Devils Tower

Today we dedicated our time to exploring Devils Tower National Monument. The day started at 6:00 AM with us on Highway 24 looking for the best sunrise shots. Then we headed into the monument to walk the Tower Trail and get more photos. Devils Tower is a remarkable monolith created millions of year ago as the core of a volcano. It stands 800 feet above the surrounding aea. We enjoyed the trails, watching the Prairie Dogs in their town and looking for wildlife. I walked the Red Rock Trail back to our camprground and watched six wild turkeys cross the trail in front of me. What a beautiful area.

Devils Tower at Sunrise

Devils Tower ar Sunrise

Devils Tower from Tower Trail

Praire Dog

Wild Turkey

Headed West

On Sunday morning we left Maple Grove and headed for Willmar, MN to attend church services at Iglesia Paz Esperanza. The pastor there is the daughter of good friends Jim and Lanell Mahler who we knew in Thousand Oaks, CA. Naomi does a great job as pastor switching from Spanish to English smoothly and delivering a great message. We had lunch with Jim and Lanell in Willmar before continuing on to Watertown, SD.

Jim & Lanell Mahler with Mary (Center)

Pastor Naomi Delivering Children's Message

Our next stop was Watertown, SD to spend time with my brother Carl and his wife Rose. On Monday we took a day trip to Fredrick, SD, the town where our grandfather, Jacob Jurvelin first came after immigrating from Finland. We were curious to see if we could find out why he chose to come to this little town almost on the North Dakota border. A visit to the local general store led us to a book on local history that had Jacob's name in it. It also listed a few other people who had immigrated from Utajarvi, Jacob's home town in Finland. A lady at the store introduced us via telephone to John and Annikka Marttila who live a few miles out of town. We drove there to visit with them and found out that Annikka is from my father's home town of Ylivieska in Finland. We also learned that Annika and her father had visited my mom and dad in Floodwood in 1973. Small world, huh. Unfortunately, we didn't learn anything more about Jacob Jurvelin's time in Fredrick but came to the conclusion he came there because of people there that he knew in Finland.

Carl and Rose

Annikka & John Marttila

On Tuesday morning we continued our journey west. This time with a stop in Pierre, SD to visit long time friends Jim and Karen Stein who we have known since Winnebago days. On Wednesday we drove to Cow Creek on Lake Oahe for a picnic. The weather was perfect and we remenised about our time in France with Jim and Karen while sipping a nice French Burgundy wine and eating brie cheese and pate with French bread.

We had the motorhome at Farm Island State Park on the Missouri River. It is a beautiful campground and was very relaxing as there were only a few campers there. I rode my bike on Farm Island and got a few good sunrise shots with my Canon SD600.

Mary with Jim and Karen

Missouri River Sunrise

Lake Oahe

On Thursday morning we once again headed west. This time to Devil's Tower National Monument in Wyoming.

Faibault to Maple Grove

On Monday morining I rode a bit of the Sakah Singing Hills Bike Trail. It follows the Cannon River toward Mankato, MN. Then after checking e-mails we had lunch with Ken and Kay before Ken and I went on our shopping trip to Cabelas. I made it out of the store with minimal damage to my credit balance.

Ken & Kay Heiskari

On Monday evening we enjoyed a nice dinner at the Depot Restaurant with Mary's cousins Mary Woodfill and Bob Woodfill and his wife Sharon. On Tuesday morning I rode some more of the Sakah Singing Hills Trail. Tuesday evening we had a great dinner with friends Russ and Bev Swenson and Mike and Suse Miner. We worked with these folks at Alumacraft Boat Company many years ago. Rain forced us to take our party into the rec room at the campground but didn't keep us from having a good time.

On Wednesday we detoured to Cottage Grove on our way to Maple Grove to have lunch with Ted and Diane Fredrickson at their home on the Mississippi River. We finally got to the campground in Maple Grove at 4:30 PM, set up and then went to dinner with Roger and Audrey Dietsch. Thanks for sharing that bottle of Silver Oak with us Rodger.

Ted & Diane Fredrickson

On Thursday night we were joined for dinner at our motorhome by Rodger Loberg, and old friend from up north, and Ryan Boyd. It was nice to spend some time with them.

This morning, Friday, we headed for the great Minnesota State Fair in St Paul. Our decision to get there early was a wise one as we beat some of the crowds. We enjoyed walking through the animal barns and talking to the kids showing their animals. Mary also got a few tips on knitting at the Home Arts Building. By 2:30 PM we were pooped out and headed home.

