Maintenance & Restoration

Nancy · 09-16-2012, 11:20 AM

Alvin,

Welcome. Diane is going to do magic with the electric issue. Do you guys carry cube heaters that run on our 110? We will be sharing electricity.

Not sure what route you will be driving but I wanted to point out a lovely campground on Hwy 2, just west of Grand Rapids, MN.

Pokegama Dam is a Corps of Engineers campground. It has 19 electrical sites. When you come past I believe all will be non reservable. They quit reservations about now and become first come first serve until snow closes the road. This campground is on the Mississippi River and right next to the highway. there are some trees between the hwy and campground. We live so close that we have never camped there, so I am not sure about the road noise. If you do not want to camp there be sure to make it a rest stop as it is lovely for scenery.

Regarding hiking. If you could give me some idea what distances and what type of difficulty you are comfortable with I will have recommendations for you. We may not be able to meet, unsure of our health, but I will be sure to have a hiking info ready for you at your camp site. Also, if you have never been up the North Shore and you want to consider that during your stay let me know because you then need to know the best places there to hike.

Oh. Again depending on what route you take. If you are in the slow, smell the roses drive mind, there is a very pretty stretch of highway north of Grand Rapids. Hwy 38 twists and curves up and down over the continental divide through very pretty (though stressed this year) maple trees. It is not a fast road. It is paved but there are not passing opportunities for fast drivers. This road would enter Grand Rapids east of the Pokegama Dam.

Have a safe journey.

Nancy

Nancy · 09-16-2012, 11:37 AM

5 days is a very short time to do Duluth. I hope some of you who have never been there, or up the North Shore will have time to do both. If your time permits, spend your days in the Duluth area and then add days to drive up the shore. If I had only a few days to do it all, well that would be difficult for me.

Nancy

DianeP · 09-16-2012, 11:44 AM

Welcome Alvin. I think you'll find the Duluth area has a lot to offer as far as hiking and exploring goes. We do have electrical hook-ups.
Will there be anyone else with you?
See you Wednesday.
Diane

Philip & Catherine · 09-16-2012, 03:43 PM

Alvin we can not see you request email?
But we are in Pokegama Dam is a Corps of Engineers campground in the Big Foot and will leave the 18th for the meet.
P & C

alvin · 09-16-2012, 04:19 PM

Thanks for the replies, there will be only me, thanks. See you all soon.

barryra · 09-16-2012, 04:56 PM

We can't make it to this meet because of our work schedules but are heading up to Duluth the next weekend.

We are staying at Temperance River State park & then to Burlington Bay campground. I'm thinking of switching to Buffalo Valley since people here have good things to say about it & how it's 10 miles closer to Duluth.

Have any of you stayed at Burlington Bay? How was it compared to Buffalo? Thanks

Nancy · 09-16-2012, 07:05 PM

Hi Barry,

Since we love Lake Superior we would go to Burlington Bay. However if you want easier access to Duluth you will get there quicker from Buffalo House.

It all depends on if you want to do stuff north or in the city. My husband and I would prefer to go to Burlington Bay and drive the extra miles to do Duluth stuff, because of that lake. We also like Two Harbors. There is a stroll along the shore by the light house, and food.... Betty's Pies, The Vanilla Bean.

Hope this helps.

Nancy

barryra · 09-16-2012, 09:25 PM

Thanks Nancy! We were having 2nd thoughts about Burlington Bay since we havn't much about it. I think we are right on the lake. Now I feel good about things.

We will for sure try Betty's Pies. What's The Vanilla Bean.

fusedlight · 09-17-2012, 08:43 AM

Dorothy and I are going to be going down a little south of Duluth for some agate collecting... anyone want to come along? You'll need to fill out this:

http://www.co.carlton.mn.us/departme...and%20Maps.pdf
(PDF Of Permit)

and give a call to the folks at city hall. No charge, no faxing... they just put you on an "OK to collect" list.

Nancy · 09-17-2012, 09:40 AM

Barry,

the Vanilla Bean is an eating place in Two Harbors on the main highway at the Duluth end, across from a gas station, next door to a bakery. bakery may be gone. the Vanilla Bean has great omelets, large.

If you have a lake site at Burlington Bay keep it for sure.

Nancy

DianeP · 09-17-2012, 10:52 AM

Gary, we have several copies of the Carlton county permit in the available materials as well as the maps on the agate picking site. Thanks for offering to take others along.

Diane P and Dave

Cricket · 09-18-2012, 05:35 PM

Just an FYI for those of you headed to the fall colors rally in Duluth....there is road construction northbound on I35 starting at about Sandstone....sometimes it gets really backed up before it merges into the one lane....just an FYI so you can plan accordingly.

fusedlight · 09-19-2012, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eggless

<snip>there is road construction northbound on I35 starting at about Sandstone..<snip>

If you have an iPhone (or whatever) with Google Maps on it use the "Show Traffic" option. Dorothy and I use that all the time. On the last two trips "Up North" it showed a MASSIVE backup on I-35. A little jog to the west on county and state highways bypassed it all.

And...if I remember...I'll bring my little rock polishing kit with me. I should be able to put a Shiny Face on anything found whilst rockhounding.