Including Jay Cooke State Park in the south, and Grand Portage State Park in the north, there are nine parks along (or very close to) the northern shore of Lake Superior. During the winter months, Lake Superior, the regions up and into its tributaries and its shore all have a certain elegance and harshness about them. While some folks try to escape the ice and snow of the region - heading to places where the sun shines during the month of December - I would rather take advantage of fewer people and a chance to see some of the North Shore's highlights in a different, physical state.
We seem to have arrived in Boone, NC, with all pieces intact. No photos, yet, but, with hope...soon. A recap of the trip here: we left Proctor, MN, on Friday, after work. We arrived at MJ's sister's in River Falls, WI. The next day, we called it quits for the driving in Lafayette, IN. We did the swanky thing of staying in Walmart #1543's parking lot along with a few eighteen wheelers; lot lizards were of no bother to us. The next morning, we headed out - south bound and loaded down - as my cousin would say.
It has been a hectic month; and an event crazier week. On the 27th of July, the area was hit with heavy rain. As the evening rolled in, I was cooking dinner (sweet potatoes with quinoa and various vegetables; I have embraced being a mostly-vegetarian). Melissa was standing in the back entryway with the door open; she was watching the heavy rain come down in sheets. The back sidewalk was submerged as the water rolled down from the driveway. I continued to cut and clean vegetables. At about 5:30 PM, something hit the window above the sink; then again, and again - then a lot all at once. It was hail. Melissa watched the yard become littered with nickel-sized hail balls (15 millimetres for you metric people). Lightning flashed and without delay a tremendous crack of thunder sounded. Melissa shut the door. The storm was directly over our little town. Without warning, the wind picked up. The hail slammed against the house; more thunder and lightning.
