We had arrangements for Saturday and Sunday night at the Gunflint Lodge, but we opted to extend our mini vacation and maybe be able to enjoy more of our Saturday by leaving Friday evening. So we packed up and headed North; one of our favorite directions! First stop, drop the kids (and Eko) off at Grandma's house just in time for dinner. Then it was off to Tofte where we spent our first night. Getting a majority of the way up north was an excellent decision! We were just a short drive into Grand Marais where we walked around a little and enjoyed an early and delicious lunch at Sven and Ole's Pizza.
From there we headed the rest of the way and up the Gunflint Trail to our destination. We arrived shortly before 1. They let us check in and we made ourselves at home. I'm glad we got there when we did because there was a craft we could do over in one of the buildings - wreath making. It was an interesting and fairly simple process, yet so much fun. We helped trip the boughs and the instructor used the wire machine to bind the trimmings to the wire base. We took it easy that evening, relaxing by the fire, reading books.
What's cool about being that far north, at least in this area, is that cell phones don't work and the internet is sparse. They did have wifi in the main Lodge that I used a couple of times, but that was it. And I only logged on to their network because I said I would check email just in case they needed something regarding the kids. No emails, no worries. (Again, I reiterate how thankful I am for all of you!)
We had loaded in our cross country skis and our snow shoes, just in case they had more snow than we did in the cities. And again, we were glad we did! Saturday we had breakfast then went snow shoeing out from our cabin and found some nice overlooks. Than after lunch, we took a recommendation from the front desk and went walking along the Kekekabic and Centennial Trail. Oh yes, it was interactive! The hike took 2.5, almost 3 hours. A little longer than anticipated, but we were still back to our cabin in time for watching the deer come out to eat.
Now, at the Gunflint Lodge, it is the responsibility of the guests to keep the birds and deer fed. I was a little overwhelmed, I'll be honest, as to what that meant. But once we arrived and saw the huge bins in the front entry of the main Lodge, I quickly got on board. I was a little giddy at the fact that the deer come right up to your cabin windows if you put the corn out. AND I was ecstatic that, when I was out laying out the corn on Sunday evening, a deer came out of now where and started eating from my piles while I was still only a couple yards away. I didn't want to make a move for the door and startle the deer away. I saw Jon, capturing this on camera, motioning to put the corn in my hand to see if it would eat out of my hand. AND IT DID!!!! CRAZY!!
So, as you might be able to tell, I was a little bit excited about this! I made sure to go back to the Lodge and get more corn and bird seed so the area would be plenty stocked for breakfast. Our Sunday wrapped up calmly in the cabin by the fire. Monday we took in our last sounds of silence, packed up, and headed back down the Gunflint. We made it home safe and sound with the kids, awaiting the arrival of Betsy and Justin, coming into town for Christmas.
A fabulous, much needed, weekend away. Ahh, good memories! Oh and stay tuned for "The Winter Fall"...
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