Caught on the Hook of the Mississippi River

Another week has passed, and Alvin, Griffin and I are traveling south with the River Road as our guide.  As we finally reahed the headwaters of the Mississippi River this week, we learned that because of topography the Mississippi River at the beginning forms a fish hook with its water flowing north, then east and now south.  We were glad to see the beginning although the start was not what we had expected, but more about that later.

Our week began in Superior, WI, as you can guess on Lake Superior.  To reach our campground, we needed to travel over 200 miles, a stretch for us most days.  Got an early start and along the way ate lunch at a Michigan Rest Stop.  Stopping along the way and having sandwiches in the RV is a nice accommodation as we travel.

Now, the temperature has somewhat caught up with the rest of the nation and is in the high 90s today.  Got to campground about 3:30 and later went out to eat at a local restaurant, Breakwater Family Restaurant.  With good WIFI, I was able to connect and see new images of our grandchildren, which always pleases me.

From this campground Alvin and I drove to Wisconsin Point, the largest natural opening in the world's longest freshwater sandbar on the largest body of fresh water, Lake Superior.  How is that for superlatives!  The sandbar has been 3,000 years in the making and along the way one can see a Chippewa Indian burial ground.  The huge opening which has been made somewhat larger by man allows cargo ships to reach the world's largest inland port, 2,432 miles from the Atlantic Ocean.  At one time this was the busiest port, but a fisherman, whom we questioned, stated in the past few years not much ship traffic has come through.

For lunch today we ate at a Red Lobster in Diluth, MN, the twin port to Superior, WI.  An unusal look for the Red Lobster building as it was in an old warehouse type building, but did provide good food and great cheese biscuits.

How fresh can the seafood be, eh? 

Although we had planned another sightseeing stop of a waterways museum, when we went to the vehicle, rain had begun to be heavy and Griffin was at the camper with a slight upset stomach so we headed back to the campground.  Later in the afternoon the thunderstorm really broke loose with the TV weather forecasters issuing a tornado warning which frightened me somewhat since we are living in a metal structure as we travel.  Alvin convinced me that the warning would have been premature in Georgia, and I guess he was right because the storm ceased with no tornado, for which I was happy.

On Wednesday we reached Bemidji, MN, after another long drive.  The Royal Oak Campground is nice and open with friendly people.  Having again eaten sandwiches along the way, we drove into town and ate our dinner at a Perkins Restaurant, which we have enjoyed in the past. 

While in Bemidji we traveled about 100 miles north to visit International Falls, usually one of the coldest spots in the nation in the winter along with Cutback, MT.  Having had lunch in International Falls, on the border with Canada, we have now had lunch in both places.  We found a place with homecooking and had a high carb lunch which a lot of places on our travels like.  We did let the owner talk us into splitting a piece of raisin sour cream pie, which was delicious.

Following lunch we headed east 10 miles to the Voyaguers National Park, which is primarily a hiker and boater park, and we were neither on this day.  Mainly made up of beautiful waterways, the park was set aside to honor the voyaguers, or early French and other European fur traders who helped open up this area of our country. 

As we rode home we were happy to see people working on the roads, as the Minnesota Governor had shut down the government for three weeks.  We were happy because tomorrow we hope to go to Itasca State Park to see the beginning of the Mississippi River. 

Lucky we were, Itasca State Park has reopened and we were able to enter by car.  Otherwise, we'd have had to walk much distance to see the Mississippi River headwaters.  At first we drove into the North Entrance, the one closest to our campground.  We stopped at the Visitors Center and outside were many written displays with pictures about the finding of the start of the Mississippi and the surrounding area. 

After eating a bite at the cafe available, we walked 600 feet to the headwaters.  We had thought we might be able to straddle the river in its smallest stage as we had the Missouri and the Columbia, but not so.  The Mississippi flows out of Lake Itasca over some granite rocks and makes a pool in which today families and children were playing.  However, just a few feet downstream the river takes shape about 10 feet across, and we walked across a foot log over the Mississippi.  We did not wade but stuck our hands in it along the way.

Bemidji is the place at which the Mississippi River makes its curve on the fish hook; therefore, we head somewhat east and now south on the River Road.

Saturday found us in Aitkins, MN, at the Hickory Lake Campground.  The campground is on a very large Hickory Lake.  After the heavy rain last night the grounds show evidence of the downpour with huge pools of water all about the campsites.  Alvin, however, was up to the task of getting the RV into a site that did not have water right at the door.  Many families with children are staying here for the fishing and the children's playground and pool.  One young girl, Sarah, quickly made friends with Griffin and came by to talk whenever we took Griffin for a walk.  Before we left the next day Sarah even came up and hugged me.  She and her family live closer to St. Cloud, our next stop.  I cooked supper this night:  baked ham, cooked earlier in the afternoon; fresh frozen corn, stewed okra, more cabbage and fresh corn muffins.  Tonight we just rested as this campground is just a stopover.

On Sunday Alvin decided we needed to have a travel day; therefore, after breakfast we packed up and continued southeast.  We are now in St. Cloud, MN, at a really nice Good Sam Club Park,  St. Cloud Campground and RV Park.  The roadways within the park are named mostly for camping rigs--Monaco, on which we have set up camp; Southwind; Airstream; Rambler; Winnebago; Rally; Hitchhiker; and Nolan.

Right after lunch I did the weekly laundry.  While performing this activity, I had conversations with the couple who maintains the campground over the weekend in order to stay here fee free.  They were pleasant and do not live that far away.  Later Alvin grilled us steaks, and I added baked potatoes, toasted split buns and cole slaw.  As we were out of lettuce and a few other supplies, we drove into town, not very far away and restocked at a Cash Wise in the locatioon close to the vacant spot left by Walmart's moving.

Yesterday on Monday, we drove the short distance into town to see the Munsinger-Clemens Gardens, which were very beautiful.  Before lunch we toured the Clemens Gardens made up of six to seven formal flower gardens, one of which is devoted to roses.  The flowers and grounds were so pretty, I could not stop taking pictures.  One worker, with whom Alvin talked, stated that they plant yearly 110,000 annuals and 70,000 perennials in this garden.

After lunch at the Country Buffet, we drove back a short distance to the lower Munsinger Gardens, which have a more natural look, but still very pretty with trees, shrubs, flowers, fountains and rock-lined paths reaching down to the Mississippi River that must be 100 yards in width now on our journey.  The water is still clear as it flows pass with ducks and geese enjoying their swims.  All the garden grounds were lovely, and Alvin and I made a comment that we hoped the local residents take great advantage of this site.