Grand Marais - saying goodbye (for now)

Our time has come to the end here at Grand Marais.  We have thoroughly enjoyed our 2 weeks and I have to say, I am sad to leave.  Usually by now we are more than ready to move to the next spot, but this time I could stay for quite a bit more.

Fish house museum right here at campground

Yikes

We have secured another WOW factor of our summer trip - the first one was Hovenweep National Monument in Cortez, Colorado.  At the beginning of our stay we were not as impressed, but as each adventure unfolded and we learned more, we grew to really like this area and realized it is a definite WOW.  We are even talking about possibly spending another summer near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness some day before we stop RVing.  Maybe up in the Gunfight Trail area for a month, another month here in Grand Marais, maybe another near Ely or Voyagers National Park at the top of Minnesota.  Who knows?

A normal thing to see in harbor, Coast Guard station in background

Wood boats on display

Learning from the master on how to build a wooden boat

Lots of activity in the wood shop

That red building?  Our favorite - Dockside Fish Market, yummers.

Dave talked with a man on the ferry ride yesterday and said that he shares a cabin in the area and they spend time every summer here, and then come up beginning of November so he can do some hunting.  He said that Grand Marais is basically closed down, just the bare essentials remain open.  However, the town boasts a population of over 1,300 people and there is a high school, 3 grocery stores, hardware store and various hotels and inns, library, gas stations, restaurants, etc., and - it's the county's seat, so I find it hard to believe that the town shuts down.  Especially since Eagle Mountain which is the highest elevation of Minnesota is near and in the winter cross-country skiing, skiing at the resort up by the mountain, hunting, ice fishing - all goes on.   I think he was a little too urbanized. 

A local charter you can take

Pretty, pretty, pretty

We learned about this whole area these last 2 weeks

Looking north from Grand Marais towards Thunder Bay, Canada

Walked out to Artist Point one day

Coast Guard Station standing watch

The break wall to the harbor - our campground to right on shore

Looking back to town

This area is an outdoor’s person paradise. And the town is a budding artists’ gathering.  Galleries and specialized stores are springing up.  I can just imagine what winters are like here, with the bitter cold and snow.  

Has to be the best donuts we have ever had!  Seriously, the best!

We leave here tomorrow to head back down the North Shore (route 61) and head into Wisconsin.  We have a short stay near the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore area in a town called Cornucopia, then head into the upper part of Michigan by Thursday morning. Ohio is calling and we need to get there - about another 10 days we think.