Lake Superior Circle Tour - Still Day 2: Grand Portage National Historic Site

Our last stop of the day, besides our hotel in Canada, was Grand Portage National Historic Site.  It was the spot where fur traders would come off of Lake Superior and carry their canoes for a few hours to the Boundary Waters and other waterways.  It was a lot of fun and we all became Junior Rangers here. We bet you didn't know that you need bear fat to make a good birch bark canoe or that the Three Sisters are corn, beans, and squash and that they compliment each other in how they grow in a garden?!?!

Playing lacrosse the original way!

The canoe shop.

The NW Company garrison.

Inside the main dining room.

The water that far north in Lake Superior is very, very cold.  It averages 50 degrees Farenheit in August.  50!

Love,
Ainsley, Ben, and Cameron

Lake Superior Circle Tour - Day 2: Grand Marais

We stopped for lunch in Grand Marais, MN.  The best part was visiting the "World's Best Donuts" shop. 

 

Love,

Ainsley, Ben, and Cameron

 

Lake Superior Circle Tour - Day 2: Split Rock Lighthouse

Rather than pay a lot of money to see another lighthouse, we decided to go next door to the state park and take pictures from there.  It turned out to be much more scenic.

Love,
Ainsley, Ben, and Cameron

Lake Superior Circle Tour - Day 2: Gooseberry Falls

We started off day 2 by visiting Gooseberry Falls.  If you ever go there, hike the "Falls Tour."  It'll take you by most of the good stuff.

Love,
Ainsley, Ben, and Cameron

Lake Superior Circle Tour - Day 1: Two Harbors

Our next stop was the lighthouse and breakwater at Two Harbors, MN.  They load taconite pellets on freighters here.  We walked out to the end of the breakwater and then went to see the historic lighthouse.

Here is a large freighter being loaded up.

Here we are on the beach by the breakwater.

Later that night, Dad surprised us because our hotel was really a train!  Here is the lobby area, which is designed to look like a train station.

And here is the side of the hotel!

Here we are, outside of Northern Rail Inn, in Two Harbors, MN!

Love,
Ainsley, Ben, and Cameron

Lake Superior Circle Tour - Day 1: Duluth

We kicked off our Lake Superior Circle Tour vacation in Duluth because it is the closest part of Lake Superior to our house.  We spent most of our time in Canal Park.  We visited both lighthouses along the canal and walked over the lift bridge (twice).  It was a lot of fun.



Our first "we are here picture," with the place mat we bought in the Coast Guard gift shop.

On the North pier.

Watching the lift bridge go up for some small-ish boats.

 

Dad even helped hold it up.

 

On the South pier.

 

Afterwards, we went into the museum pictured behind Cameron.  It was really cool.

 

Love,
Ainsley, Ben, and Cameron

My 3rd Birthday Party!

I turned 3 last week, but we had my birthday party today!

Love,
Ainsley

Blue Belt Graduation

Tonight, I graduated from a purple belt to a blue belt!

Love,
Cameron

A Visit with Great Grandma Martha

While the boys were home at the Hulabaloo, Mommy and I went to see Great Grandma Martha on the way to a wedding.

Love,
Ainsley

Harry Potter Hullabaloo

Ben went to Harry Potter Camp and we got to go to the Hulabaloo Open House.  Ben and his friend Jacob were Slytherin House.

My friend Jack and I played Harry Potter Adventure Chess.

It was a lot of fun.

Love,
Cameron

Hamel Parade

I was in the Hamel Rodeo Parade for my karate school.  Unfortunately, I was on the other side of the float from Mom and Dad.

Love,
Cameron

Sprinkler Time

It was a hot night, so we got to run through the sprinkler.

Love,
Ainsley, Ben, and Cameron