Day 2

The sun rose early this morning, just a little after 5. The intensity was such that it made it difficult sleeping in, knowing that the light could be used for exploring the open road. The air was fresh and cool as we made out way out of Ashland towards the Apostle Islands. We stopped in at the Northern Great Lakes visitor center and learned a little about the culture, people and the natural resources that attracted people to this area - iron ,timber and beaver fur. We rode up to Bayfield (ferry point to Madeline Island) then to the upper end of the Chequamegon to Sand Bay. This is the launch point to excursions into the Apostle Islands to the North.

We rode into Duluth Minnesota about noon. The Metro area of the city looked quite picturesque rising up a large hill on the Minnesota side of the lake. We took a diversion down into the ship yards, and it was apparent that this industry has declined. Many of the facilities looked abandoned and several large iron boats lay in dry dock, probably destined for the scrap heap from the look of them. In Duluth we hit Hwy 61 heading up on the northern shore of Superior. The road opened up as we traveled northward with the lake and bluffs on the right and mile after mile of fir and birch forests on the left. You could feel the temperatures dropping as we traveled and the sun taking on a Fall like cast. We ended for the day in a small town of Schroeder. We found a nice cabin on a hill overlooking the lake. Tomorrow looks like increasing chances of rain in this area but up around Thunder Bay it looks like it might hold out a couple more days. Temperatures today were in the upper 60's, low 70's with tonight’s forecast to hit 41. It might make it, it's 51 as I write this at 11:30 Tuesday night.

Today only 235 miles - Tomorrow I plan at least 300.

We should be in Canada by tomorrow late in the morning.