In June we headed west to meet up with our son and grandson who live in Seattle. After spending a few days in Yellowstone and we met up with them in Glacier National Park for nearly two weeks of camping, kayaking, sailing, bike riding and hiking. Eli is 5 and so he and I worked on his program so he could be sworn in as a Junior Ranger and he got his badge. I love the drive along the Going To The Sun Road. After leaving them we began to head "sort of" east. We stopped for a week in Ely, MN, in Fall Lake, a National Forest campground, where we spent our days kayaking in Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, an area of tens of thousands of lakes in an area set aside and kept as total wilderness as it was when Lewis and Clark traveled through there.
Continuing eastward, we came with our aluminum wigwam to the shores of Gitchi-Gumee (Lake Superior) and have been slowly meandering our way along ths side of it. When we arrived in Grand Portage on the Canadian border we were enjoying the Grand Portage National Monument - think beaver fur trade for beaver hats, learned of the Rendezvous, an annual living history re-enactment and extended for the weekend to participate. Totally enthalled with that, we were told that we would probably enjoy Fort William in Thunder Bay, Ontario, even more so and we headed up there. The campground there is in its second year and included for the campers is a tour guide at 10am. Since we were the only ones who showed up on Monday morning we had our own private tour guide - in period (early 1800s) costume in period "person" - for more than two hours. We spent the entire day there as it is huge and we found it so interesting.
We have continued "inching" our way along this side of the Lake hiking in boreal forests rich in birch and pines, heavy in mosses and colorful lichens. Some hiking trails are somewhat rough with entwinded tree roots and jutting rocks, climbing over boulders with absolutely stunning views of the Lake as it sparkles in the sun. We've been kayaking in glacial carved clear water lakes which we've had mostly or entirely to ourselves, so quiet. It is only August 21st but there is no mistake, the trees are changing color. Tomorrow we plan to turn away from the Lake, heading further north along Hwy 11 which has been called "Canada's Route 66" and hope to see moose, etc.
