North Shore Scenic Drive

The infamous Rolling Rally group spent the day on the North Shore Scenic Drive of Lake Superior.....incredible natural beauty and the bluest water ever seen.
An early stop was at Two Harbors Lighthouse, Minnesota's only operating lighthouse. We walked the breakwater on Agate Bay where gigantic lakers (ships that sail the Great Lakes) continue to collect iron ore from the docks. The Teal's grandkids, Ty & Kensley have joined us for part of the trip.

Next stop was at Betty's Pies for lunch....the food and the pies surpassed the recommendations. Really yummy, we all had pie with lunch and Vicki bought a pie to go that was gobbled at dinner.

Next stop was Goose berry Falls State Park...Five waterfalls and the rocky Lake Superior shoreline are the attractions with many viewing areas and trails to explore the area. The Gooseberry River tumbles over the 30-foot Upper Falls into a pool where many tourists were swimming...goes on to the Middle and Lower Falls.

The final stop of the day was Split Rock Lighthouse, most visited lighthouse in the U.S. Built in 1909 as an aid to navigation for ships to carry the iron ore from Minnesota's Iron ranges to the steel mills of the lower Great Lakes. The use of radar on ships eventually made the station obsolete and it closed in 1969. The Minnesota Historical Society began to preserve and interpret the station as a museum and nationally known historic site. www.mnhs.org/splitrock

The day ended with the Iron Chefs cranking up the grills for steak. A Schwan frozen food delivery truck was spotted in the campground...we flagged him down and bought ice cream, popsicles, breakfast food, etc. The driver had great sales!

More Duluth

On Wednesday Jack and I started our day by driving the Skyline Parkway, a  25-mile scenic byway which runs above Duluth to view the glorious scenery. The highlight was Enger Park which has a stone observation tower...we climbed 94 steps to see a panoramic view of Duluth, Lake Superior and surrounding areas. A special treat at this park was the Japanese gardens and extensive well kept flower beds.

We made our way to Canal Park, a large tourist fun area on the lake front...many restaurants, shops, galleries...a bike/walk boardwalk along the Lake Superior, a maritime museum and lighthouse. We lunched at Grandma's Saloon and Grill housed in an old warehouse that historically was a brothel that serviced the seamen. Our table was on the outside balcony with an outstanding view of the Aerial   Lift bridge....while we ate it opened twice using gargantuan counter weights to allow large boats to pass through the shipping channel....fabulous entertainment for us.

View from our table

Find Jack in pic

On Thursday our traveling group visited The Depot....built in 1892 as the Duluth Union Depot, this chateauesque style structure closed its doors to rail traffic in 1969 and was restored to its original beauty in the early 1970's. It now houses the St. Louis County Heritage and Arts Center with four museums and five performing arts organizations. The largest museum is the Lake Superior Railroad Museum.....and we took a 90 minute train ride on the North Shore Scenic Railroad along part of the lakefront to Lester River. www.lsrm.org

Near Duluth

Serious roadside discussion on the way to Duluth....we'll be here 5 days to see all the sights.
The first day the group, sans myself, traveled to Chisholm to view the Hull Rust-Mahoning Mine View, the largest open pit iron ore mine in the world. Jack says, "The size of the mine and the equipment and the fact that it runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year was awesome.

Next stop was to the Greyhound Bus Museum....18 historical buses on display and a great video about the history of the company. www.greyhoundbusmuseum.org

At the Minnesota Discovery Center the group learned of immigrants who came to this area to work in the iron mines. Our guys rode an authentic vintage trolley to view an old mining community, rooted in rich Iron Range history.

I drove across the beautiful Blatnik bridge to be in Superior, WI...I walked the Osaugie Trail along Superior Bay.  Then drove back into Duluth to the Glensheen Mansion, built on the shores of Lake Superior, to learn on a detailed tour how very wealthy people lived in the early 1900's. ...very lavishly. The last surviving owner gave the mansion to University of Minnesota to use as a teaching tool.

The Condon's back yard

 

                                                   The day ended with the Iron Chefs!

                                                   Ken, Jack, Chip, Nick and Don

Paul Bunyan

For years, Bemidji's fame has been the home of folk hero's, Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. The stautes were constructed in 1937. Paul is 18 feet tall and weighs 2 1/2 tons. Each year thousands of visitors come to be photographed beside the statues, we are no exception. The town is located on the shores of beautiful Lake Bemidji, which is an Indian word for Lake that a River Runs Through....the Mississippi is the river.

