HIGH FALLS AT GRAND PORTAGE

The Flower of the Day

Black Snakeroot

High Falls at Grand Portage has to be the gentlest of hikes. It begins on paved paths then wooden boardwalks to the falls. Designed with the tourist in mind. The falls are spectacular and well worth the stop. There are three platforms built to take in the best photographic shots possible. This is the first stage.



The second stage; I love the view through this small mountain ash.


Richard is standing on the upper stage, via the boardwalk.


And the third and final platform view.

Remains of an 1899 log flume built to circumvent timber from the trip over the falls, also the Canadian side of the falls.

This view of the bottom of the falls shows the intensity of churning waters; approximately 3,200 gallons of water per second pour over these falls.

Our final hike was one mile round trip. We made this on Friday before crossing the border back into Canada. The weather had become fairly cold and very wet; as we were so close to home the decision was made to return a day early. Vacations are always too short. We hope you have enjoyed following our trip this year.

BRULE RIVER LOOP

Flower of the Day

Cow Parsnip

Brule River is in Judge C.R. Maney State Park. We walked an extra spur to take in all the wild flowers and see where the Brule River flows into Lake Superior.

The trail was fairly easy to negotiate. With lots of stops to take pictures of the flowers and River.

Cow Parsnip can grow to as much as eight feet tall. At this point of the trail it was beginning to get pretty overgrown.

This is the end of the River where it flows into Lake Superior. It looks so peaceful at this point; yet a mile up stream it's raging over rocks. On each trail we've been on, we've been amazed at how the rushing water masks the sound of traffic on the highway.

We did this hike in the morning as the weather isn't too great today. After the rain in the early afternoon, Richard and I played mini golf. Not as much fun as we would usually have. I guess we both are realising that our holiday is coming to an end. Tomorrow we leave Grand Marais and will park in Grande Portage a couple of miles south of the Canada/USA border. Then Saturday we will be home again. Holidays are always too short!

DEVIL TRACK WILD FLOWER WALK

The Second Flower of the Day

One-flowered Wintergreen

Also called Wood Nymth. A miniature plant with a rosette of evergreen leaves at the base of the flower stem. These few plants were growing in a patch of moss.

My surprise from Richard; a Wild Flower Sanctuary. This was a very short trail but meandering, with lots of obstacles for me to clamber over and under. It would have been very disappointing if we had gone here first; as there was very little in bloom. The labels for the various plants had not been renewed, many were hard to read or completely blank.



A glimpse of Devil Track River which the hike gets its name from.


Although this is not a flower, it is a very impressively coloured fungi. I will have to search for the name once home. When I first spotted this through the trees, it looked like a piece of garbage.


Another shot of the Wood Nymph, Richard is holding a bloom up so we can see the face of the flower.

This is the only sanctuary of local flora on the North Shore of Lake Superior. It is the sort of place you would want to return to at different times of the year just to see the various flowers that bloom there.

I look forward to seeing what Richard has in mind for tomorrow (today).

OVERLOOK SNOWSHOE TRAIL

The Flower of the Day

Blue-eyed Grass

This flower is said to be very hard to find. Having to watch where I put my feet while hiking, I managed to spot this clump of grass in bloom.

This is the map above Grand Marais on Gun Flint Trail giving a great indication of what the view is and oriented for the viewer, N. is at the bottom of the map. The furthest northern point of Lake Superior is Nipigon, if you follow the map half-way up the left side is Grand Marais where we love to park our Motor Home for vacations.


Here we are ready to start this new hike. Directly behind us is Grand Marais.

This is the view at the end of Overlook Snowshoe Trail. The view is amazing and only a very short hike of half a mile.


The flowers were abundant. This shot shows Orange Hawkweed, Ox-eye Daisy, Red and White Clover and others that are not easily distinguishable.

A view of Lake Superior through the trees along the trail.

Richard took this picture. At the overlook one edge was a shear cliff.

This was a very gentle and short hike with lots of flowers for me to photograph, some varieties I will have to find the names of once we arrive home and I can check with my reference books. As the walk was short, Richard had yet another surprise for me!

