North Shore 2009: Days 3 and 4

Tragedy befell us when Paul slipped on the rocks and his beloved Nikon D50 camera fell in a puddle of water. As a result, we don't have many photos for the last two days (we're hoping we can get some from everyone else). Lake Superior: 1 Paul: 0

Bernie and Mark came up to go fishing with us. Sammy really got a kick out of it.

We had occasional rain during the vacation...

...but also had a good amount of sunshine too...

Heading out to fish...

Bernie swaps fishing stories with Sammy...

Bernie and Mark...

Gooseberry Falls State Park...

Morning view from our deck to the shore...

Mike, Diane, Anne, Sammy, Michele, Bernie, and Mark...

North Shore 2009: Tour of Soudan Mine Video

It's a bit lengthy (about 8:52) but it has the excellent description provided by the tour guide and if you look really close you can see a bat!

North Shore 2009: Day 2

On our second day of vacation on the North Shore we went to the Split Rock lighthouse and then the Soudan Underground Mine.

Soudan mine is known as Minnesota's oldest, deepest, and richest iron ore mine. It was closed in 1962 but is now open as a state park. Visitors can today travel 2,341 feet below the surface on an 80-year old electric hoist through shaft #8. The ride is fairly scary. Underneath visitors ride 1/2 mile to view some mining chambers.

Aunt Annie told Sammy that we were going to see the Joker in the BatCave (currently, Batman and Superman are all that matters to Sammy). When we went to get into the rickety 80-year old electric hoist, Sammy was afraid to go, until our tour guide told him that she had already taken care of the Joker. We'll post some video at a later time.

Oh, and there were bats down there too!

Split Rock lighthouse...

A view from Split Rock lighthouse...

Lighthouse-keeper residences...

Sammy with lighthouse-keeper dude...

Diane & Mike...

Group shot at Split Rock...
Anne, Diane, Mike, Michele, Sammy, & Paul...

Soudan mine...
...we barely got there in time for the last tour of the day!

Part of an electric hoist...

The miners would mine from one level up to the next...
...throwing the junk rock mined to the level below them...
...and work their way up...

The scariest ride in the world!!
It will rattle your fillings loose!

Sammy in the BatCave...

Michele & Sammy...

Miles and miles of tunnels...

Anne, Paul, Sammy, Michele, Mike, & Diane...

North Shore 2009: Day 1

Sammy's Batman & Robin take a rest from crime fighting on the north shore...

Last weekend we went to Lake Superior along the North Shore of Minnesota. We rented a lakeside cabin in Tofte, MN (this is the cabin). We drove out Thursday night to stay at a hotel in Superior, Wisconsin. At the hotel we met up with Paul's sister Diane and Mike. In the morning, Sammy and Paul went for a swim in the pool, then we went to Canal Park in Duluth, then Bettie's Pies, and finally our lakeside cabin. We were lulled to sleep by the sound of waves crashing on the rocks.

Sammy bravely enters the pool...

Paul is not moving fast enough in the water for Sammy...

Diane and Mike play air hockey...

Mike and Diane...

Michele and Sammy...

With a steady hand, Sammy navigates stormy waters...

Sammy explains to us the geology of the Great Lakes...

Winter in July at the Byron Good Neighbor Days...

This year Dennis and Dana invited us to the Byron Good Neighbor days again. There was a spectacular parade and fireworks. Global warming took the day off as temperatures were in the high 50s (in July...thought this is Minnesota). Dana, Benton, and Kendra were in their church's "kitchen band" which won first place in the parade. We bundled up later at night for the fireworks. Byron is a nice place, full of friendly people.

Waiting for the parade to start...

Dennis and Avery...

Dana, Benton, and Kendra all took part in the kitchen band...

...which won first place...

Kendra waves as she and Dana pass by...

A RCTC representative tries to recruit Avery and Sammy...

Despite what this photos suggests,

Boy Scouts are NOT a paramilitary organization...

The helmet-less Shriners...

Should Dana and Dennis use this for their Christmas card photo?

This was taken right before it started to snow...

Mastersingers USA....

A few weeks ago, the Matersingers USA performed at the Basilica of Saint Mary up in Minneapolis. We went with Sammy's Aunts Diane & Anne. It was some pretty neat singing in a beautiful setting. This is the first basilica established in the US. Sammy enjoyed the performance.

"Mastersingers USA is a group of men who have some connection with Prof. Bruce McInnes, who retired in 2001 after leading singing groups at Yale University, Amherst College, and University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire, among other institutions."

A beautiful church...

Does your church's basement look like this?

Looking upward...

A Minneapolis muster of many Mastersingers singing masterfully....

Fantastic ceiling...

Sammy reflects on the performance...

It looks like this is a happening Basilica...

Uncle Doug Swoops In...

A few weeks ago, Sammy's uncle Doug flew into town. He's a jet setting private corporate pilot and one of his clients needed get to the Mayo quick. So Doug gave a call (since he couldn't leave the plane) and Michele and Sammy went over to Rochester International Airport (Paul was tied up at work). Sammy enjoyed the opportunity to exchange pilot stories with his Uncle Doug. He also mentioned that he was indeed able to see the famed Rochester Corn Cob Water Tower.

Current Requirements for Bathroom Remodel..

Paul has reformatted his "requirements" document (click here to see it) for the bathroom remodel we hope to do this year (before inflation kicks in). Please feel free to pass on to us suggestions such as for tile, fixtures, etc. We want to stay consistent with the era of the house and the other bathrooms.

It's not pink, it's salmon!