Crossing ...

One last entry before reaching our final destination, Regina, SK.

After leaving Duluth, MN, we stopped at Brewed Awakenings in Grand Rapids, MN, a delightful retro-style café/restaurant, specialising in organic & local products.  Pecan & apple pie were served on Fiestaware!!

Grand Rapids, MN, birthplace of Judy Garland.

Uprooted trees and huge quantities of water in the area between Crookston, MN, and North Forks, ND, were the result of an EF2 tornado on Monday night.

30 cyclists were spotted in small groups.  We later learned they are crossing the U.S.A to raise funds for BikeandBuild.org (Habitat for Humanity, Rebuilding Together).

Crossed the mighty Red River that divides Minnesota and North Dakota.  Earlier in the day, we crossed the Mississippi in Minnesota.

 

Fields upon fields of sugar beets and an American Crystal Sugar processing plant in Drayton, ND.

Crossed the U.S. - Canada border at Pembina.  For a change, we crossed like a breeze!!

Thursday, July 24:  the Mennonite Heritage Museum in Steinbach, MB, and west to Regina!

Sieur du Lhut

Some interesting facts about Duluth, Minnesota

In 1869, Duluth was the fastest growing city in the United States.  The population was almost one hundred thousand and there were more millionaires per capita in Duluth than in any other city in the U.S.A.

Then came the Panic of 1873.  An economic depression occurred, caused by over-investing in railroads and political corruption (which even reached into Canada and lead to John A. Macdonald's defeat in Parliament and charges of corruption).   

Signs of the city's heyday period (1872-1929) remain:  more than 107 historic buildings of  Romanesque and Revival Style. 

Wednesday, July 23:  Moving north through Minnesota and southern Manitoba to Steinbach.

 

Central High School, built in 1892
















Hotel Duluth, built in1925

Historic city centre, reminiscent of San Francisco hilly streets

Aerostich store

Anticipating a visit to the Aerostich store

Aerostich, manufacturer of motorcycle gear (boots, clothing, bags)

Aerostich one-piece riding suits

Inland terminal

Three states ...

Not the solid, liquid and gaseous states but rather Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota!

We were promised a hot day, and that's what we got:  32 degrees, with a humidex of 43!  Maybe we were close to the three states of matter today ...





After this Breakfast of Champions (Tomas, not René & me), we drove from Marquette, MI, to Duluth, MN, without the benefit of a Starbucks caffe latte.  We did, however, see multiple blueberry and wild rice stands, fireworks vendors and casinos.  











And

for a second day in a row

we saw

Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) foraging on the side of the road !!!!!!!!!!!! 

I had to check on
birds-of-north-america.net
to be sure that's what they really were.  That's where this photo came from because I didn't have time to capture them with my camera.

The Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center in Ashland, WI, (source:  http://nglvc.org), was a welcome stop on such a hot day.  Among other things, I learned that the Mystery Flowering Plant seen yesterday along Lake Superior in Marquette, MI, is Common Milkweed (Asclepias Syriaca), a larval food source for monarch butterflies, and it can grow as high as 6 feet.

Picture taken from the Blatnik Bridge, crossing from Superior, WI, to Duluth, MN.  Known as High Bridge, it measures 7,975 feet long and 120 feet high. The ship seen navigating belongs to the Canadian Shipping Line.

After wandering around some seriously derelict sections of downtown Duluth, we finally found a hotel room with functioning a.c., and a close by source of entertainment.



Plans for the next couple of days:
Tuesday, July 22 is a day off from driving.  Who knows what we will discover in Duluth ...
Wednesday, July 23:  Duluth - International Falls - Manitoba
Thursday, July 24:  final destination Regina, SK.

The U.P.

From North Bay through Sudbury, the Soos, Indian Reservations, State and Federal Forests as well as numerous small towns to Marquette in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, on the south shore of Lake Superior! 

Lots of blueberries on both sides of the U.S.- Canada border, north of Lake Huron and south of Lake Superior.

Unknown flowering plants.

Lake Superior, seen from Marquette.

 

and a 1967 Econoline pickup!

Addendum

I added a couple of photos from Montreal to the last posting.  
And Happy 50th Birthday wishes to André Leclerc!!

Moving right along

Two nights and a day in Montreal allowed for a few favourites (Ste-Catherine's Street, Indigo/Chapters, Starbucks, MEC and Birks), as well as good times on Île-Perrot with Hélène & André. 

With an early start, we were able to spend a few hours in Ottawa's Aviation Museum. 

With plans to see the Musée de l'Histoire and the War Museum, we needed to find a room for the night. But before we knew it, we'd crossed the entire city so just kept on going:  Arnprior, Pembroke, Petawawa, Mattawa, and finally North Bay.

Tomorrow, we have to remember Tomas' Gravol ... ;-(

The Countdown

Just three days to departure ... Should be ready for our planned Thursday morning departure.  We intend to travel light.  Well, in terms of clothes, that is.  Otherwise ... we'll be pulling a trailer to house the motorcycle and 3 bicycles, and maybe the overload of what won't fit in the back of the pickup.

So the pre-departure agenda looks like this:
Monday, July 14:  some in-town errands, plus a run to L'Île-Verte to see about a covered trailer; papers to prepare for signing by AMIDES directors,then  supper with Dave & Aline

Tuesday, July 15:  Tomas' 15th birthday.  Festivities are minimal - supper at Subway as per Tomas' request

Wednesday, July 16:  in the morning we will deliver Nash to the stable at Luceville.  Sylvie Girard (from Vélo-Plein-Air and weekend coffee dates) recommended to us Nathalie Roberge, a true animal-lover, who has a stable with horses of her own in Luceville and who wants to start a dog-sitting service.  She happens to be the mother of a student from this past semester, who is a budding equestrian and actually excelled in her English class, thank goodness!!!

Then we go to Stugan for a joint birthday celebration at lunch-time for Grandmaman and Tomas (85 and 15 years old respectively !)  Tomas requested a cheesecake.

Thursday, July 17:  on part!  Destination - Île-Perrot

Friday, July 18:  Montreal

Saturday July 19 - Monday, July 21:  Gatineau / Ottawa