Thursday, October 15, 2009

Duluth, MN

Last Monday it was a snowy, cold day as we made our way over to Duluth. It is just under a four hour trip from our house. Far Guy had a great time in the Hobby Shop..it was filled to the brim with railroad items..and antiques too..it was very interesting. He did make a few purchases, some stuff for his trains. I will have to tell you more about his trains ..someday! 



While Chance and I waited outside we had a photo op. This area has a whole bunch of bars..they were doing a brisk business..everyone seemed friendly enough..just a little drunk..it was barely noon.   I love to photograph Chance with Black and White things! 



This is the Lighthouse at Canal Park. Since it was fairly cold and snowing there were no crowds of people, there was one other dog, a Weimaraner with a huge florescent orange plastic bat...we could tell he was a city dog..his owner had a huge fuzzy red haired hat. 



We waited for a ship to come into the canal. Chance hopped up onto the raised flowerbed himself..it made his view more interesting. He just sat there and watched people and the birds. NO, it was not my ship either..this one was the Arthur M Anderson..






Chance was just fine until the ship blasted it's horn, he was off his perch in a flash and hiding under the bench.. he wanted to go back to the car..NOW.. to heck with the noisy ship. The friendly greeting of the ships horn a long and two shorts didn't mean a hill of beans to Chance.  He didn't think it was at all neighborly or polite. 



The Aerial Lift Bridge at Canal Park is very interesting to watch. I had forgotten that you can hear the car tires whirring over the bridge's roadway. There was other whirring too, there was a crew weedwacking all the foliage from the day lilies..they were getting their Fall haircut. Irritating noises.  Many cars were going to and from the Island of Park Point.. ( This is where I would live, if I lived in Duluth..it is like being on the Ocean) A long time ago, Far Guy thought he might apply for a job in Duluth..we took the girls and looked over the area..we took them swimming off of Park Point..I was sold, but he decided against applying for a job there. Anyway, back to the bridge..it is on the National Registry of Historic Places and if you don't see anything else in Duluth, you should see this! It lifts to allow ships into the harbor..I have always wondered about the lives of the bridge keepers, they must appreciate going to work everyday to such a beautiful view.

View of Lake Superior.  Yes, I know, the sky and water look the same. 



We found our way to Hawk Ridge, with the snow and murky skies not many birds were seen migrating. On a clear day this place must be magnificent..hopefully I will come back again someday. I would love to see some Eagles or Falcons..oh and Hawks! On a clear day thousands of birds can be seen migrating between this ridge and Lake Superior in September and October. The people there were very friendly and bored..






We wound our way back down the hill..looking for The Seven Bridges Road..we never found it..but we did find Lake Superior again. Chance loves water and he found the rocks quite to his liking. It must have seemed like an adventure to him. Far Guy hiked down the steep embankment..I stayed up on top..the crazy dog kept running up and down the hill between us. He got some exercise..it was a long day in the car for him. On the way back home we stopped at a deserted park and played ball for awhile. It was dark when we got home..and it was snowing:)
October: Wet, cold dreary days= 9 Sunny crisp days =2 Snowy cold days = 3 ( Snowy Day 4 in progress)

20 comments:

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

Sounds like a perfect trip. We have flurries in the forecast and we're in southern Missouri. It has now rained for over a week. The Ponderosa is officially swampland! This dang computer isn't workin' as a SAD light very well. Your pics are gorgeous.

Welcome home and have a great day!!!

Rae said...

This has been a fun photo tour. Even with the cloudy skies it is still beautiful scenery. It would be so fascinating watching the ships progress through the channel, but I agree with Chance the loud horn blast would be unsettling. Maybe you need a black and white blog. It would be a perfect addition seeing Chance and all the B&W things you could photograph.

DJan said...

HI Connie, nice pictures. I especially liked the one of Lake Superior where you can't see the line between the water and the sky. Sorry about your weather these days!

Anonymous said...

What fun pictures Connie. Love the pic of Chance with the black & white in the background. Nalley was talking today of his dad's days in Detroit with the old black & whites! The lighthouse is so scenic and the water so nice. I would be interested in learning more about Far Guy's trains. I have known two men with fabulous set-ups for their trains - it's a fascinating hobby with all that's out there these days. Hope you both are doing well. For GA, we are having our coolest day so far - 52.

Emma Rose said...

That was an interesting trip, but poor Chance! I would hate for a ship to "honk" at me too!
We have some really big bridges out here too. The Duchess likes to look at them but not drive over them :)

Kisses,
Emma Rose

Becca's Dirt said...

Looks like a fun trip. Hate that poor Chance was scared of the horn. Buddy would do the same thing and hide. Too bad about the dreary weather. We are expecting a colder weekend with lows into the 40's.

Liz in PA said...

Such a wonderful adventure! Wish I was a back/seat/truck ? driver with the 3 of you on that trip!!! I love the Great Lakes, and I feel privileged to live close to Lake Erie which is the smallest of all the GREAT LAKES.
There is something so intriguing about those Huge Lake Freighters!
Tell us more about Far Guy's train collection!
Does he have a setup in the basement? Does he belong to a Model Train Club?

CHANCE-is so lucky to love to go on rides with you! And oh, the stories he could tell!

Scout and Freyja said...

Chance, sounds like you had such a good time wif you's momma and dadda takin' the trip to the biggest of the Great Lakes - Superior. We live just about a mile from the mouth of Lake Superior on the St. Mary's River.

Gail said...

Cold and snowy are not my favorite words but I enjoyed the shots. It is supposed to be 38 Friday night so we are not to snow yet.

Unknown said...

I can't imagine taking our dog on a road trip. He's so much like Marley in Marley and Me! It would be a disaster.

I like the shots of Chance with black and white objects. Great idea!

Nancy said...

Duluth is a great place to visit. Have you been to the Glensheen mansion? If not, plan to go sometime.

Far Side of Fifty said...

Thanks everyone for your comments!
Liz, I will do a blog about Far Guys trains!
Nancy, Yes, we have been to Glensheen several times..it is a wonderful step back in time! :)

West Side of Straight said...

Chance, you are so funny! You and loud noises! Hooch doesn't like loud noise either.

laurie said...

Oh, you know i love this post. love those pictures. love that bridge, noisy as it is. love the old foghorn.

is the hobby shop in the west end? (now called Lincoln Park, i believe.) they can change the name, but they can't change the drunks.

Far Side of Fifty said...

Laurie, Yes we were on West Superior Street. I don't have to deal with that kind of thing very often..It kind of caught me off guard..but they were friendly drunks and homeless people:)

LadyFi said...

That Lake Superior shot is fabulous! Sorry to hear about the dreary weather - at least snow is better than just cold, damp and grey... isn't it?

RURAL said...

What a great post, loved the shots, and the narrative.

Long drive, but well worth it.

Jen

Chrissy said...

I love the photos. Seems like a great place.

Girl Tornado said...

What a fun day for Chance; I'm sure he loves the days when he gets to go with you! My Trixie Lou would have just died when that ship blew its horn too. Tori probably wouldn't have cared. Even with the gray skies, these are fun pictures - enjoyed the photo tour!

The Retired One said...

We were at the same places as you on our last trip to Duluth!! (If you go to my blog and write "Canal Park" into my Lijit Search engine you will see my pictures). What is so funny is that we took some of the same pictures at the same spots...including Hawk's Ridge! My hubby's sister lives about 4 miles from Hawk's Ridge! I love Canal Park and we go there lots when we visit her. Did you go to Grandma's Pizza place?