Picturesque Peggys Cove

Rigging and lobster trap

Location Coordinates:
44°29'34"N
63°53'03"W
Peggys Cove,
Nova Scotia
Canada

     Waves crashing onto rocky shores, lobster boats, windswept buildings, fishing nets - these are all images I associate with the northeast coast. That's exactly what I found in Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia. But I had to fight a bit to find the quiet solitude that I also associate with this scene. Gale-force winds and a driving rain literally put a damper on things, as did way too many cantankerous tourists grousing about. However, I persevered and managed to find a few peaceful moments in this very pretty setting.

Peggys Cove fishing boats

     I arrived in nearby Halifax in the early morning and, determined to not let the lousy weather discourage me, boarded a tour bus for the roughly thirty mile drive to the small community of Peggys Cove. Peggys Cove is known around the world as an archetypical small coastal fishing village, and I'm sure at one point or another virtually everyone has seen an image of the village in a calendar or post card or other such publication. Our bus fought its way through heavy Halifax traffic and eventually cleared the city heading in a southwesterly direction through the rural Nova Scotia landscape. As we made our way I was surprised to find an abundance of trees and vegetation. My mind had always imagined this area to be rocky and barren. Then about five miles from Peggys Cove it began to look just as I had envisioned. Our bus made a sharp left turn onto a very narrow road that led into the town of Peggys Cove, and I was able to see even through the driving rain the village was just what I was expecting.



The Peggys Cove lighthouse

      The actual population of Peggys Cove is less than fifty people. The problem lies in the fact that with each arriving tour bus the population doubles, and then triples, and then quadruples . . . well, you get the picture. My tour group was deposited at a centralized gift shop/restaurant which has as its sole purpose the servicing of tourists on their respective thirty minute stopovers. The scene was similar to an airport, with tour busses coming and going on an almost constant basis. This unfortunate fact diluted the town's ambiance to an almost irritating point. Upon leaving their respective busses, most all of the tourists headed for either the gift shop or the lighthouse. As such, I immediately went the opposite way. With one vigilant eye keeping track of the various crowds and one seeking eye admiring the setting, I managed for the most part to keep ahead of the hordes. This process helped me to see the peaceful, rustic side of Peggys Cove. And that pretty image made putting up with the crowds worthwhile.



Fisherman's bench

      Had the weather been sunny I could have stayed in Peggys Cove all day, filling my camera with hundreds of images of boats and lobster rigging, lighthouses and weather-beaten homes. But my thirty minutes expired, and it was back on the bus for me for the return trip to Halifax. I wouldn't mind visiting Peggys Cove again . . . in a rented car . . . very early in the morning before tour operators open for business. Then I'd really have a chance to experience that quaint seaside village quality that is there behind all the t-shirts and souvenir whale bones.

A few hours in Bar Harbor

Location Coordinates:
44°23'09"N,
68°12'34"W
Bar Harbor, Maine

     When I lived on the east coast I visited Maine a number of times. But I had not ventured any further north than the Portland area, which is located in the southwestern portion of the state. I had always wanted to make a trip to Down East Maine, generally defined as the eastern half of Maine's coastline. This is the area I had always imagined to look like your typical calendar shot of Maine. You know the type; the small fishing village with lobster boats tied to docks which extend from weathered buildings, where salty old fishermen in yellow rain gear swap tales of their glory days at sea while whittling on a whale bone and clinching a pipe between their teeth. Well, I made it to Down East Maine the other day during a visit to Bar Harbor. It didn't exactly fit the image I describe above, but it is a place of great beauty with the added bonus of having some of the nicest residents you could ever hope to run into.

Main Street

     There was one down side on the day of my visit: the weather. It was raining. When we first got to town we took a tour that was to explore Acadia National Park and Cadillac Mountain. Even in heavy rain it was immediately obvious the natural beauty of these places is amazing. But our views from atop Cadillac Mountain, which we were told were normally spectacular, were completely obscured by fog. Oh well, not much you can do about the weather.

     Our route from Acadia back toward Bar Harbor went along gorgeous coastline, but heavy rain prevented any decent photography opportunities. Once we were back in town we strolled the quaint streets, dropping in and out of shops and admiring the architectural charm of the place. But the wind and rain continued to pester us, so we ducked into The Opera House Internet Cafe to dry off and warm up with a nice hot cup of coffee. This turned out to be the highlight of the day. We were greeted by a most welcoming and helpful staff that genuinely seemed happy to see us . Maine is known for blueberries, so, wanting to stay in a Maine-ish mood I chose a cup of blueberry-flavored coffee. You might think this sounds like a terrible combination, but you'd be wrong. I liked it so much I bought a bag of it to bring home. If you're curious you might want to give it a try. You can find it at this link for New England Coffee.

