Day 75 12 August Duluth MN 55 miles
Last night we moved into our campsite at Jay Cooke State Park, just outside Duluth.
The stone-sided River Inn served as a meeting place. Evening ranger talks were given here.
The inn was constructed as a CCC project.
The St Louis River flows through the park and into Lake Superior.
A swing bridge connects the park on the two sides of the river. This bridge has been constructed several times after it has been destroyed by floods. The most recent flood was 20 June 2012, when 10 inches of rain fell in 24 hours.
After a morning walk along the river at Jay Cooke, we drove to Glensheen, an estate on the banks of Lake Superior just north of Duluth.
The estate was given to the University of Minnesota by the heirs of Chester and Clare Congdon in 1969 and opened to the public in 1979. The estate was the site of in infamous murder involving several Congdon family members, an event downplayed during our tour of the house.
The 39-room mansion was built by lawyer Chester Congdon from 1905-1908 on 22 acres. It was designed in the style of a 17th-century country manor.
Interior details of the house.
Red marble with mahogany
Stained glass window in main staircase
Art deco lamps in a bedroom
Door from pantry to breakfast room
Vegetable garden
Stables closer to the lake
We went into downtown Duluth and had lunch at Smokehaus, a deli specialising in smoked fish and meats.
Midge had a Cajun Finn sandwich (smoked salmon) and Ed had a Buffalo '06 sandwich (bison pastrami with sauerkraut). The salmon was so good we went back to get 200g of smoked salmon for dinner.
Most of the downtown lakeside was pleasantly upmarket. Near here we found a store with hundreds of boutique sodas. We found a great birch beer and root beer.
A boardwalk stretched north along the lake front.
We stopped at the US Army Corps of Engineers information center. While we were there, they announced the 1000-foot Paul R. Tregurtha was arriving, so we went out to see it enter the harbor.
The road bridge was raised so the ship could pass into the harbor. Its passing was a bit like watching the Battlestar Galactica in Star Wars as it crosses the wide screen--it just went on and on.
Duluth from the hills behind the city.
On the highest hill we found Enger Park and Enger Tower. There was a Japanese garden and peace bell with an interesting history.
Enger Tower
View from the Enger Tower
Draw bridge leading into the harbor.
Day 76 13 August 2015 Duluth MN to Manising MI 313 miles
Last look at Duluth as we cross the St Louis River heading east into Wisconsin.
Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center near Ashland Wisconsin.
Murals inside the visitor center
The center had an exhibit by photographer Craig Blacklock: Apostle Islands and Pictured Rocks - From Land and Sea
We passed through several small towns, each with its own special feature,
charm
or kitsch.
We had lunch at Agate Falls, Michigan
and dinner at the Road-Food recommended Ralph’s Italian Deli, Ishpeming MI. Midge had a cudighi [Italian sausage] sandwich and Ed a Cornish pasty [early Upper peninsula settlers were French Canadian, Finnish, Swedish, Cornish, and Italian immigrants]. UP residents, we learned, are called 'Yoopers'--pretend to be the Swedish Chef when you pronounce that.
Sunset at Bay Furnace Campground on Lake Superior.
A reconstructed iron furnace at Bay Furnace Campground.
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