Heritage Tourism

So, at some point on the drive across America, you kind of bump into the Great Lakes. We skimmed along just south of the Canadian border to International Falls, Minnesota. The weather turned fierce. Smoke from the big Boundary Waters fire mixed with high winds and cold temperatures. After some debate, we turned south and camped at Voyageur’s Park. The mercury dipped to 23 degrees but we stayed warm with a little help from some hot soup and fine Scotch. The calls of the loon echoed through the night and heralded the dawn.

We travel in a holographic mode—both of us simultaneously re-living our old travels and currently managing this trip. “This place is where my old van (also a Ford Econoline) broke down,” Steve says. “And I made friends with the mechanic and his wife, and they took me in. “ So, we look her up, though her husband has since died, and she is thrilled by the visit. Looking at the smoke billowing in the sky, I remember the 5 weeks I spent in Minnesota as part of a hotshot fire crew from the North Cascades. How fierce the flames were and how fast they moved.

From Lake Superior to Minneapolis—experience the Mall of America and grateful to leave it, cross the mighty Mississippi and into the rolling farmland of northern Wisconsin. Waning moon over Mole Lake, colors starting to crisp up and today, across the UP of Michigan.

Shann