Lakewalk East, Duluth, MN
I did some Web programming before breakfast, and by the time
I finished breakfast (at Perkins Family Restaurant--I hate chain restaurants,
but it was close), it was 11:55 AM and I still had to negotiate my way through
most of Duluth to the Bong bridge over to Superior, Wisconsin. It was a
really interesting morning. The cold Lake Superior air had created quite
a fog.
I rode the 3 miles back to Canal Park on the Lakewalk.
Lake Superior is probably the most beautiful of the Great Lakes.
The water is a deep blue and the shoreline is rocky and crisp.
There is a scenic railroad alongside the Lakewalk and the old
buildings abutting the railroad tracks are quite quaint and picturesque.
I had a very enjoyable ride through Duluth. The city seemed vibrant
and alive compared to many cites I've seen in recent years. I intend to
return and stay a couple of days. The Canal Park area hosts numerous interesting
shops and restaurants.
I saw scores of people riding bicycles, walking and picnicking
along the Lakewalk. Of course I couldn't make much progress riding on the
trail. Trails are okay for limited recreational pursuits (walking, strolling,
sightseeing) but not for serious transportation. There were elderly walkers,
young children in strollers, kids on bikes, rollerbladers, etc. I was often
forced to come to a halt--but I wasn't hurrying--just sightseeing.
From Canal Park I rode along the expressway and onto another trail over
and under the freeway to Superior Street, which I rode on for several miles
to the south. I was following markers on the pavement from some bicycle
event and assumed they led to the bridge to Superior. At a point, however,
they veered west and I concluded I was going the wrong way. I stopped at
The Yellow System, a trucking company to seek directions. I was only off
track by about 2 blocks. Bicycles are prohibited on US-2, but there is a
bike/pedestrian path along the right side that is accessed from a side street.
The Bong bridge is quite high and the fog made it seem as though it was
in the clouds.
It isn't quite as scary as the Mackinac Bridge, but it is a serious
bridge. Even a freight train seems small when viewed through the rail from
the top of the bridge.
Where Duluth is a revitalized industrial city, Superior is just
an industrial city. Superior seemed more to be in use industrially--and
less aesthetically pleasing.
I stopped at a Burger King in Superior for a Whopper Jr. meal
(hamburger, fries and a coke). Then I headed over to the Visitor Information
Center on US-2/53, across town. There I got some Wisconsin maps and advice.
I was admonished that bicycling on the expressway portion of US-2 just out
of Superior is prohibited. The information person suggested I take an alternate
route along County Roads E and C, to the point where US-2 ceases being a
limited access highway. I did so, but first had to ride through miles of
urban road to get to E. While I think I went a couple of miles out of my
way on E, I do admit it was more relaxing than fighting the traffic on US-2.
It was foggy in Duluth and Superior, but as I got away from the Lake on
County Road E and later on US-2, the fog burned off and it became hot and
humid: 93 degrees (f). I was pretty good about using my new water bottles
and managed to consume my entire fluid supply, so stopped at a couple of
hand pumps in rest areas for water.
I also stopped at a convenience store in Wentworth for Gatorade.
I stopped again a few miles later in the town of Poplar to read the historical
marker dedicated to Major Dick Bong (I assume the bridge was named after
him). For shooting down 40 enemy aircraft, he became America's leading "air
ace" of all time and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
As it got later in the day, the temperature seemed to moderate a bit and
I started getting some tailwinds, but also hills. Next thing I knew it was
nearly dark. As I was riding along wondering how far I'd be able to get
before the sun set, I came upon a family of 5 riding their bicycles from
Elora, Ontario (on the banks of the Grand River--which flows into Lake Erie)
to Sidney, British Columbia: Rick, Nancy, Jessica, Ryan and Naomi. The youngest
is 8 years old and they're tenting all the way. The parents had HUGE loads.
 Nancy |
 Rick |
 Jessica (age 8 - the youngest cross country rider I've met) |
We had to break off our conversation abruptly because darkness
was rapidly approaching. They were heading for a campground at Iron River.
I was hoping to reach a motel and restaurant to the east. It was clear by
then (after 7:00) that I'd never make it another 20 miles into Ashland.
At the town of Ino (a bar), I stopped at the bar to ask if there were any
motels to the east--with a restaurant. They suggested one about 5 miles
east. I drank all my remaining Gatorade and took off full tilt. I started
having trouble seeing the shoulder debris with my dark Oakleys, so stopped
to switch to a clear lens and to turn on my Vista flashing lights (front
and rear). I couldn't get the rear strobe to work, so changed the batteries,
but it still wouldn't work unless I held my finger against the strobe tube.
I gave up worrying about it and jumped back to 20+ mph. When I reached the
cafe (mailing address Mason, but not in any town on US-2), it was closed,
but it seemed the place to inquire about a room, so I did. The folks there
were real nice; they made me a ham sandwich and I had some wonderful rhubarb-custard
pie while I checked into a room.
There was no phone in the room and not even a pay phone in the cafe (they
told me that the phone company took it out saying there were pay phones
3 miles to the east and 5 miles to the west). So, I couldn't do any uploading.
I did do some picture editing. I went to bed early but was awakened around
1:00 by a windy thunderstorm. I couldn't get back to sleep, so did more
programming.
66 miles.
  Minnesota - Wisconsin |
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© Ed Noonan 1996, 1997