Travelogue: Duluth 2009

This one is us at the drive-in in Warren the friday before the trip.

It was that time of year again--time to strap on the camera & gas up the van, wagons east!

6/8

Early Monday morning we hit the road for Duluth. I put a five-hour energy shot in the van because I figured I'd need it for the five hour drive ahead.

Much of the drive was through rain, which didn't actually surprise me much. We stopped in Grand Rapids for a disappointing bite at Sammy's Pizza, then got on the wrong road and made it 3/4 of the way to Hibbing before realizing it. Karissa managed to point out my error just before a convenient turnoff, though so no real harm done. Plus we got a little extra backwoods driving, which is always fun. No, I'm not joking.

We pulled into Proctor around 3-3:30PM (my energy shot was untouched), checked in to the Red Roof Inn, decided to find the Great Lakes Aquarium. It was fun, but I'm not sure it was worth the admission. Just the same, Isabella loved it, so I guess that's what matters. Afterward, we stopped at Hell's Kitchen for supper, and they were right--it's damn good food. We even got a free sample of peanut butter out of the deal.

6/9

After coaxing Isabella out of the swimming pool, we hit Canal Park. We ended up arriving well between arrival/departure times for the ships, but we picnicked in the park and Isabella chased away all the seagulls, even a sneaky one that thought we didn't notice him coming around the back. We then went to the Maritime Museum, then hit a few stores, but it was becoming clear Isabella needed a nap, so we headed back to hotel for a bit.

After Isabella (and Karissa) got up, we shopped a bit more on Canal Park, then ate at Little Angie's Cantina, a restaurant close to the museum that Karissa's been waiting for 5 long years to get back to and was very happy when she finally did.

6/10

Up and at 'em bright and early again, we went back to Canal Park--this time to take the lunch cruise around the harbor. We finally got to see a freighter come into harbor, even get fairly close to it during the cruise! The food wasn't too shabby, either.

Again, Isabella got worn out doing all this site-seeing, so we headed back to the hotel again. Afterward we hit the zoo, which actually kind of sucked. It seemed like half the exhibits were closed, so no baboons with their big red butts for Isabella to see.

For supper we took Isabella to the Top of the Harbor restaurant at the Radisson, where she spent most of the time watching the scenery change (that's a good thing, why else would we have gone?), and the waiter was very friendly and patient with her yak-yak-yakking.

6/11

Glensheen! I was worried about Isabella getting too bored, but she took it all pretty well and even charmed the tour guide with her chatter. FYI, when she gets over her initial shyness, she doesn't shut up. Oh and it was fun to see Glensheen again, but weird that they moved their gift shop to the carriage house.

Lunch was a picnic at Enger Park, then a trip up to the top of the tower. Karissa was surprised at how easy it was--last time she was very pregnant and didn't even make up the first flight of steps.

Later we traveled along Highway 61 to Two Harbors, then Gooseberry Falls, where Isabella and I wandered among the rocks, while Karissa tried to suppress the anxiety--don't worry, idiots, I was there to keep a close watch on her, help her through the harder-to-navigate rocks, and carry her over the water spots. She's sure-footed like her daddy, though, and only tripped a couple times, and that was on the trails, not the rocks.

On the way back to Two Harbors, we stopped off at Betty's Pies for some Stormy Weather Stackers and delicious homemade pie, then stopped in Two Harbors at the Breaker Point where Karissa got anxiety again watching Isabella walk along the breaker--again, I was close by and held her hand the whole time. Before leaving, we drove by my old house again.

Back in Duluth, I navigated our way back to the hotel amid the taunts of both Karissa and Isabella that I was "just a big baby". Children (and girlfriends) can be so cruel.

6/12

We got packed up a little late, and Karissa didn't think we'd be able to make it to depot to take the scenic train tour. Being that it was her BIRTHDAY, I wasn't about to give up on it, so I hauled ass into Duluth, accidentally parked a block further than we needed to, and just barely managed get tickets and board the train. Yeah, I'm frickin Superman. That's right.

After the train ride, we took a long-assed bridge into Superior, overshot the correct turnoff by about 15 miles, and eventually pulled into Amnicon Acres, a dumpy little campground that might have been more charming if there were a beach to math the lake, and not a million anthills, and wood that was dry. But we made the best of it, had some brats, and played ukuleles by the pitiful fire.

The next morning, we packed up and headed out. We stopped at an Embers on the way home (I know, real creative choice), and pulled back into town in the late afternoon. The 5-hour energy shot, still unopened.

The 'Double Hex' in Action, and a Drive In Experience!

This was taken with the video setting of my digital camera, it doesn't pick up the lows very well. Aside from hearing mostly slaps, you get a pretty good idea that it actually works. I'm glad I came back to it and redid the pickup positioning.

We went to the Sky-Vu Drive In in Warren last night, it was fucking awesome! I'd never been to a drive-in before, so Isabella and I had a great first experience together. We saw Monsters v. Aliens, which she complained she didn't want to see and wouldn't like. 5 minutes into the movie, she declared she really loved the movie and wanted us to buy it. We are so going back as soon as another good one comes out.

Things To Do in June

Last Friday we took off for Devils Lake for the weekend. Karissa hadn't seen my dad's new place yet, and had to adjust to the fact that we're staying with me dad, but not at my dad's "house". I'm still getting used to it myself.
On saturday morning we only had to walk two or three blocks to meet up with everyone else to watch the Devils Run parade. It was fun, but that parade gets longer every year. I can't believe the kids all had such a good time! Between snatching up candy off the road, yelling "car" every time they saw a car, and running back and forth, they were nothing but smiles.
I went with Kevin & Butto that afternoon to help an old lady wearing plastic gloves move an antique dresser she bought from Kevin's mom's place into her storage unit. She was so thankful to us "young men" that she offered to buy us all a beer. Then I made them stop at a couple other antique stores in DL (two men antiquing is gay, but what does three mean?) before we headed over to Derek's "shop tour". We really didn't need a tour of a shop we've been in many times, but we thought we'd check it out.
Later that afternoon, we stopped in at Jason's house (formerly my dad's house, still weird) and had brats & burgers. His girlfriend Amber is inthe motel biz too, so she and I got to vent a bit about the things that piss us off about people.
Isabella got to go to the park with Ang & her kids, where they had more Devils Run stuff going on. Karissa and I went out that night to Derek & Tab's garage party, where I frittered away half of the night, inebriatedly pounding on my guitar among the conversation and smores-eating, and spent the other half sitting by the boombox listening to Derek's CD's, which was a treat because even though we have the same taste in music, he's got CD's I don't.
Last night I was hanging out in my garage, working on my upright bass. In case you don't remember, I got a little voice in my head last year telling me "if you build it, they will come." Well, I didn't make anybody come, but I did successfully build an upright bass out of cardboard. As proud as I was of having built it, I was pissed about the fact that I couldn't get much sound picked up on the pickup I made for it. Over Spring I've been working on it, only making things worse. But when I finally took the pickup out and placed it just under the bridge to hold it there, I found the sweet spot where all the sound was being picked up. So I finally made the bass work properly! I'm excited about my prospects of experimental recording now.
Next week we're off to Duluth! Last time we were there was in 2004. It'll be Isabella's first time there, so it'll be fun for her to see the place like I did when I was her age.
We should be back in time for Art Fest, then the weekend after is Wendy & Ryan's wedding (I think), then the Fair is in town, and before we know it, it'll be July! My Doug this month is a busy one!