Bar Harbor Inn

     Bar Harbor is a haven for the rich and famous, and many mansion-sized "cottages" have been built over the years. Some of these "cottages" have been converted to Inns or Bed & Breakfast establishments, many of which caught my attention as potential destinations should I get a chance to return in more accommodating weather. Weather notwithstanding, my introduction to Down East Maine was successful and left me wanting to explore it further. And my next trip to Bah Hahbah will include a great big succulent lobster. Yum!

Hiding from the heat in Duluth

Beach at Minnesota Point

Location Coordinates:
46°47'35"N,
92°05'24"W
Minnesota Point and
Downtown
Duluth, MN

     Many people anxiously await the arrival of hot weather. However, I am not one of them. Fortunately, I live in the north where extreme summer heat is kept to a minimum. But while our extra hot days are fewer than in other parts of the country, we are not immune to brutal blasts of life-choking heat and humidity that can make even the most mild-tempered soul a bit cranky. Such was the case earlier this month when we had a two day run of record setting heat that had me scrambling for ways to escape. I had read about the city of Duluth being known as "the air-conditioned city", so this seemed like the perfect opportunity to verify that claim.



      As I drove north from the Twin Cities the car thermometer showed that it was already 92 degrees, and it was only 9:30 in the morning. It was clear the record high of 95 degrees for that date was in real jeopardy. The temperature dropped back slowly over the first 50 miles or so and then settled at 88 degrees. I checked the thermometer almost constantly as I continued north, and I was beginning to think it would never budge from 88 degrees. But then, about 30 miles out from Duluth, I looked down and the thermometer read 80 degrees. A minute later it dropped to 78, then to 75, and then it became a steady downward ticking degree by degree to the point I thought the car thermometer wasn't able to keep up with the change. It was amazing.




Boardwalk to the beach

      I stopped for lunch on the outskirts of Duluth. At this point the temperature had dropped to 63 degrees, down an amazing 25 degrees from just 30 miles back. After eating I continued on toward downtown, crossed the Aerial Lift Bridge and followed Minnesota Avenue out to Minnesota Point. By now the thermometer was reading only 58 degrees with a bracing north wind coming off the lake. I walked down a boardwalk and out onto a mostly deserted sandy beach where wind-driven waves were crashing in rapid succession. It was invigorating, to say the least. And I loved every refreshing minute walking along that beach knowing that back in Minneapolis the heat was heading toward triple digits.

Windsurfing - Duluth style!

     I watched a couple of windsurfers braving the elements for a while, and then I headed back into downtown in search of another Duluth attraction I had read about, the Portland Malt Shoppe. If you ever get a chance to visit Duluth, you cannot leave town without stopping at Portland Malt Shoppe, where you can enjoy the best (albeit the most expensive) chocolate malt you will ever taste while sitting at a table with one of the finest views of Lake Superior in the city.

Great chocolate malts with the perfect view!

     To work off the chocolate malt I decided to stroll the length of the Lakewalk, a four mile walking/jogging/biking path hugging the lakeshore. The Lakewalk passes through parks, entertainment areas, and winds up at the canal and Aerial Lift Bridge where you can watch for inbound and outbound Great Lakes freighter ships.

Duluth Lakewalk

     Having validated that Duluth definitely lives up to its nickname of "the air-conditioned city", it was time to head for home, which unfortunately meant crossing back into that oppressive heat. I glumly watched the car thermometer climb as rapidly as it had dropped earlier as I hit the wall of hot air kept at bay by the cool winds off Lake Superior. Minneapolis set a new record of 103 degrees that afternoon, the hottest temperature the city had seen in many years. I was overjoyed to have missed it, having comfortably spent the day in weather some 45 degrees cooler! And now I've got a new strategy: when the temp is north of ninety, it's time to go north to Duluth.

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

Tulip field with Mt. Baker in background

Location Coordinates
48°25′12″N
122°19′34″W
Mt. Vernon, Washington
 
On a recent Saturday I found myself motoring north up the I-5 in Washington state between Seattle and the Canadian border. It was a gloriously sunny and warm day in the Puget Sound region, ideal conditions to take in a highly anticipated annual event in the Skagit Valley - the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. Locals and tourists flock to this region each year to view the amazing sight of millions of tulip blooms spread out like scenes reminiscent of Holland.
 

After enduring a traffic jam of epic proportions we eventually arrived at Roozengaarde's, one of two primary growing fields of the festival. Not being familiar with the event, I was somewhat in the dark about what to expect. But what I couldn't have even imagined was the sheer number of people funneling into the fields. The festival web site mentions that hundreds of thousands of visitors attend the annual event, and it is quite possible that nearly all of that number chose the same day we did to take in the tulips. I must commend the staff at Roozengaarde's, however, as the enormous crowd was handled quite efficiently.

