Day 6
On Day 6 I finally got home after a morning of dragging my feet.
I got up early and packed as quick as I could, as I do. A Boy Scout adventure group was camped across from me and heading out for a wilderness canoe trip in the Boundary Waters. They offered me the last of their orange juice and fresh food, but I was packing light too and had no room.
I rode down the the Trail Center for breakfast, which honestly about half the reason I camped down there in the first place. But they didn't open until 8 and I was about an hour early. So I broke out my book again and sat our front reading and enjoying the morning.
Then back to Grand Marais, and it was still a mess with the art fair going on. But I was more tolerant of it this time. I stopped at the Jave Moose for a cup. Instead of drinking out of paper I decided to buy an actual mug to walk around with. Coffee mugs are always a good memento to have around anyways. So, while all the people waited around for their half caf frappachinos or whatever, I was able to grab a proper mug of black coffee and depart quickly, and wander around the art fair sipping.
I wandered down to the waterfront behind the coast guard station, I like hanging out there. I wandered around and took pictures of fog. Most didn't come out, mostly because they were pictures of fog. But the camera is a good diversion and a tool I use to make me stop a lot and look around a lot.
Finally I decided I had a long ride home and the day was wasting. So I geared up and headed out of town. But down a block there was a shop with a sign claiming it sells the state's best donuts. Which is a bold claim that shouldn't go untested. And truth be told I wasn't done with wandering town. So I unmounted again and dug my new mug out and got a donut and another cup of coffee to sip on while ducking my head into some of the shops. The donuts were damn good and certainly the second best in the state. Apparently the owner hasn't been to Bloedow's Bakery in Winona, which would explain why they thought they were best.
Finally I left Grand Marais and started working south. The weather was pretty darn nice. Coming up just 5 days ago the shore was so cold I avoided it. Today it was cool but comfortable. It's all about how the wind is blowing I guess, and whether it's pulling the cold lake are onto shore or not.
There was weather over Duluth it looked like, just a single rain cell it seemed like. So I kinda took my time hoping it would blow the the east before I got there.
Stopped at a marker for Father Baraga. He canoed from Madeline Island to Grand Portage? Is that even possible? The Boy Scouts had already made me feel silly for calling my motorcycle trips an "adventure", and now folks are canoing across Superior? My motorcycle trips are lower-case adventure for sure. It's amazing pondering the folks that settled around Superior.
That's about it. I killed more time in Two Harbors at another art fair, where you could take a helicopter ride for a few bucks. Too many bucks, and the pilot looked 16 to me. I did not partake.
When I got through Duluth and over to Superior the roads were wet but the rain had blown through. I eventually caught up to it though, so I stopped for lunch. But the damn cloud had me in it's sight and was not going to ignore me. So I suited up and rode hard until I got home.
Pretty nice trip. Survived a couple attempted-homicide events from cagers, saw a wolf and lots of good back road. Pretty good weather too. The trip was nothing short of a success, I think I'll take another one day.