Grand Forks Sketches

Sorry this is so long, I haven't posted in almost a week.  Yikes!

I sketched in my travel sketchbook with a Micron 02 this morning/afternoon. 

 

For Scavenger Hunt 460  http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1409623

Number 1, drink - wine

Number 2, snack - gluten free animal crackers

Number 3, food - orange and apple

 

Number 4, appliance - microwave
Number 5, bare foot
Number 6,outdoor scene - out the window
Number 7, indoor scene - in our room

I started this twice using Gene's computer and it went away.  We have been through several states since my last posting.  

We left Canada and made it back to Munising, Michigan,  to take the boat out to Picture Rocks.  Boat excursions were cancelled because of wind.  Because of late arrival there were no affordable rooms to be found.  The only two rooms we found were $240 a night.  Well above our daily budget.  We drove on to Marquette, Michigan, and found a room.  It is about 40 miles on west.

The next day we were back in Munising for the 3 p.m. boat ride.  The girl made a mistake when she wrote the time and said we should get in line at 12:45.  Wrong.  We got in line at 2:45.  They took out two boats, 150 passengers each.  It was a 2.5 hour boat trip.  Not my thing as you know, but it was smooth sailing (double deck boat, not sailboat).  

 Selfie with Gene on the boat.

 The harbor and the back of the second boat on the right.

Scenes of Picture Rocks from the boat.  The second and third attempt to show the boat pulled into one of the big holes/caves.  I did not like being that close to the rocks in my big boat!

 More scenes. 

A lighthouse no longer used.  The story is that it sat out about 1/4 mile farther into the water.  The current washed the land away so it was moved back and continued to function.  The second time it was moved back it was too far back to be seen from the point of the island.  So now a tourist photo op.

Along the way back to Marquette, Michigan.  Beautiful drive, you can see Lake Superior all along the way.  We stayed another night in Marquette.  We had two great meals.  One at the Vierling, http://thevierling.com/wp1/  a pub/fine dining establishment in an old brick building on the wharf.  Reminded us of Baxters in Bastrop a little. 

Gene rode his bike after the boat ride when we got back to Marquette.  The second night we ate in a Cajun restaurant.  The Lagniappe http://marquettecajun.com/ 
It was down a long flight of stairs, again in the old part of town.  It was like stepping into New Orleans and the food was outstanding.  We met a couple of women, Susan and Ellen, who were biking across country.  Well, Ellen was.  Susan was with her from Duluth, MI, to New York.  After a 40 minute or longer wait, wee sat with them because the restaurant was so full. We had so much fun swapping stories and enjoying the evening.  They had known each other since high school and had named their daughters after each other.  Super nice.  Too bad I didn't get photos.
 
 

After leaving Marquette next day, it was gloomy and rainy.  I looked at a map and we headed for Duluth, Minnesota, also on Lake Superior.  Our GPS signed us up to go toward Duluth, Georgia, for some unknown reason.  We had left it on without starting a new route and just turned the sound off.  Evidently that confused the computer.  We went about 40 miles out of our way before we decided it was wrong.  We have been on US HWY 2 since we left Sault Ste. Marie, but I figured the GPS knew about construction or something and was detouring us.  I reset it a couple of times for Duluth, MN, which I was pretty sure I did in the beginning.  It was no use, it kept telling us to turn south.  We asked directions to Duluth, MN, at a post office where we stopped and between that and Gene's phone, we finally made it to Duluth.

On the way we stopped to nap and I checked how to reset the GPS.  Did that and now it seems OK.  Luckily I watch our route on a regular map and don't get fooled, right?   We were on HWY 2 leaving SSM and will be on it as we cross ND and get to Montana.  We will miss the simplicity of following one road.  We will not trust the GPS if it tells us to get off HWY 2.  Ha.

Our night in Duluth was not great.  We got a "flea bag" motel for $98.  Grumble.  So we stayed one night only.  It is a tourist place and all the chain hotels were full or over $175 a night.  Our dinner was regular as well.

Next morning was beautiful.  We stopped on the way in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.  The GPS found it and did not send us back to Michigan.  We ate lunch there at the Forest Lake Restaurant  http://forestlakerestaurant.com/   Very good.  Grand Rapids and other spots along the way are lake resort areas where all hotels are full or super expensive.

 

We are now in Grand Forks, North Dakota, on the edge of the Great Plains.  On the way we passed an old fashioned A&W Root Beer stand and maybe the biggest field of sunflowers we have ever seen.  I took these for Joanna as she loves  A&W and sunflower seeds. 

Grand Forks has a big university and reminds me of Lubbock, Texas.  We will stay a couple of days.  We are in a nice upgraded room.  Gene biked today, I napped and sketched.  I also took a walk.  We will see what we discover for dinner. 

We have decided not to go back into Canada.  We are headed from here to Montana to see my cousin, Helen.  More down the road.