Minnesota, Wisconsin, Lake Superior & The Boundary Waters

Part of Business School is a summer interview.  Though ample opportunities were available closer to home, I had a great chance to work for a great guy and a great company in Minnesota.  So, I got on e-bay and bought a motorcycle.  My V-Max hadn't run in a couple of years and it was time to ride.  I got to MN three weeks early to ride.  During the summer, I had the chance to take a few three day weekends and rack up the miles. 

Here are the pictures along with a few captions.  The people, the scenery, and the experiences were all first rate.

 

I inadvertently stumbled across Red Wing, MN.  Red Wing, the home of the boots.  Every good Virginia boy needed a pair at some point in  high school.  I got mine during grad school and got the riding version rather than the old brown pair I wanted so badly when I was 16.  I now have over 10,000 miles on them and they still polish up to look like new.  

 

 

 

The road to this American Legion was a bit out of the way and gave me an excuse to make my first water crossing on a cruiser.

Gravel roads were everywhere in both MN and WI.  My early days on dirt bikes are really coming in handy.

 

While riding the Laura Ingles Wilder Highway, I came across her birthplace and stopped for a photo op.  I knew my Mom would love it.  She did indeed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After leaving Deluth and making my way North along Lake Superior, I was able to spend one of my favorite days of the year in one of the coolest places I've ever come across.  The people "Up North" were friendly and made great company as I sat all day and watched the closest Indy 500 in history as Marco and Michael battled up front.  The greatest spectacle in motorsports was followed by a fantastic Coca-Cola 600.  It was a great day.  The view of the lake was also spectacular.

The the end of The Gunflint Trail, North of Grand Maris, after the road turned to gravel, I found the Trails End Cafe.  The food was nice, as was the view.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Minnesota summer was a 12-week adventure.

The stories from the summer are as exciting and varied as were the people my friends and I met along the way.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hey Aaron!
It's Kathy from Telluride! Never got a chance to find out that you travelled the North Shore! One of my favorite places in the world outside of Alaska where I have spent lots of time since '64. Yeah, I know it was before you were born! It was fun for Bob and me to meet you at the festival this summer. Hope you have more spectacular travels!