Duluth - Day 321

  Because of the day I didn't hike so I could move the trailer and work on logistics, I had to do today out of sequence. This took me through the City of Duluth. I honestly think this is one of the most interesting sections of the NCT. I have too many pictures and I have to choose only a few to share. But I think it's the most pictures I've ever put in one post.

But first, the day began along a ridge with Amity Creek in the valley. The opposite bank was beautiful, and that promised sunshine did make an appearance.


The journalist I needed to meet with is from Interlochen Public Radio. He will produce a segment that will go to several Midwest affiliates. His name is Patrick and his wife is "Shoe." I had no idea what age or type of person was going to meet me, so it was a treat to discover that they are big time fans of hiking and camping. Shoe even has a job as a paid trail maintainer at Sleeping Bear. How cool is that! They hiked with me for several miles.


I lost the trail three times in the morning, trying to find my way through a ski area with dozens of trails. I managed to find the SHT again each time, with, I think, only a mile of extra walking. (I had chosen not to buy the Avenza maps for the SHT because it's generally well marked. I sure could have used it today. Just FYI, I've spent about $400 on maps for this hike, and I'm just being a snot and resisting another $20.)

After that, the trail dropped down to Lake Superior along Chester Creek. I hiked through Duluth long before the trail was actually built there (in 2000). But with good directions from Bill Menke about the likely route, I had seen a lot of this before. However, the descent along Chester Creek was new. It was a beautiful section.


When you get down to the lakefront, the trail winds through the Duluth Rose Garden. Unbelievably, there were still some flowers in bloom that hadn't suffered much from the cold.


After that, the trail joins the Duluth Lakewalk. I was really happy to learn that it hasn't changed much, because there were several devestating storms since I was here last, and I knew there was a lot of damage and a ton of rebuilding that followed. This whole lakefront recreation area does also serve as a buffer to the city against the rages of the lake. You can see how this section includes a seawall.


Here's a view from the Lakewalk with the iconic Aerial Lift Bridge in the background. The trail goes right out to the bridge and passes beneath it.


This is one of my favorite features of the Lakewalk, and I was so glad to see it was still intact. There is a long wall of mosaic images based on old photographs from Duluth's maritime history. The whole thing looks fuzzy from a distance.


But as you move closer, you can tell what they are.


We now interrupt this documentary with some reality. There was sun, and the temperature did break 40 degrees, but there was a frigid knife of a wind trying to tear off everyone's coats and hats. I did NOT want to stop and sit down outside to eat. In fact, I had decided I wouldn't eat lunch until I got to the car. But then there was a restaurant. Seriously, you think I'm too stupid to stop for that? I had a portabello and pesto sandwich. It was outa this world! One half went in my tummy then, and the other half I had for dinner.


OK, then it was back into the wind for three more miles. I think this expanded buffer along the pier to the lift bridge is part of the rebuilding. There is a display of anchors, capstans, and nautical stuff. The lighthouse is in the background.


You can see that the trail goes right under the Aerial Lift Bridge... and then you are no longer on Lake Superior, but are along the St. Louis River.


I know this is too many pictures, but I love the cute Minnesota Slip Drawbrige, with its adorable yellow dancing fish.




What's in the slip, you ask? The William A. Irvin, a Great Lakes ore carrier, which is now a floating museum. I have yet to visit, but I'll get there some time.


After that, I lost the route of the trail again. I followed what I had done before. You have to climb back up the bluff that Duluth is built on, and that begins with taking a footbridge over the interstates. I could see it a few blocks away, so I just walked to it. It's as incongruous to me as ever. It just rises like something without proper support in the middle of an industrial neighborhood.


Imagine my surprise when I got up there and discovered that the trail now comes up to it by a different pathway, a ramp (you can jsut see it curving in on the right side of the picture), instead of all those steps, and probably by a much safer route. But I was already up there, and I wasn't going back.

The next rise was to climb to the top of these rocks.


And from up there you have fantastic views of the river, all the bridges, the docks and industries. (And Wisconsin calling out to me on the other side of the bridges! Just a few more days.)


And here's the final joke of the day. I thought I was still a mile from Enger Park when I came to the Ohara Peace Bell which I thought was at that park. So I asked some people there if this was Enger Park (I was going to need to take a side trail to my car). They said "no." So that agreed with my notion that I wasn't there yet. However, I wrote about this bell in North Country Cache, and said it was at Enger Park. So I hiked on, stewing about the idea that I'd made a huge mistake in that book. Ha! Those people didn't know what they were talking about. So I walked to another trailhead, then had to turn around and walk back to my car which, with the bell, were at Enger Park.


The story of the bell is long and complex, but entirely heartwarming. Ohara, Japan and Duluth, Minnesota are now sister cities because of it. I wrote about the whole story in my book. It is an oriental bell, so that long bar is the "clapper." You pull it back and it swings to hit the bell. People are allowed to ring it.

Then I went and bought new mittens. I can't do two more months with numb and stiff hands. The old ones were just worn out.

Miles today that count: 15.1 (plus about 1.3 that don't count). Total miles so far: 3699.7.

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