Crowds at the Fair

Old John Deere Tractor

Lanesboro and Root River

On Thursday, 16 August, we left Bay Lake and headed for Lanesboro for a weekend of biking and canoeing with friends Neil and Leah Boyd from Forest City, IA. On Thursday we biked into Lanesboro from our campsite at Eagle Cliff Campground near Whalan and bought tickets for The Mystery of Irma Vep at the theater on Friday night. Friday morning we biked another 12 miles or so in the morning. The bike trails along the Root River are very nice.

Neil, Leah and Mary on Bikes

At noon we gathered our gear and caught the van to bring us upriver for our canoe adventure. We put in a few miles north of Lanesboro and headed down stream. The weather was beautiful and after a nice lunch of wine, sausage, cheese and crackers we continued down stream. Not long after lunch Mary and I made a bad approach to a rapids and ended up in the water. Our lost paddles and my beer were recovered by Neil and Leah. Neil promised not to continue bringing up the fact that he saved our paddles and my beer, but I suspect that the matter will be mentioned from time to time in the future.

Neil & Leah in Canoe

On Friday night we had dinner at the Old City Hall Restaurant in Lanesboro before the theater. My lamb chops with cherry sauce were outstanding. The play was held in a new theater and was wonderful.

We awoke to the sound of rain falling on Saturday morning causing us to go to plan B for the day. This was a visit to the Amish Furniture Store in Harmony followed by a lunch of Lefsa Wraps, yes Lefsa Wraps at Aunties in Whalan. The rain continued to fall through the night causing the river to reach flood stage. Half of our campground was evacuated. We were on higher ground and were able to stay. Our situation was better then the people in Stockton a few mile away were the floods were much worse and people lost their lives.

Mary by Flooded Root River in our Campground

Refrigerator Floating Down Stream

We are now in Faribault for a few days but it is still raining. Good friends Ken and Kay Heisdari joined us for dinner last night and Ken and I are making an obligatory trip to Cabelas today.

Bay Lake Minnesota

On Monday morning, 13 August, we left Ashland and headed back to Minnesota for a visit with friends Roger and Audrey Dietsch at their summer home on Bay Lake. Roger arranged for a nice parking spot for the motorhome across the road from their home.


On Tuesday afternoon we went for a bike ride on the Cuyuna trail near Crosby-Ironton. The ride passes a number of the mine lakes created during the open pit iron mining period in this area.

Roger, Mary & Audry Ready to Ride

The ride was about five miles and was fairly level providing Mary with a good introduction back to biking. Audrey and I rode it both ways for a total of 10 miles.

Mary on Her Rented Bike

A special treat for me was taking photos of the resident Great Blue Heron in front of the cabin. He seemed content to pose and let me take photos of him.

Great Blue Heron

The weather didn't cooperate the first couple of days with periodic rain and even 60 mph winds on Tuesday night. Brainerd, 20 miles west, had some damage from the storm but we got by with no problems.

Storm on Bay Lake

We finally got out on the lake on Wednesday afternoon for a few hours of relaxation, swimming, snacks and some great loon photos.

Loon

Thank you, Roger and Audrey for your great hospitality!

Apostle Islands

Friday morning, 10 August 2007, we head for Ashland, Wisconsin for a weekend of exploring the Apostle Islands with friends Bob and Cathy Wellman from the Twin Cities. After parking our Winnebago in a campsite with a perfect view of the lake I helped Bob and Cathy get the boat in the water and to their slip while Mary prepared a Lasagna we bought at Contino's Deli in West Duluth. The lasagna was terrific and the boat was almost ready to go when we decided to call it a night.

Ashland Marina

Bob & Cathy's boat the Hay-Bay-Bee

Bob & Cathy with Sheila

On Saturday morning we left the Ashland Harbor, loaded with an adequate supply of food and drink, and headed toward Raspberry Island for our picnic lunch and a tour of the lighthouse. I awoke to a steady rain at 6:00 AM but now we have clearing skies and the temperature is perfect. What a beautiful area and what an opportunity to explore it at 30 mph on this 28 ft Bayliner. One of the attractions of the Apostle Islands is the many lighthouses.

Ashland Lighthouse

Raspberry Island Lighthouse

Old Michigan Island Lighthouse

New Michigan Island Lighthouse

After a great picnic lunch of brats and burgers at Raspberry Island we continued our tour by boating to Devil's Island for a look at the caves along the shoreline.

Devils Island Caves

Our tour continued with a stop at Michigan Island to climb to the top of the new lighthouse and tour the facilities. We missed our opportunity for a swim in Lake Superior here and cruised toward Bayfield while enjoying snacks and wine. In Bayfield we enjoyed a nice dinner at a patio restaurant with a great view of the harbor. Then we cruised back to Ashland Harbor and went to the hotel for nightcaps on the patio while we watched the sun go down. Not a bad day! Thanks Bob & Cathy.

