July 9, 2013

Lake Superior (almost)

Sunday night we stayed in Thief River Falls.  There are lots of towns with ‘Falls’ in their names but have yet to see a falls.  The rivers here are mostly flat and slow. Monday we drove north and then east on Minnesotas’ ‘Lady Slipper Scenic Highway’.  The Lady Slipper is Minnesotas’ state flower.  Related to the orchid.  Supposed to be thousands of them in bloom along this stretch of road this time of year.  Did not see one in sixty miles.  Stayed the night in International Falls.  Often the coldest place in the nation in winter.  Yesterday it was quite warm.  Just across the river (which we paralleled for many miles) is Canada.  We camped next to a couple from Canada who came down to the US to buy gas (cheaper) prior to going to southern California to visit their daughter and new grandchild.

A word about landscape and foliage.  Western Minnesota is pretty much flat farm and ranch land clear to the  northern border.  One thing stood out to me.  The farm/ranch houses and out buildings were fresh and clean and neat.  Many looking fairly newish.  Nice one and two story farm houses typical of the midwest.  The different thing is that all these buildings are surrounded on at least three sides (west, nortn, east, and often south also) by thickets of trees.  Not just rows of trees but dense thickets of 30’ trees 30-40 feet deep.  Much of the time the thickets start within a few feet of the house.  Very nice houses encapsulated in trees.  I guess it is protection from winter weather but except for a few hours each summer day the houses are in shadow.  Interesting to look over the open fields of hay, corn, and sugar beets and see thickets of trees each containing a farm house. 

As we moved east we started to encounter the North Woods.  The open areas became less and smaller and trees increased.  Much different than the western forests we are used to.  In the west, even the most dense forest has space between trees so you can look for some distance through the forest growth.  Also, the trees are tall.  The North Woods is a DENSE mixture of pine, fir, and a variety of deciduous species.  The trees are so thick you cannot see 10’ into the forest.  The trees are also short by western standards – less than 30 feet tall.

Rain drops on window.  Note forest.

If you were dropped into the middle of a North Woods forest you would be instantly lost.  GPS would not work because of trees.  Forest is so thick you can not see sun to get bearing.  Compass would work but without landmarks you could not tell where you were. 

Minnesota has a thing for big statues.  These two are in the same park in International Falls.

From International Falls we headed south and east.  Along the way we went to one of the several visitor centers for Voyagers National Park.  Got my National Parks Passport stamped and as we were leaving we walked by a small wooded area by the parking lot.  Some trees, grass, and a few different wild flowers.  I noticed a very small sign at the edge of the area.  It said, “Lady Slippers in bloom.  Please stay out”.  We looked around and sure enough there was ONE plant with five or six blooms.  And they appeared to be on the way out.  Not the thousands we were hoping to see but we did see one.

We continued east to find Lake Superior.  We found it but could not see it.  Dense fog.  About 30 feet visibility.  We are camped at a ‘resort’ on Lax Lake which is a few miles west of the lake near Silver Creek, Minnesota and out of the fog.  The weather is improving now and the sun is out here.  Forecast for tomorrow is sunny and some wind.  Hopefully it will clear the fog for our day trip along the North Shore Drive.

Oh yah. Happy Anniversary to us.  Will have to wait a few days to have our Mexican food dinner (with margaritas).  Hard enough to find a restaurant here let alone a Mexican one.