Kick A** Lake Superior

I just got back from a trip to the Lake.  It is 30 degrees, and blowing at about 40 miles an hour.  A great day to be out!  You know, I sometimes wonder just why I live in Duluth.  Between 20 below zero temperatures, a fair amount of gray, cloudy days, two mud seasons, and bugs in the summer, an outdoor girl can get a little down now and then.  Days like today bring me back to why I love it here.  There are unique opportunities that you just don't find many other places.

The lake has ice ridges right now.  If you read my  Lakeneering post, you know what I am talking about.  Well, today the ridges were getting slammed by waves.  The wind is up, and the waves are high.  In fact they are mountainous.  Mountainous waves crashing onto mountains of ice.  The spray was flying so high that I first spotted it when I was driving on the highway, about six miles from the beach.  An impressive and unusual display, and I had to get closer.  So close, that I allowed my errands to detour me to the Tot Lot beach.  Out the car, and I realized it was going to be a challenge to keep my feet, as well as keep my hat on my head.  I was decked out in wool and down, in many layers, and my happy dog had his substantial fur on.  Oh, for the camera I forgot.

We headed straight out to sea.  Over the ice and sand, all whipped into strange shapes the weeks before.  No even footing whatsoever, and wind so strong I had to lean into it.  Jack, our border collie was in seventh heaven, it was like a Scottish day on crack.  Not only was it blowing sideways with pelting rain bits, but every wave crash sent ice pebbles and spray into the mix.  We got up on the second to last ridge line before ice met icy water, and it was a sight to behold.  The waves were pounding in behind the first ridge line, and every third one would throw both spray and wave itself over the top of that ridge, washing down the back with small rivers of water and ice chunks.  No one  in their right mind would go there.  The second ridge line was just fine, with no danger of hypothermic deluge, just the threat of slipping on sandy ice and banging a knee.  I only did it once in our 45 minutes out.

I made a deal with myself a few weeks ago, that I would work hard to get out at least 30 minutes a day.  Out the door, outside, out in the woods, or wind, or water.  You'd think that wouldn't be so hard, considering I used to spend 10 to 24 hours a day outside.  But life changes, and what once was a given can become a challenge.  Today that challenge was met with a huge smile.  We had fun, Jack and me, getting blown about on the ice ridge line.  We went all the way to the canal, and I had the supreme pleasure of standing on the lake side of the locked canal sidewalk gate... in the lake itself, so not really breaking the rules.  When they close that gate it means the waves are too dangerous for people to be on the canal sidewalk.  It goes without saying that people are not supposed to be IN the lake right next to the sidewalk either, because usually you'd be swimming and in strong danger of bashing your head in on the canal sidewalk wall.  Not today, as it was frozen for another 20 yards out on my side, so I stood next to the sidewalk, on the frozen solid lake.  It was strange to look over the canal walls to the unfrozen channel with waves rolling through, and although it was false naughtyness, it still felt good to stand where you usually can't.

Jack had a riot playing Dog-of-All-Weather.  And I remember, once again, why I live in Duluth.

 This photo was taken by Sherry Rovig.  It was actually a point break about 12 miles from where I was hiking called Stony Point, but it's from the right day, lake, and storm. And a beautiful pic, -Thanks Sherry!