Destination North Shore

View from Thompson Hill, duluth

Our most frequent North Shore junket is Duluth and points north, always Two Harbors and sometimes the lovely area around Split Rock Lighthouse. We hadn't been on the Wisconsin side of the lake for a couple of years, until yesterday.

The ride north on I35 was close to traffic free, and almost as scenic as Highway 23, the secondary road we usually take to Duluth. For the first time in recent memory, we stopped at the Thompson Hill Information Center, where the panoramic view of Duluth harbor is one of the most glorious sights in Minnesota. The wildflowers were in full bloom around the building, where we restocked on Minnesota highway maps.

We were on something of a schedule, since we had a reservation on a 2:00 p.m. boat ride out of Bayfield, so we stopped only long enough for a couple of photos. We arrived in Bayfield in plenty of time for the glass bottom boat tour of the Apostle Islands. The Superior Princess is a new (2012) boat but we didn't really take advantage of its glass bottom features. We're really outdoor types, so we spent nearly all of our time on the upper deck.


A sailboat on Superior

The tour of several Lake Superior shipwrecks was moderately interesting, but three hours seemed like a long time on the boat. The weather was ideal, though, sunny but not too hot. Our windbreakers were handy, as the air got a little chilly in the late afternoon.

We checked into Lake Superior Lodge around 6:00 p.m. We've stayed at the Hotel Chequamegon in the past, but it was fully booked, perhaps a sign that its new (how recent, I'm not sure) association with Best Western has resulted in some much needed updating to facilities. Our room was "fine", with a great bed and newer linens, but the plywood doors, fifties furniture, and old TV are something of a downer. Excellent: front desk guy (young and competent), coffee pot (Starbucks), and WiFi (fast and reliable).



Ashland sunset

Had dinner at Bob's favorite Deep Water Grille. He had steak and, against my better judgment, I ordered the Cobb rather than a house salad. The steak was OK but seemed "processed", and my salad was so salty that the sodium meter in my mind went over the top. I did enjoy my house nut brown ale, tasty and not too heavy.

We watched some fishing at the dock just after sunset. Lake Superior was serene and darkly beautiful. Pics in my FB summer album.