It was another chilly morning. The temperature was actually a little warmer
than Saturday morning, but the wind was much stronger, so that it felt
colder. We drove back to Siren to the location
by the lake where Cal stopped yesterday - one of the many Wisconsin lakes, and
Cal began riding. It was a sunny day, thank goodness, so it did
warm up to be comfortable with a jacket. The topography is rolling with a few
steep grades. At one point we left the Gulf of Mexico watershed and entered the
Lake Superior watershed which in the end flows to the North Atlantic. So when we crossed that watershed line it was
in reality “downhill” to Superior!!!!
Wisconsin has a series of roads called “Rustic roads”. I don’t remember how, but we have a “Rustic
Roads” guide book, however I don’t have it with me. Along the way I have seen signage for several
Rustic roads, but I have not driven on them.
This morning Cal would remain on the same road for hours so I decided to
drive on two of the “Rustic Roads”.
These actually are just “back roads” that are very nice. The one road went between two lakes whereas
the other wound through a forest. They
were lovely drives. The whole drive
today was lovely – birch, aspen and pine forests surrounding lakes and marshes.
The leaves are just beginning to change.
Every once in a while there is a bright red tree, but very few.
 |
| Siren - Lake along the road |
 |
| Serene dock along the lake |
 |
| Birch Forest |
For lunch we stopped at a little gas station/bar and grill
along the road (nothing else around). We
have been riding/driving in very rural Wisconsin today. No major towns! This place the “Dry Dock” was
also a DNR point where hunters bring their game to be weighed and tagged. Bear
hunting season in Wisconsin began last Wednesday. They were telling me there are approximately
40,000 black bear in northern Wisconsin.
Hunters in Wisconsin can use dogs, whereas across the line in Minnesota
they cannot - we were approximately 8 miles from Minnesota. Last Friday this
DNR point weighed and tagged 2 bear. One
weighed 142 lbs and the other 202 lbs.
 |
| Local Scene at the Gar Station |
 |
| Yellow River - Flowing North |
 |
| Path in the Woods |
 |
| High Trestle Bridge |
After this lunch stop we came to an area where a high
trestle bridge spanned a river gorge. I
stopped to take a photo of the bridge when I saw something black swimming in
the water. By the time I was in position
for a photo, it was to the other side of the river – I think it was a black
bear – if not, a large black dog, but since there are bear in the area I am
certain it was a bear.
We made it to Superior WI.
We loaded the bike and drove to a hotel in Duluth, MN. On our way we
stopped at a Visitors Center at the top of a hill. What a view of the whole area, the St Louis
River, St Louis Bay, Superior Bay, Duluth harbor, Superior harbor, ships in the
harbor, large grain elevators, an iron ore depot where they were loading ships,
and the city. Duluth, MN and Superior, WI area is very busy (maybe not as busy
as in its heyday). In the hills above
the city of Duluth there is a Skyline Drive. After dinner tonight in the
refurbished Clyde Machinery Works, we drove on the Skyline Drive. This is a beautiful way to see the city. It
was just at dusk so the city lights were shinning.
 |
| Another Scenic Lake along the road |
 |
| Rail Cars loaded with Iron Ore |
 |
| Docks where Iron Ore is loaded onto Ships |
We had learned about iron ore being shipped out of Duluth
when we visited the Upper Peninsula of Michigan several years ago, as most of
the shipwrecks on Lake Superior were ships loaded with iron ore coming out of
Duluth. The Edmund Fitzgerald was the last major ship wreck on Lake Superior in
1975. While at the restaurant tonight we
inquired about where iron ore is mined.
There are mountain ranges about an hour from Duluth (that we will be
going near) that has underground and open pit iron ore mines.
Due to the natural resource of iron ore in the area there
were steel mills. The Clyde Machinery
Works made all sorts of machinery that was used to build the Panama Canal, San
Francisco Bay Bridge, Hoover Dam, etc. At
one point Duluth was a very industrial city, including ship building during
both World Wars. Clyde Machinery Works
is no longer in existence, so they have converted part of the complex into a
great restaurant, bar, and event center, while keeping its history. We are glad for the recommendation to eat
there.
 |
| Duluth at Night |
 |
| Lift Bridge between Lake Superior and the Duluth Harbor |