LIGHTHOUSE STROLL

The Flower of the Day

Harebell

Although this walk is listed as a stroll, for those of you who know me this was as nerve racking as going up in a gondola. As you can see from the picture, the pieces of wall that connect the various rocks and take you out to the lighthouse were not that wide. My nerves were in shreds but I did not give in and made it all the way to the lighthouse!

I made it to this table of rocks with a lot of trepidation. Has my fear been conquered? Probably not, but at least I did not allow it to have dominion over me. There were sections that I literally had to clamber onto on my knees because they were too high for me to step onto safely.



I tried to capture the waves as the wind was whipping them up onto the rocks but it was tough to snap a picture just at the correct time. On one side of the breakwater you had the full expanse of Lake Superior; on the other side you had the calmness of the harbour.

This gives you an indication of what we walked along for a good portion of the "stroll". Richard was clambering all over the rocks with the video camera taking lots of footage. This is the first year that we have had a video camera with us and I'm looking forward to seeing what he has captured during our vacation.

This is looking toward Grand Marais (now spelled correctly). You can see how calm the harbour area was compared to the crashing waves on the other side of the wall.

This is a great picture of the calm also found between the rock formations and the break water. The trail is made up of a natural break water and then concrete to connect each outcropping.

LAKE SUPERIOR SHORE HIKE

The Flower of the Day

Pink Pyrola

This trail follows Lake Superior's shoreline, offering commanding views of the greatest of the Great Lakes. The vivid orange lichen is to be seen through the trees. This lichen, when the sun is on it, looks like burnished brass.






The trail is fairly level with some exposed roots, rocks and holes. Due to all the rain this year there were often soggy areas.






I found a convenient rock on which to sit and adjust my prosthetic leg. The area gave us a clear view of the Lake and the rocky shoreline.

As the hike was gentler than the last one there was plenty of opportunity to check out and snap pictures of the various flowers and plants. Here you see Bunchberry or Dwarf Dogwood.

To our left was the highway, taken at the right angle, this looks like a meadow of daisys.

To our right is Lake Superior in all is vastness and beauty. This hike is 2.1 miles as a round trip. As I was beginning to feel some discomfort, we felt it better to walk back to the car via the highway. Richard ran on ahead to bring the car to me. I walked about 1.5 miles, considering the pain suffered after the last hike we felt it prudent to have me not complete this hike.

You will be pleased to know that I have suffered no ill effects from doing another hike. Tomorrow (today) we move into Grande Marais to take up residence in the town's RV park.

A DAY OF REST

The Flower of the Day

The Common Butter Cup

Sunday was a day of worship. Richard and I took the opportunity to worship with the congregation of Christ is our Hope. We have regularly worshipped with the folks at Grande Marais at least once a year. This year was a little different, we parked our Motor Home outside Pastor Schutte's and Sandra's home in Lutsen. Other than going to Duluth for our annual clothes shopping trip, we have spent the rest of our time in the Grande Marais area.

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Richard thought it was prudent for me to take another day of rest. The pain of the last two days is gone; but best to not aggravate it again too soon. Other than attending the church service, we spent a very quiet day in the Motor Home: reading and sleeping and, of course, working on my computer.

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The Butter Cup reminds me of my childhood in West Sussex. There, as children, we would run around with a butter cup in our hand to place it under the chin of those around us to see if they liked butter. Such a simple act; but so fascinating to our young minds, that a flower would reflect on our chins its yellow colour. I loved collecting wildflowers and bringing them home to Mum for her to put in a jam-jar and place on the table.

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Other times of flower picking were during the bluebell season and primrose season; both times we would go out as a family, pushing Mum in her wheelchair to collect enough flowers to decorate the church for Sunday Services. Every window ledge, the organ and piano, the Altar Table and rail would all be adorned with the work of our young hands. Now you are not allowed to pick wildflowers or dig them up to transplant into your own garden. Were times so much more simpler when I was a child or is it just as children we see things in a simpler manner?