Yesterday was beautiful and warm and the colors were peaking in Minnesota. No better time to ride up here. Just a few quick shots for those of you who don't get to enjoy autumn in the same way. I followed State Hwy 23 from Sandstone up to Duluth. The road parallels a train track embankment. Many trains in northern Minnesota carry taconite pellets, a form of iron ore. The train tracks are often littered with it. Lots of fun back roads to explore Afternoon was quickly passing, but I had to get north of Duluth and see the big lake: Routed back down through Superior, Wisconsin, home of clever bar signs: And then home via State Hwy 35 in Wisconsin. Hope you enjoyed the shots.
Very nice! Wifey and I went up there this past summer and it was beautiful then. You show it is stunning now!! Thanks for posting!
We spend 2 months in Grand Marais,MN and just left 2 weeks ago and not much color then, thanks for showing what me missed. What a great part of the world. In summer.... Though we might come up to ice fish with a MN friend this winter to say we did. A foreign concept to this Texan.
As a sixth-generation Texan, I can understand the trepidation about MN winters. That said, sort of like riding it's a lot about the gear, and the rest is a mix of skills & attitude. When I first moved up here I met some experienced folks and started doing winter camping. It's not for the fearful, and there are a lot of skills to learn to do it well, but the bottom-line of spending substantial time outdoors in sub-freezing or sub-zero temps is that if you're cold, you're not doing it right.
Your photo of taconite pellets reminded me of camping and fishing at a lake that was once and open pit mine north of Brainerd. Also reminds me of Silver Bay. As others have mentioned, nice fall colors. So pretty up Nord!
Taconite pellets are what was on board the Edmund Fitzgerald when she sank off of Whitefish Point. Your pictures remind me of the U.P. of Michigan. Thanks for sharing!
I appreciate all the kind comments. It can be too easy to take for granted the qualities of home, and nice to be reminded of them by others.
Late October in the Upper Penninsula of Michigan Here is my brother Leo somewhere between L'Anse and Big Bay, Michigan last weekend (Oct. 19/20, 2013). I have the two 2001 F650GSs, one for me and the other for my bike-less brothers and Harley friends. This part of the UP of Michigan is devoid of blacktop. It is perfect dual sport territory. We occasionally get a little misplaced in the woods, but between the maps and the GPS we sort it out. One could spend months riding the gravel up here. I also bought a 1999 BMW R1100GS last week. I know it is a bit old school and heavy, but I've always felt the need for the 'big' BMW. Still, the F650GS equipped with knobbies is the perfect bike for the type of riding pictured above.