Once inside the gates colors seem to explode and almost overload the senses. It was, quite literally, an amazing sight. Adding to the splendor of the tulips themselves was the magnificent backdrop of the Cascade mountain range and beautiful Mt. Baker.

Tulip field at Roozengaarde's

Roozengaarde's was divided into two primary viewing areas: the manicured gardens, and the open fields. Visitors were free to wander through both areas as long as they remained only on designated pathways (a rule unfortunately ignored by a few rude guests who obviously, but erroneously, felt they were somehow exempt). We strolled the fields first, marveling at the orderly rows of color stretching all the way to outlying verdant green countryside. I enjoyed this setting the most because it was possible to find your way away from the masses if only for a minute or two.

 

When we had made our way around the open fields we forged on into the manicured gardens. Bulbs had been planted here in display style, complimented by a windmill or fencing or other plants and trees. Within this smaller area the crowds became too intense for my liking, so I escaped back out into the open to do a little people watching before heading back toward Seattle.

 

I can recommend the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival highly. But, two suggestions might diminish the crowd issue and make a visit most enjoyable. First, go early in the day. Second, as the festival runs a full month, avoid weekend days if at all possible. Even if you can't avoid the crowds the festival is a great way to spend a spring day.

Double back at Port Gamble

Location Coordinates:
47°51′15″N 122°35′02″W
Port Gamble, Washington

Port Gamble Water Towers

It is probably safe to say that many of us have stored in our collective and varied fantasies at least one picture of an idyllic small town, where amiable people live in tidy homes with white picket fences and lush green grass. In this tranquil scene, residents greet each other by name as they stroll down Main Street on their way to the General Store, and red, white and blue banners hang from the light posts for the annual Fourth of July parade. This is the type of place my mind conjures up when I'm thinking of ditching the stress and strife of 2011 life and running off to a setting where life might be a little calmer. And after visiting Port Gamble, Washington last week I now have a visual memory to assist me when I wander off into that fantasy. 



NE Rainier Ave

 The funny thing is that although I drove right through the town I almost missed it. I had set out earlier across Puget Sound on one of the Washington State Ferries running between the towns of Edmonds and Kingston with the goal of taking in the beautiful Olympic Peninsula. We disembarked at the town of Kingston and followed Route 104, which travels west before making a sharp turn northward toward the Hood Canal. Not expecting anything noteworthy on this particular portion of the route, I became involved in conversation with my daughter and son-in-law and was not expecting anything noteworthy until we were further down the road. Soon the speed limit signs showed an upcoming reduction, signaling our approach to another town. Our conversation was in full swing, but my peripheral vision began to notice quaint-looking buildings and an uninterrupted stretch of immaculate white picket fence. Just ahead was another 90-degree sharp turn west, requiring me to slow the car even more. Rounding the curve I noticed the picket fence continuing on the opposite side of the highway down an extremely appealing street lined with homes and businesses. Before my mind could process the scene fully, we had rounded the curve and were picking up speed heading out of town again. A moment later I realized that I may have just missed an unexpected road trip moment, so I slowed the car again and made a U-turn, heading back to that sharp curve in the highway.

Fire Station

Port Gamble is tiny. In fact, I was unable to find any information regarding its population. The "main street" is Rainier Avenue, which juts off Highway 104 at that sharp bend. Along this street are immaculately groomed homes with that continued white picket fence running along the front yards. Small businesses are interspersed between, and within, the homes. The street is no more than a block long and ends at an open green space area overlooking Hood Canal to the north and the body of water known as Port Gamble to the right. A fire station, museum, and general store occupy the northern end of Rainier Ave, and each of these buildings looked like they were straight out of a bygone era.

Green Space overlooking the Hood Canal

I sat for a while at a picnic table overlooking Hood Canal where I let my small town fantasy play out in my head. I began wondering if this town was real in the sense that people actually lived here, or if it was simply a place designed as a tourist stop. I subsequently learned that the town is real with a history dating back to 1853. I also learned that day to not resist the urge to double back sometimes. Otherwise, you might just miss something extraordinary.

Baseball is back!

Location coordinates:
44°58'54"N, 93°16'42"W
Target Field,
Minneapolis, MN

Need a sure fire way to lift your winter-worn spirits and get spring off to a grand start? Consider attending early season games of your favorite baseball team. The 2011 major league baseball season is now underway, and surrounding yourself with the sights, smells, and sounds of a ballpark is a guaranteed route to a better mood.

Last Friday I attended the home opening game festivities for my favorite team - the Minnesota Twins. My route to Target Field involved public transit (allowing me to avoid the inevitable downtown traffic and parking trauma), and you could sense the excitement as soon as I stepped off the bus. The area was alive with a party-like atmosphere. Pubs and restaurants near the stadium were overflowing with people eating and drinking at both indoor and outdoor tables. Not stopping at one of the pubs, I fell into the stream of fans funneling up the streets adjoining the stadium. We were like salmon returning to their home waters, eventually joining the throngs gathered in Target Plaza directly in front of the stadium.