Sunset over Ashland Harbor

On Wednesday, 8 August 2007 we left Don and Bobbi's and headed for Indian Point Campground in Duluth. Once we got settled in brother Dave and his wife Sharon picked us up and we went to dinner at the Mexican restaurant in the old Fitgers Brewery. We ate outside even though a cool wind was blowing off the lake.

Dave, Sharon & Mary at Dinner

Mary drove me to Carlton at 6:30 AM on Thursday morning to meet friend Rod Pietila for a bike ride on the Munger Trail. We drove the 15 miles from Carlton to Duluth with a few side trips thrown in. The trail travels along an old railroad grade through part of Jay Cooke State Park crossing the St Louis River and traveling through some beautiful wooded terrain.





On Thursday afternoon my cousin Shirley and her husband Bob came to our motorhome for a visit and dinner. Dave and Sharon also joined us. We had a great time catching up with each others lives and enjoying a nice salmon from the grill.

Mary, Shirley, Bob, Sharon & Dave

On Tuesday, after updating the blog and getting my hair sheared to the nub once again, we gathered for lunch with my aunt Miriam. She is over 90 years old, lives by herself and came to lunch after volunteering at the nursing home in Grand Rapids. Wow! What an amazing woman. Don, Bobbi and Nathan joined us for lunch and we had a nice time visiting with Miriam.

Aunt Miriam

Back in Marble I finished chiseling in the mortises for a log bed that Don is making. Two of Bobbi's cousins came over for dinner and Don and I had our farewell sauna together.

We always enjoy spending time with Don and Bobbi (even the wild games of Farkel) and are sad to be leaving.

Getting Ready for the Road

I started out the week by riding the Chisholm to Buhl leg of the Mesabi Trail. I actually rode from Buhl to Chisholm and back. This was probably my last leg of the trail for this trip. On this ride as on the ride from Hibbing to Chisholm I was able to find a few wild raspberries to taste. They are sooo good. It reminded me of the many times we went raspberry picking growing up in Floodwood.

My job for the day was to get the motorhome ready for the road. I had already changed oil and lubed the coach but it needed a wash job and a few other minor maintenance items. The wash job took a fair part of the day as I started with the roof and washed the whole coach. Thanks to my washing efforts the drought in Northern Minnesota was broken. Within a half hour of my finishing it began raining. I also topped up the water in my coach batteries and the gear lube in my front wheel bearings.

Mary spent her day washing clothes at the laundramat in Coleraine.

On Wednesday we head for Duluth and the beginning of our eventual return to Riverside.

Weekend in Ely

On Friday, 3 August we took the motorhome to Ely for the weekend. Don and Bobbi went with us to the campground at Silver Rapids on Farm Lake on the Kawishiwi river chain. After we got settled we went to the Bear Center near Ely and got a few shots of a bear cub playing.


Don rented a pontoon boat for Saturday and we spent the day on the lake, fishing, eating, drinking and touring. Bobbi even caught a snack walleye to have with dinner. Unfortunately that was the only fish caught all day.

Don with snack Walleye

I was able to get a few good shots of a very large Bald Eagle with my new Canon 30D digital camera. My Canon 10D quit working correctly during my fishing trip to Lac Seul by giving me an error signal after every shot. I had to turn the camera off and then on again after every shot. Oh well, I needed a good excuse to get the new camera anyway. Adorama came through for me with a quick delivery.

Bald Eagle in flight

On Sunday morning we took a drive to check out the Fall Lake campground and the end of the road. We looked hard to see moose in these wetlands but didn't see any. Then we collected the motorhome and went to Ely for some shopping before heading home.

Catching up with Relatives

This week has been occupied with visiting relatives. I mentioned in an earlier blog that we visited cousin Dick Jurvelin and his wife Fern in Deer River. Here they are with Mary.


On Wednesday we drove to Virginia, MN to have lunch with my cousin Eleanor and her husband Phil. It was nice to catch up with their lives and to reminisce about old times together. Eleanor used to spend summers at our farm in Floodwood so we did have some good times together. A special treat was the wild blueberry pie Eleanor made for us. It was so good I had two pieces. The next photo is of me with Phil and Eleanor.


Last night Don, Roberta, Mary and I had dinner with cousin Chuck Jurvelin and his wife Pam. Again it was great to catch up with that side of the family and to find that we have very similar interests. Chuck is also a woodworker and photographer.

My remaining bike ride this week took me from Hibbing to Chisholm and back, a distance of about 14 miles. Everyone told me that it was not a very interesting stretch of the Mesabi trail but I loved it.

Hull Rust Mine, Hibbing

Bruce Mine Head, Chisholm

Glenn Godfrey Mine Lake, Chisholm

Oh, and I am still working on the bench. Here is a photo with one coat of finish on it.

I am also starting work on a log bed. Don will have to finish it as there is no way we will get it done before we leave.