The North Shore

Wow, we had a terrific weekend up north. It was my first time past Duluth, and it was so fun to drive up Highway 61 and be able to see the coast of Lake Superior along the way. I kept wanting to sing "The Edmund Fitzgerald" song by Gordon LIghtfoot, but fortunately for my family, I guess, I couldn't remember all the words. So, instead we visited the Maritime museum in Duluth to read more about the sinking ship (November 1975) and see actual pictures taken when the wreck was discovered a few years ago.

Anyway, I won't be able to write everything tonight, but it was really nice. It was still pretty warm when we arrived up there Friday evening. The kids ran down to the lake for a dip and were refreshed. We got our camper set up and enjoyed hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill. We were able to camp together, except for Greg and Kari and family who stayed in a mobile home by the lake (read, lovely view). Even though the kitchen colors were salmon and it was definitely rustic (read, sagging beds)--it was a beautiful location and very spacious. We all had nice wooded sites for our campers and the only thing to really complain about were all the flies. Not too many mosquitoes or bees--although Luke managed to get stung just as we finished packing up--by a hornet or something. It wasn't too bad, though--we got some ice on it right away and then he was fine. It was Mark that concerned us a bit more with a recurrent sore throat and now ear ache. We may visit the doctor again tomorrow.

Tim and the kids enjoyed cliff jumping--a terrifying sport to witness from shore. They climbed up these craggy rocks to a height that seemed to be 3 stories or more, and jumped off into the deep, icy water below. It was a great way to cool off, but nerve wracking to a worried mom.

Raven, our dog, loved the water. It was cool and tasty--nice and clean. He couldn't quite figure out the tide, though--he would quickly lap up some refreshment, then be hit by the incoming tide--so he'd retreat, then go back in, retreat, go back in, etc. We did find a little creek that flowed into the lake that was calm enough for him to drink away without fear of incoming tidal waves.

One of the coolest things about the weekend, though, was on our way home. We stopped in Duluth for lunch, and for one more look at Lake Superior. As we walked down the boardwalk along the lake towards the maritime museum, someone coming from the opposite direction called my name. It turned out to be Tim's cousin, Mark, and his wife, son and father. His Dad, Uncle Rick, had had a stroke a couple of months ago--and we really didn't expect him to survive it. But there he was, in the sunshine, being pushed along in his wheelchair by Mark and Brenda and their son Jesse. (Son Justin was back home in Stillwater, MN). We hadn't seen them in a long time, and it was so good to see how well Rick was doing. Even though he couldn't speak clearly, he communicated a lot to us by his smile and expressions. We hugged and chatted. Tim told me after we got home that Uncle Rick and Aunt Joanie (who passed away several years ago of a sudden heart attack) had taken him camping several times when he was young. What a wonderful reunion we had, miles from home, in a lovely lakeside setting.

Well, it's almost 10 pm and I'm planning to blog in the morning, so till next time.........
Suzi