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Sunday, July 20, 2008

Duluth, MN (Jul 17 - 19)

Thursday, July 17th

We traveled to Duluth today with the Campbells and Baldwins for the start of our Michigan trip together. Today's travels were a little over 150 miles and we soon found cooler weather, which we welcomed!

About half way to Duluth, we stopped at Tobies in Hinkley, which is known for their World Famous Carmel Walnut Cinnamon Buns. Sorry, no picture of the buns; they got eaten too fast! But they are pictured on their website. While we were eating, it began to POUR! But just before we got into the Marina campground in Duluth, it stopped.



Before we ate and it began to pour!


We camped at Lakehead Boat Basin ($29/night) with water and electric on blacktop with a spectacular view of downtown Duluth and the harbor. We drove over the aerial lift bridge at Canal Park to Park Point to the marina. This is where all of the ships come into the harbor. It goes up and down often and we had a perfect spot to be able to view all of the huge ships entering the harbor. A "Laker" is a ship that just transits the great Lakes and a "Salty" is an ocean going ship. Each day they publish the Duluth Shipping News that gives a list of the ships that they expect to be entering or departing the harbor and it also gives details about some of the ships. For example:


Friday, July 18

  • Canadian Transport; At Midwest Energy to load coal; 730 ft; Flag - Canada
  • Mesabi Miner; Expected to arrive Duluth around 7:30 pm or later for Midwest Energy waiting to load coat; 1,004 ft; Flag - US She is one of the 13 largest ships on the Great Lakes and can carry 62,336 tons of cargo. She can discharge that cargo at a rate of 10,000 tons per hour!

  • Hans Lehmann; At CHS 1 to load grain; 459 ft; Flag - Gibraltar



Aerial Lift Bridge we drove over to get to the Marina Campground



We had dinner at Grandma’s Saloon & Grill – known for their Famous Chicken Wild Rice Soup and Walleye dishes. We tried the soup and it was DELICIOUS! I also had Walleye cakes which were good too, but not as good as the soup. I should have ordered a big bowl of it!



"Canadian Transport" going out under the Aerial Lift Bridge



Here's how close you can get to the ships as they leave Duluth by Canal Park! Fascinating!




Friday, July 18th

We started the day with a tour of the Irvin, then went on a Vista Harbor Cruise (Senior - $20 ea.) with lunch served and ended the day with a tour of the Coast Guard boat Sundew. We were grateful to have such a warm sunny day to enjoy Duluth! Oh, then we drove up along the Skyline Parkway to get some good pictures of the harbor.





William A. Irvin Ore Boat
For more than 40 yrs, the S.S. William A. Irvin carried ore and coal to Great Lakes Ports. She was the flagship of the U.S. Steel's Great Lakes Fleet, hosting guests and dignitaries in her elegantly appointed staterooms.




Vista Boat We Took for Harbor Lunch Cruise






Waiting for Lunch: Jean, Jim, Lois, Myself and Gene



Hans Lehmann Taking on Grain (Lime Green Bottom)



Sundew Coast Guard Boat
She was launched in duluth in 1944 and served as an ice breaker at seveal ports on Lake Michigan. She conducted countless search and rescue missions.

The Blue Angels are in town and we could see them practicing over the city for their shows on Saturday and Sunday.



Harbor Showing Aerial Lift Bridge and Vista Tour Boat







Our Marina Camping Spot and Vista Cruise Boat



Here's our 4-legged traveling companion Romeo "Rags" Baldwin waiting for his bath

Sat, July 19th -

Two Harbors

We drove up North Shore Scenic Drive from Duluth along Lake Superior to the town of Two Harbors and then up to see the Split Rock lighthouse. The lake was covered with fog just out a short ways from the land so we could still enjoy the sights along the shore. In Two Harbors we went down and saw the Iron Ore Docks. This is where they ship out 10,000,000 tons of taconite or iron ore annually. Taconite is a low-grade iron ore that is used to make pellets. These pellets are shipped from Agate Bay in Two Harbors to blast furnaces on the lower Great Lakes to make steel. The dock is over 1,300 ft long and about seven stories tall. There used to be 6 docks at this site, but there are only 3 left now. Each side of the dock has 112 pockets. The trains, full of taconite or iron ore, move along the top of the dock and down load into hoppers. The chutes along the side will drop down into the hull of the boats to load the taconite or iron ore.





1892 Two Harbor's Lighthouse Station
This lighthouse is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the North Shore of Lake Superior and is still in operation 24 hours a day.


Agate Bay Ore Docks at Two Harbors



Agate Bay was the site of the first shipment of iron ore from Minnesota in 1884. There were 6 ore docks here, but only 3 remain. Today over 10,000,000 tons of taconite or iron ore are shipped annually. Taconite is a low-grade iron ore that is used to make pellets. These pellets are shipped from here to blast furnaces on the lower Great Lakes to make steel. This dock is over 1,300 feet long and about seven stories tall. Each side of the dock has 112 pockets. The trains, full of taconite or iron ore, move along the top of the dock and down load into hoppers. The chutes along the side will drop down into the hull of the boats to load the taconite or iron ore.


Split Rock Lighthouse


Split Rock Light Station



Stairs & Stairs & Stairs down to Shore for Lighthouse Pictures!




Gene with "Lightkeepers" Checking Pocket Watches









Stained Glass Picture of Split Rock in Gift Shop - About $600



Betty's Pies

We had lunch at Betty’s Pies. Chuck tried a beef pasty but was not impressed and probably won’t have one again. It had very little beef, but was filled with carrots, rutabagas and potatoes and you pour brown gravy over it. I was going to have one with chicken, but they were all out! Most of us enjoyed a piece of Great Lakes Crunch pie ala mode. Oh so good, with all kinds of berries in it.



Beef Pasty (Pass-tee)




I would highly recommend a trip to Duluth, MN. There is so much to see and do there that you need more than 3 days!

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