Duluth Up Hwy 61: The "North Shore" Drive

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Entry Five: Duluth, Mn. (depart 1 p.m.) to Temperance State Park, Minnesota (arrive 6 p.m.) Miles driven: 83

Leaving Duluth on a sunny and hot Sunday morning, Sophie the dog and I slogged through the Duluth construction, finally finding ourselves on the “North Shore,” a famous 151 mile long stretch of road that extends all the way to Ontario, Canada. It’s designation as an “All-American” road certainly fits, as the stunning views provide my first real sense of peace, ease, and relaxation.
Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes, envelopes the right-hand view for most of the entire way. Large rocks and cliffs jut out into the water, providing excellent photo opportunities from the numerous turn-offs. Small towns, approximately one every 15-30 miles are efficient and cute, and, in fact, the entire area is very understated.

Books and Postcards!
I only made it 13 miles up the road when I passed my weakness: An antique store. Well, not just an antique store, but a simple house-like dwelling with a sign out front that read: Books and Records (my two weaknesses). Even though I was enjoying the view, I realized that I had all afternoon to meander up Hwy 61, so I turned around and went back. There, I met Ed, the proprietor, who said to me upon entering the door: Sure looks like someone is enjoying the summer.
Indeed I was, as his store was a cornucopia of many of the items that I love to both possess and peruse: books, records, postcards, stamps, and thousands of other historical knickknacks from times past. Ed, a jovial man in, probably, his mid-60s, sat front and center of the store, saying “Hello” to every customer. He even allowed Sophie the dog to come into the store with me, which was a unique experience for both her and me. I spent over 75 minutes, flipping through boxes and boxes of postcards, old records, books, and general collections. I purchased $60 worth of books and postcards, but I figured, “Hey, why not?! I’m on vacation.” The postcards, which will be added to my 5000 others, include shots of Chicago, North Dakota, Washington State, and Wyoming. The four book titles were: I Am Elvis: A Guide to Elvis Impersonators, a collection of Mark Twain stories, a basic bird identification book, and a Vintage edition of Raymond Carver’s Cathedral, a favorite author of mine.
I got to talking to Ed, who had served and retired from the military. In fact, with three pensions, he was only in this business to meet and chat with people and “for the hunt,” the delightful process of scouring yard sales, estates, auctions, and flea markets for treasures from his winter home in East Texas. He also spoke proudly of his children—his son works for a contractor in Iraq, and his daughter serves in the National Guard as a machinist (he had been one as well). He stated that tourism is down in the area, and that most of his sales now go to locals, as opposed to the (much) higher priced antiques stores (who used to shop from him, toting their stuff back to the trendier parts of Duluth and the Twin Cities—Minneapolis and St. Paul. He allowed me to snap his photo and invited me to return to the store. I surely will on future visits with Jennifer.

Absolutely starving by now, I stopped at Subway (no “veggie patties” in the sticks) and sat on the beach in Two Harbors. Cell phone service was back, and I was finally able to call Jennifer and leave a few messages about where I was at. There are no less than 10 state parks available for people traveling up this route, the road being a jump-off point for the Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness Area, which begins approximately 30 miles north (and it’s only 40 miles to the Canadian Border). With the Superior National Forest available, I had less stress then normal in natural areas, as I knew that the (free!) forest would make a good “B plan” for camping, if need be. I was, however, beginning to get incredibly tired, as the 4 hours of rough sleep last night in Southeastern Minnesota was beginning to take its toll on me.
My first attempt was Tettegouche State Park, located at mile 58—alas, it was sold out. I traveled 20 more miles north, finding a space at Temperance River State Park (and allowing me to experience nature a bit more calmly). I paid my 25 dollars, chatting with a former Chicagoan (she had lived in Lincoln Park for 2 years—and didn’t miss it). I rolled into the “B” loop, eager to hit the sleeping bag and watch the moonrise over Lake Superior.

Thanks for reading the blog! Dave and Sophie the Dog

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Photos

Hwy 61 View
Water not too cold!

City Park in Two Harbors
Jump rock!

Ed the Collector View
Buy 10, get 1 free!

Temperance Campground View
Semi-private spots right on the lake.

Lake Superior View
Many Turnoffs available

Hwy 61 View
Inbetween the small towns looks like this!