Chief Bemidji

Sparky;

Nimi He Dances

The Sculpture Walk consists of 40 works by local and national artists on loan to the communty for one year. With map in hand I drag Jack around town... he said, "You don't have to look at all 40, you really get into this stuff!". Lots of events happening in town...  "Art in the Park", a triathalon was in progress with runners passing by us on the lake path, a classic car show, 200 cyclists in town to start a 300 mile charity bike ride....

Bemidji MN

WELCOME COMMITTEE

One of our group had a repair problem...we are awaiting their arrival at the campground near Minneapolis

 

Now camped near Bemidij, MN on Fox Lake...parked head-in with lovely lake view. Our Rolling Rally has grown by two coaches. Our first item of sightseeing was a drive to Itaska State Park to see the headwaters of the Mississippi River. A stream flows from Itaska Lake to form the great river.

I am walking across the Mississippi.

The park has conveniently placed a log across the river for wimps who don't want to get their feet wet!

Des Moines

In front of the magnificent Iowa State Capitol....the gold dome glistens in the sun. We had a tour of the inside and it was just as magnificent...lavish materials used, incredible artwork.

We visited the Des Moines Art Center...a world class museum in the heart of the Midwest. It has amassed an important collection housed in three connecting buildings designed by Eliei Saarinen (1945), I.M. Pei (1966) and Richard Meier (1980).  The three different types of architecture blend beautifully. Also part of the Art Center is the Sculpture Garden closer to downtown.  www.desmoinesartcenter.org

Jack and Nick drove to the very historic Sprint Car Hall of Fame Museum in Knoxville, IA. It has all the old and new sprint cars and super modifieds: on the first floor were about 60 cars on display, the second floor has a theater with continuous racing movies, many photos, trophies and plaques. It was impressive!

Amana Colonies

A National Historic Landmark and one of America's longest communal societies, the Amana Colonies began in 1714 in the villages of Germany and continues today on the prairies of Iowa. Because of religious persecution economic depression the group left Germany in 1843 and eventually found a new home in Iowa in 1855. Seven villages were established over 26,000 acres arranged for communal living..all assets were shared and all needs provided by the society. Because of outside influences, such as radio and telephones, in 1932 the group voted to end the communal living. Thursday we visited to learn the history of the area.

We attended a performance of "Stories of Amana", a witty, endearing look at Amana's communal past with historic photos and oral histories. Excellent entertainment!

The Ladies Shopped

This is what men do when ladies shop!

The campground gave us a gift of a pound of local sausage, we went to collect and also purchased cheeses and smoked pork chops. We had lunch at the Ox Yoke Inn, world famous for German food served family style....we ate sausage and drank German beer. Of course we didn't miss the bakery for goodies.

On the three hour Village Voyage tour we saw all seven villages with stops at historical points of interest; communal kitchen, communal house, tinsmith's workshop, an artist's studio in an historic church, and more.

Amana furniture

For further info go to www.amanacolonies.com

Today is rest day...time for laundry, coach cleaning, etc..... then Happy Hour and our communal dinner.  Tomorrow we move on to Des Moines to see the state capitol a short 94 miles.

Amana, IA

Happy Hour at the campground

Watchin NCIS on outdoor RV

Yesterday we crossed the Mighty Mississippi traveling 240 miles to Amana. We'll be here five days.

Today's adventure was to the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum at his birthplace, Long Branch, IA.  Hoover was the scapegoat for the Great Depression but he served our country in many important ways and died in 1964 as a respected elder statesman.  http://www.hoover.archives.gov

Springfield, IL

Illinois State Capitol

Today Jack &  I toured the "old" state capitol and the "new" state capitol. The city is full of Abraham Lincoln history....he lived and worked, served in the state legislature, ran for President and is buried here. At the reconstructed old capitol we had a fabulous tour guide dressed in period clothes. We learned secrets and hidden places. .....stories of the relationship between Lincoln and Stephen Douglas.... entertaining and educational. At the present capitol we enjoyed the beautiful architecture and lavish decorations.  Still hot here but only 90. Tomorrow we roll to Amana, IA.