Our last few days in Cloquet were spent preparing for our
departure on Wednesday. This included repacking and reloading the trailer, have
the brake wiring checked (following the tire blow-out a few weeks back),
visiting with Mom for the last time ‘til we return in the spring, fueling the
truck, last minute laundry…well, you get the picture. Dick also had his annual
physical, and we’re happy to report that all’s well, so I can expect to have
him around for the next while, Lord willing.
We finally got everything ready to go so we could “be on the
road, again” by 1:30 Wednesday afternoon. We weren’t too concerned about the
time since we were traveling less than 100 miles to our next destination:
Washburn, WI.
A. Cloquet, MN
B. Washburn, WI
Washburn is located along the western shore of Chequamegon
Bay, on the south shore of Lake Superior. A town of just over 2,000 residents,
Washburn was founded in 1879 and named for Cadwallader C. Washburn, who was
governor of Wisconsin from 1872 to 1874. While the timber industry and an
explosives plant had been the basis for the economy there, timber resources
soon grew scarce and the explosives plant closed (1971). Now, the town’s
economy is focused on the tourist industry.
We arrived around 3:30 Wednesday afternoon, at Memorial
Park, located on the northern end of the town. Donated to the town of Washburn by the DuPonts, this beautiful little park is
city-owned, and is situated right along the bay. We have electric hookup, WiFi, and
cable TV, but no water, so we’re depending on our on-board water supply to see us
through our stay.
 |
| Our site, #16 |
 |
| The park's pavilion overlooking Lake Superior's Cheqaumagon Bay |
 |
Stairway leading from park to the non-existent "beach." Lake Superior
is the highest it's been in 14 years, so swim at your own risk. Note that
the temperatures of Lake Superior vary little from the 40-degree
year-'round temperature, except in shallow areas where it may reach 60 degrees. |
We were hungry for a good burger, so we decided to eat out
that evening. Our choice was Patsy’s Bar & Grill in downtown Washburn. Opened
in the late 1800s, Patsy’s was the place to be. At one time there was a brothel
on the second floor, but a fire put an end to that. Patsy’s current owners
bought the place in the late 2000s, and completely remodeled it, restoring the
original bar and adding a new kitchen. The burgers were fabulous and there
wasn’t a speck of grease on the fries. YUM-YUM! Patsy’s is also one of the
cleanest restaurants we’ve been in. It’s worth a stop!
 |
| Patsy's interior; it's so clean you could almost eat off the floor. Nice. |
 |
Dollar bills and playing cards are tacked to the ceiling. When I asked
the waiter about them, he just smiled and said, "Magic." Hmmm... |
Thursday we explored the nearby town of Bayfield, one of the
tourist destinations in the area. Bayfield, a town of about 500 people, is just
north of Washburn about 12 miles. It’s home to the annual Apple Fest, which
draws an additional 60,000 people to the town the first weekend in October; the
annual Race Week Regatta is also another popular draw over the 4th
of July weekend.
Bayfield has a few blocks of boutique shops and coffeehouses, selling pastries filled with the marvelous fruits grown on the ridge above town; fabulous eateries, including Greunke's and Maggies, both which serve whitefish livers sauteed with onions and green peppers (we've been told they're really good...); nature trails along the bay and a restored 1912 iron bridge. Nearby is the Big Top Chautauqua, where foot-stomping musicals about Lake Superior alternate with concerts by nationally known performers. You'll notice that what sets Bayfield apart is what you don't see: fast food or franchise motels, billboards, stoplights or condo complexes. That's due in part to the work of the people who have loved this Lake Superior community over the years. Due to its Scandinavian (mainly Swedish) influence, Bayfield has a lot of this influence throughout the town.
 |
| Above and below: Bayfield from the water |
We really enjoyed
our lunch at Pier Plaza Restaurant, located just adjacent to the town’s marina
with access to the ferries and tour boats. Their special soup du’jour was smoked
Gouda with shredded chicken and pasta. Need I say more? YUM-YUM-YUM!!! I was
unsuccessful in obtaining the recipe, so I guess I’ll need to come up with something
on my own.
 |
| Pier Plaza Restaurant and their lookout, located right above the marina |
After lunch we took advantage of the “Architectural Tour of
Bayfield,” a walking tour of the town led by Sven. The tour was 1½ hours of
walking the streets of Bayfield, taking note of the history of the town through
its buildings and architecture. Very interesting, but be prepared to walk up
hill and down while taking in the sites. Bayfield residents have done an
excellent job preserving the historic character of the town; a number of
buildings and residences are on the National Register of Historic Sites.
 |
| Sven, our walking tour guide |
 |
| Examples of brownstone, quarried right here in Bayfield |
 |
The Nelson home, circa 1900, with locally quarried brownstone and
locally fired bricks |
 |
A home built by a couple who divorced shortly after moving in; he left,
taking the porch balustrades and railing with him. They have since been replaced. |
 |
| Le Chateau Boutin, now an inn |
 |
| Local architecture: |
 |
| A Victorian house built and occupied by a former Civil War general |
Among other notable attractions, Bayfield is considered the
main gateway to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, a favorite destination
for sailors, boaters, and kayakers. It’s also the main access to Madeline
Island, just across the bay from Bayfield. Ferries shuttle both foot traffic
and automobiles across the bay to the island, the largest of the Apostle
Islands. Madeline Island is the only island in the chain with year-‘round
residents, and offers opportunities for dining, shopping, camping, boating, and
golf. A little known fact is that Madeline Island has one of the top ranked art
and craft schools in the country: Madeline Island School of the Arts.
