and shrimp for two at $20. Yum!

Wednesday was the next “sun-sighting,” following a hard rain the night before, so we were able to ride our bikes around the park and enjoy the outdoors again. With all the inclement weather, it’s a good thing I have needlework projects  to keep me busy; we’re also getting a lot of reading done!

Thursday dawned bright and sunny-YEA, but we needed to get to Grand Marais to return books and movies to the library, and take advantage of their free WiFi. This has become a weekly trek for us, giving us an opportunity to pick up any groceries we may need. 

On the way back to Grand Portage we stopped at Naniboujou Lodge to check out their Sunday brunch menu. My Great Uncle Francis ("Cac") and Great Aunt Amy Hussey owned it years ago, so it was good to see it again. We’ll be going to brunch there in August, so stay tuned for more information on this most interesting place.  (The 80’ long ceiling and walls in the dining room are painted bright vibrant colors in an Indian motif.)

Grand Portage Community Center provides very nourishing and inexpensive lunches for seniors (yes, we qualify!) Monday through Friday, so we took advantage of it on Friday. They served baked salmon, potatoes, creamed corn, pickled beets, fruit and beverages for $4 for the two of us (based on age, mine was a bit more expensive at $2.50 than Dick’s). Even though it was a very chilly 55 degrees at noon, we rode the motorcycle to lunch. Brrr! We were glad to get back to the trailer to warm up, even though the Center was just a mile or so away from our site.

After Friday night showers, Saturday didn’t disappoint—fog and 53 degrees at 7:30 a.m. There was a break in the weather by noon so we walked the short ¼ mile to the Grand Portage Heritage Center, which we visited and reported on last year. Due to the cool weather and late Spring, the wildflowers were in full bloom, creating visual splashes of color along the way. 

There are wild roses growing everywhere (their fragrance is heady!), along with bluebells, orange hawkweed, bright yellow buttercups, purple pickleweed and lupine, as well as 5’ high cow parsnip. As we passed the site where the old Grand Portage Baptist Church stood we noticed a large bush of white roses, and a bird’s nest setting in the middle of the grass (probably dropped by a crow after stealing a baby bird from the nest).

Wild roses

Buttercups

Pickleweed

Wild lupine

Cow parsnip

Bluebells

As we passed one of the trash dumpsters we noticed quite a bit of trash spreading up the hill for a good 40 yards. Apparently a 400 lb. bear has been sited there at night, gorging on campers’ left-overs. We’ll steer clear of that area of the park in the evenings!

That afternoon Dick rode the motorcycle to Hovland, located about half-way between Grand Marais and Grand Portage, along Lake Superior. He came upon this marker for the dog sled mail carriers, which operated for almost 50 years bringing mail from Duluth to Grand Portage and beyond to Canada.

Engraved on the plaque is the following:  "In 1856 Post Offices were established in Grand Marais and Grand Portage on a mail route connecting Duluth, Minnesota and Fort William, Canada.

Since there were no roads, mail was carried by boat on Lake Superior; in winter dog sled teams and sleds were used by the mail carriers to tote the heavy packets through the wilderness over what was known as “The Old Dog Trail”, which ran along the north shore of the lake for more than 150 miles.

The mail was transported in those days by private carriers who contracted with the government for the job. Sam Zimmerman, a German, and the Beargrease brothers, who were Chippewa Indians, were among the earliest postmen on the trail. The trip they made took several days and necessitated a change of dogs en route.

In 1895 the trail was cleared for hauling logs, and horses could then be used along part of it. Later, further stretches were improved, and in 1920 it became Trunk Highway No. 1. Parts of the Trail are followed by present-day Highway 61 (North Shore Drive), which is now a part of the Great Circle Route around the lake. Parts of the pioneer mail route are still visible."

--

Also in Hovland is the old Hovland Dock. Built in 1905, the dock served as a hub for local transportation and to facilitate the commercial and private handling of lake trout. It was the largest fishing enterprise on the north shore of Lake Superior until lamprey entered the lake, decimating the lake trout population. The dock area was neglected as commercial fishing declined and the highway system became the dominant form of transportation.  Great strides have been made to overcome this unfortunate decline in fish, but the quantity of lake trout continue to fall far short of what they once were. Word around here is that there are tentative plans to rebuild/restore the dock that folks say will cost from $6,000 upwards to $9 million. Due to the shifting and unstable lake bed where it’s located there’s no guarantee that it will stay in one piece.

About ½ mile east of the dock is The Flute Reed River, feeding Lake Superior from the north woods. We thought this photo shows the peace and tranquility of this area.

Before returning to the park, Dick rode to the north side of Mt. Josephine, here in Grand Portage, to take fog photos of the lake.

That’s all folks, for this week. Hope you’ve enjoyed the blog.  (It’s Monday, and as I write this the lake and marina are again fogged in…crazy.) We pray for sun and warmer weather during the remainder of our stay in Grand Portage.

Blessings,

Gail and Dick