The North Shore – Lake Superior
Duluth To Two Harbors
August 12, Friday: St. Paul to Duluth, MN
From St. Paul, we headed north to Duluth, the beginning of the North Shore's Scenic Drive.
On the way, we stopped at the North West Company Fur Trading Post in Pine City. This is a Minnesota state park with costumed interpreters explaining fur trading life in 1804 from both the Ojibwe (aka Chippewa) and the white traders’ points of view. The primary trade was beaver pelts for men’s hats, but all types of furs were traded. The Indians had limited use for most of the white man’s store inventory, so when the Indians purchased all the items they needed from the trading post store, they had no incentive to trap and trade the furs, so the trading companies would simply abandon the post after a couple of years and move to another area.
On the way, we stopped at the North West Company Fur Trading Post in Pine City. This is a Minnesota state park with costumed interpreters explaining fur trading life in 1804 from both the Ojibwe (aka Chippewa) and the white traders’ points of view. The primary trade was beaver pelts for men’s hats, but all types of furs were traded. The Indians had limited use for most of the white man’s store inventory, so when the Indians purchased all the items they needed from the trading post store, they had no incentive to trap and trade the furs, so the trading companies would simply abandon the post after a couple of years and move to another area.August 12, Friday: Duluth, MN
We tried to reserve a campground in downtown Duluth, but everything was booked due to the huge annual Blues Festival. 
Instead, we settled for a small campground 1/2 hour south of Duluth on the St. Louis River. We self-reserved a spot right on the river and headed to downtown Duluth. We found some parking due to a kind-hearted lot attendant, and spent the day in Canal Park. Canal Park is the heart of the tourist area with museums, waterfront parks, a convention center, lighthouse and shops.
Instead, we settled for a small campground 1/2 hour south of Duluth on the St. Louis River. We self-reserved a spot right on the river and headed to downtown Duluth. We found some parking due to a kind-hearted lot attendant, and spent the day in Canal Park. Canal Park is the heart of the tourist area with museums, waterfront parks, a convention center, lighthouse and shops. Duluth is famous for its arial bridge that raises and lowers for the huge ships entering and leaving the harbor. Here are photos with the bridge lowered and raised.
The Lake Superior Marine Museum provided by the US Army Corps of Engineers has wonderful exhibits about Lake Superior. Did you know that Lake Superior is larger than all the other Great Lakes - COMBINED?
We toured the William A. Irvin, the flagship of U. S. Steel's Great Lakes ore boat fleet. These monsters carried the iron ore mined in the mountains of Minnesota to the refineries in the Southern Great Lakes Area. It served as a company showboat, with luxurious accommodations for visiting dignitaries. Later, we walked around the downtown tourist shop area and Jack bought a metal Pileated Woodpecker to screw into a tree in our backyard. Hmmmm.
We tried to take a scenic train ride along the Lake, but they weren’t running their regular trains because of a kiddie Thomas the Train thing. We drove Duluth’s Skyline Parkway, but the road was in terrible condition and signage was so poor, we got lost twice! We finally abandoned it about halfway, but did get a photo of Duluth and the arial bridge.
We returned to the campground and enjoyed our spot right on the river, having appetizers and drinks, just watching the water and the sunset.
We returned to the campground and enjoyed our spot right on the river, having appetizers and drinks, just watching the water and the sunset. 
August 13, Saturday: Duluth, MN
We enjoyed our river-front campsite so much, we decided to take a day to lounge, kayak and cook.
I made red gravy (spaghetti sauce) on the outdoor cookstove, simmering it all afternoon, caught up on this journal, and went for a long kayak ride around the large island in the middle of the river. We had a great ravioli dinner, a game of Phase 10 and a small campfire as it got dark with a beautiful full moon coming up over the river. A great day.
I made red gravy (spaghetti sauce) on the outdoor cookstove, simmering it all afternoon, caught up on this journal, and went for a long kayak ride around the large island in the middle of the river. We had a great ravioli dinner, a game of Phase 10 and a small campfire as it got dark with a beautiful full moon coming up over the river. A great day.August 14, Sunday: Duluth to Two Harbors
We packed up the RV and reluctantly left our pretty river campsite and drove up to the Glensheen Historic Estate on the north side of Duluth for a fine art craft fair. Lots of jewelry and photo art, but nothing spectacular for us. They did have a couple of good food vendors and Jack enjoyed a Polish sausage sandwich and potato chip fries on the stick while I stuck with a nice healthy funnel cake ice cream sundae with cherry topping – yum!!
Duluth is the Southern anchor town of the North Shore Drive along Lake Superior. Once we got out of Duluth, there were lots of small waysides where folks could picnic, walk the rocky beaches, and even swim if you’re willing to brave the cold water. The beaches remind us a lot of the Maine coastline.Our first major stop along the North Shore Scenic Drive was the town of Two Harbors late in the afternoon. We stopped at the city campground before heading into town to look around; good thing as there were only a couple of campsites left! The campground is on a small bluff overlooking Burlington Bay.
August 15, Monday: Two Harbors, MN
We played golf at a nice course right across the street from the campground – and only $20 for 18 holes with a cart. Some greens were damaged, but overall it was a fun course. After lunch and a nap, we drove two miles into town to tour the oldest operating lighthouse on Lake Superior and visit the 3M museum where the company began in the early 1900’s. 
August 16, Tuesday: Two Harbors, MN to Gooseberry Falls, MN
It was a beautiful, sunny morning, so we took a short walk to Burlington Bay Beach. The beach is small and strewn with rocks and the water was crystal clear.
We drove back into Two Harbors to tour the Edna G., one of the first steamboat tugs (1896) on the Great Lakes. It was also one of the last to be retired and is now considered a National Historic Treasure. The guide told us that when Edna G.'s sailors decided to use the water cannon to clean the dock, it took them a full week to rebuild it.
We drove back into Two Harbors to tour the Edna G., one of the first steamboat tugs (1896) on the Great Lakes. It was also one of the last to be retired and is now considered a National Historic Treasure. The guide told us that when Edna G.'s sailors decided to use the water cannon to clean the dock, it took them a full week to rebuild it.We also visited the local history museum at the depot that gave us some understanding of life in a small port town. 
The museum had two old steam engines on display that were used to haul ore to the docks. One steam engine could haul the same as four diesel engines!
The museum had two old steam engines on display that were used to haul ore to the docks. One steam engine could haul the same as four diesel engines!