Because the weather was going to be so “cooperative,” we
opted to take the Grand Tour of the Apostle Islands on Friday. The weathermen
were right on: 78°, calm seas, little wind—perfect for a day on the lake. We
boarded the Island Princess, one of the 2 tour boats that takes you through the
Apostle Islands boarding at 9:40 a.m. and departing at 10 a.m. The cruise allowed us to see most of the 21
Apostle Islands up close and personal. We also saw fabulous rock formations,
beaches, historic lighthouses, bald eagles, and sea caves during our 3½ hour
cruise. The captains (there were 3 onboard) shared many stories of the Apostle Islands and surrounding area, including the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. So interesting. If at all possible, it’s a cruise not to be missed.
 |
| Main dock at Bayfield |
 |
| Our cruise ship through the Apostle Islands, the Island Princess |
 |
| The sister ship, the Superior Princess |
 |
| View towards the stern from our seats |
 |
| Blocks of brownstone quarried on Bass Island |
 |
One of the bald eagles we saw on the cruise; the
other was a juvenile eagle |
 |
A deserted bald eagle nest on Stockton Island.
Stockton Island is one of the largest of the Apostle Islands.
Artifacts found on the island suggest that early Woodland Indians
used this area for their summer camps. And, at one time the island
had the largest population of black bears of any island in the country. |
 |
| A private fish camp on Manitou Island |
 |
| Shore features on Otter Island |
 |
Raspberry Island Light House, first operated during the
1864 navigation season |
 |
Shallows warning light secured in a concrete pad,
poured from a concrete truck loaded on a barge. |
One of the most spectacular sites of the cruise was the
sea caves along the north shore of Devil’s Island. Formed from Lake Superior waters
undercutting the shoreline, the caves create moaning sounds from the wind
coursing through them. Indians declared the island the home of Matchimanitou,
the evil spirit whom Kitchie-Manitouo, the great spirit, had imprisoned there. Wind
at 20 mph creates a moaning; at 50 mph the caves whistle or screech; and when
the waves block the wind inside the caves, they thunder and boom, reverberating
through the island.
Following our return to the dock, we drove up the hill a few
miles to the Apostle Highlands Golf Course, where we were told there were
fabulous vistas of the area. Amen!
A stop at one of the local orchard, Hauser’s Superior View
Farm, was next on the list, where we purchased apples, corn salsa, and special
gifts for friends. The Hauser Farm was begun in 1908, when John Hauser and his
family settled in Bayfield. John was a gifted horticulturist, whose gift was
growing strawberries and prize-winning potatoes. From there he started growing
and selling perennial flowers and strawflowers, which continues today, as one
of the largest producers of northern field-grown perennials in the country.
Extra income was needed by the Hauser family during the
great depression, so in 1928 he started his first apple orchard. Today,
operated by the 3
rd, 4
th and 5
th generations,
the Hauser farm has approximately 30 acres and 2,000 trees with a variety of
apples: Cortlands, Dudleys, McIntosh and Honeycrisps; they also have a winery
which produces apple-based wines and hard ciders; jams, jellies, syrups and
salsa made onsite from their home-grown fruit and produce. As a side note, the historic
red barn in which they have their retail business was built in the early 1920s
of western fir. It was mail ordered from Sears, Roebuck & Co. for $800, shipped by
train from out west, hauled up the hill from Bayfield by horse drawn wagons,
and assembled by local carpenters. Until the 1950s, the barn originally housed
purebred Golden Guernsey cows.
The Great Lakes Visitors Center, just outside Ashland on
Highway 13, was our first stop on Saturday. The mission of the center is to
connect folks with the natural world. The heritage and history of the Lake
Superior Region is the focus, taking you back in time from the Ice Age to
present day—illustrating stories of people who made this land their home. Two
theatres are featured at the center: The Martin Hanson Theater which offers a
selection of film topics ranging from stories of animals to modern-day
mysterious shipwrecks; and the Northern Voices Theater which through special
lighting, music and sound effects, images, and unique objects weave a story
about the men and women who wandered, trapped, fished, logged, mined and farmed
this rugged country.
 |
| Bald Eagle exhibit |
 |
| Ojibwe, Mr. Bearskin, circa 1800 |
 |
| Ojibwe beadwork |
Atop the center is the 5-story observation
tower, from which you can see for miles around. One of the attractions at the
center, which we didn’t take advantage of, is the 3/4–mile interpretive
boardwalk trail that winds through neighboring swamps and meadows.
After lunch at a local eatery, The Breakwater Café, we
stopped at our local favorite store (Walmart!) to pick up a few items before
heading back to the camper. A truck wash was also on the docket for the day;
that is until we lost $5 in the money exchange machine! (We’re supposed to be
getting a refund from the owner before we leave town…) And, no, the truck didn’t
get washed…yet...
There’s a gem of a spot just north of Washburn
called the Houghton Falls Nature Preserve and the Houghton Falls State
Natural Area, where the Houghton River flows over a series of sandstone
ledges on its way to Chequamegon Bay. While I wrote the blog RJ rode the motorcycle north of Washburn and took the right turn on Houghton Falls Road which took him to the parking area on the right for the Houghton Falls trail. The trail is a less than a mile, non-strenuous, hike to the falls (this time of year a trickle) and spectacular views of Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands.
We’ve had spectacular weather since we arrived here in Washburn.
The days have been warm and sunny with temps in the mid- to upper 70s, with
little or no wind. Sunday was no different. The sun shining on the changing
leaves made for spectacular views.
Stay tuned for more.
Hoping this finds you well, we send hugs,
RJ and Gail
