Lake Superior Life
We often make short drives around the
places we are staying, imagining what life must be like living here.
What's it like driving to and from work. Will the drawbridge be open
or closed? Are the days often sunny? Are winters harsh?
Superior, Wisconsin, one of the towns
situated along the southern border of Lake Superior would seem to be
a fine place to spend a summer.
Views of the bays with their harbors
are abundant. Shops, some for tourists, some for locals are varied
and interesting.
Small villages surround the area, each with it's
own history and special interests, just begging to be explored.
The natural beauty of the Apostle
Islands is a feast for the eyes during this time of year. The
islands sometimes come into view suddenly, with grand glimpses of
Lake Superior opening far into the distance.
Historic old buildings,
some which have been restored, many that have been converted to
retail spaces, dot the shorelines and the small towns.
Outfitters
will set you up with all your fishing needs, including guides if you
like, kayak rentals, or boat rentals.
Wildflowers provide great
fields of color.
Photo courtesy SuperiorTrails.com
Winter time, according to the locals,
transforms the area into a much different scene. The outfitters
switch to providing snowmobiles, cross country skis or snowshoes.
Deep snows with thick ice on the bay encourages winter activities.
Ice fishing, snowmobiling, snowshoe hikes, cross country skiing and
the like, are popular. Ice caves along the coast demand exploration
when conditions allow.
Photo courtesy SuperiorTrails.com
There is even a popular sled dog race (the
longest in the lower 48) along the Apostle Islands.
When ice begins to form on the lake,
the wind sleds appear, transporting people to and from Madeline
Island, the southernmost island in the Apostle Islands chain. These
air boat type vehicles will float so they can keep going even when
the ice is thin. As the ice thickens, the ice roads opens to traffic
of all sorts. Passenger vehicles, pickup trucks, buses etc., travel
the road across the bay daily to transport winter enthusiasts to
their winter activities. Average winter highs for Dec, Jan, Feb and
March is the low 20's with the average lows in the single digits.
For us, on June 25th, the
high is to be about 69°
and the skies are sunny. Today we are planning a short trip and short
hike to a nearby waterfalls. Tomorrow we are planning a longer side
trip to Minnesota and up the coast for a ways. Locals tell us the
views along Lake Superior, north of Duluth, are spectacular. We are
having a great visit, and are enjoying the "Superior Life".
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