I wasn't very happy with Minnesota the afternoon we first arrived. It was raining HARD and it was cold -- upper 40s. We'd had that one hard rain in South Carolina, but that was just inconvenient. This was miserable. But the weather improved the next day and we both ended up really enjoying our short stay in Duluth.
On this road trip, every place we stayed up until Duluth had been out in the country. Here, the travel-planner opted for a city spot and that worked out beautifully. We were at a marina with RV spots, nearly under the famous Aerial LIft Bridge and within walking distance of the city center.
So we were right on Lake Superior, which is stunning. I guess I've always known that it was the biggest Great Lake, but before this visit I really didn't understand what that meant. It's a fresh-water sea really.
The second day, when it was a little warmer and much drier, we drove along the Skyline trail to the town of Two Harbors on Agate Bay. Beautiful views and lovely place to walk. This 1892 lighthouse is still operating.
The huge loading docks at Two Harbors (below) are ready to load taconite (a pelletized iron ore) onto 1000 ft. boats. The other picture is the Lake Shore.
The next day, we did walk across the bridge -- briskly! (The sun was shining, but it was a little chilly for bones that are still used to Florida spring temperatures.) We had to wait while the bridge rose for some big boats. We didn't see any freighter ships pass through it. Not as many of them are operating these days because of the economy. But we picked up a copy of the daily "Shipping News." (I didn't know there really was such a publication.) And it listed 15 transport ships that would be in on this day.
We visited the cargo ship William A Irwin. Built in 1938, the Irwin was the flagship of US Steel's cargo fleet. It's a floating museum now, replaced in late 1970s by bigger and faster vessels. We had a private tour (only because there aren't very many tourists here yet). Our guide was a retired second generation mariner employee of the shipping company. We got a great history lesson about shipping and about the Lake and had time to get all of our questions answered.
The pilot house is 80 feet above the water, providing a spectacular view of the port city. Inside, we saw the loading areas and holds, engine and communications rooms, both with equipment still intact, furnished crew and officer quarters, and, suprisingly, guest quarters. As the flagship, she carried US Steel bigwigs on inspections or just slow and relaxing lake cruises. The 600+foot vessel traveled at 12 miles per hour.
Duluth has great canal and lake-front paths, lots of restaurants right on the water and lovely old brick buildings. Even in this brisk weather, this old part of town was alive and vibrant. Of course, to the locals -- office workers walking on their lunch hour or after work -- this was spring weather. We were just about the only wimps in winter coats.
There are many other points of interest here that we didn't have time to see. So we would love to come back to Duluth another time -- maybe later in the summer though. (Of course everybody is assuring us that Minnesota is much colder for June than usual. It's kind of like going to a fishing spot, where they always were biting last week!).
Oh… Why were you out of time back then? I’ve always wanted to visit my close cousins there, but I never get the chance. It’s either they’re too busy, or I am. Thanks, though. I have already read a good review ‘bout the place, especially on that floating museum. I know what to do when I go there. :D
Posted by: Immanuel Llorens | April 16, 2012 at 04:42 PM