Overlooking Target Plaza

 I made my way into the crowd but quickly diverted to a stairway leading to one of the Minneapolis skyways so I could get an elevated vantage point. What a happy sight. Everyone seemed to be wearing a "this is the year" expression on their faces and were decked out in infinite variations of official Twins attire. Comforting aromas of char-grilled burgers and kettle corn filled the air. It was loud, but in a good way. Percussion band music, public address announcements, laughter, and a subtle background of urban life noise characteristic of any downtown location.

Bright blue sky for the home opener

One of the best and most welcomed features of the afternoon was the weather. It has been a cold and snowy winter in the Upper Midwest, and everyone here is in need of sun and warmth. Outdoor baseball in the Twin Cities carries with it the threat of cold miserable weather, especially for early and late season games. But that threat was unfulfilled for the 2011 home opener. The pre-game sun was bright and the temperature was in the mid-60s. Perfect.

Target Plaza

The National Anthem, raising of the flags, and a F-16 fighter jet flyover (always an emotional sight) rounded out the pre-game events with the first pitch occurring at 3:17 pm. The Twins went on to beat the Oakland A's 2-1, capping off a great home opening day.

If you're ready to feel good and de-stress, then step away from the Parade of Doom, (aka the nightly news), turn off that cell phone, and get outside to your local ballpark. Buy yourself a hot dog, sit back, and let America's favorite pastime transport you to a much happier frame of mind.

Mushing "Up North" by Dog Sled

Location Coordinates:
47°54'8"N, 91°51'21"W
Ely, Minnesota

Chrys meeting one of the team

A few weeks ago, before the madness of the move to our new house began, and before winter weariness kicked into high gear (as it has now - enough with the snow already!), Chrys and I traveled north with friends for a weekend of high adventure in the pristine north woods around Ely, Minnesota - the gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. The main event of the weekend was the opportunity to head out into the wilderness on a dog sled. It is not every day that you get to drive a team of highly trained canine through forests of pine and white bark birch trees over a thick snowpack on a sled. So with great excitement, and just a bit of anxiety, we found our way to Chilly Dogs, a family-ran dog sledding outfitter just south of Ely.
 
I knew immediately upon arrival that we were in for the time of our lives. Our host, Jeff, greeted us with a big smile and an easy-going welcome that put me at ease right away. Jeff escorted us to a lodge-like room where he introduced us to his wife, Donna, as well as staff members Jake, Ben, Josh and Jessica. After all the other members of our sled party had arrived, we were taken out to the kennel area where we had a meet-and-greet session with the dogs. The whole party spread out as we attempted to meet each of the ninety-three dogs that are part of the Chilly Dogs team. Each dog had their own distinct personality, but all of the dogs were extremely excited to see us as they knew this new batch of strangers meant they were going to get a chance to go out on another run. Their frenzied barks and howls became nearly deafening, but that just added to the building level of anticipation for dog and human both.

The "Greet-and Meet" with the dogs

After mingling with the dogs for about thirty minutes we received our sled driving and safety instructions and were divided up into our assigned sleds. As the staff began the process of choosing the dogs and harnessing them as teams, the barking and howling reached a fever pitch. At this point I will admit to being pretty nervous. I began wondering if I had made a huge mistake in assuming this was going to be fun. I had no idea how to drive a dog sled. What if I tipped the sled, or ran it into a ravine or a tree? What the heck am I doing?? Luckily for me, I was assigned to Ben, one of the experienced staff, as the second man of my two-man team, so I was able to start off in the riding position inside the sled.

With a command of "hike" our seven-dog sled blasted off. After just a few moments, my anxieties disappeared and I knew I was going to love dog sledding. We were scheduled for a three-hour expedition, with the two-person teams switching driver and rider after the first ninety minutes. Fortunately for me, my sled mate Ben sensed my anticipation and let me switch to driver mode after just a few minutes. So I was able to drive for nearly the full three hours.

Snow sculpture in downtown Ely

We wound our way through beautiful wooded areas as well as over frozen lakes. The scenery was magnificent. Driving the sled was much easier than I had anticipated, but I won't kid myself into thinking I was in control as the expertly trained dogs really needed little assistance from me. It reminded me a bit of skiing, but in slow motion. I found it very relaxing, and it put me into a serene state of mind. I've never experienced anything quite like it, and it was definitely the most fun I've ever had on snow.


 Before I knew it our three hours had elapsed and we found our way back to the lodge. I thanked each of the dogs on my team individually for a great ride and for not pulling me off a cliff or into a tree. Then it was back into the lodge for hot chocolate and homemade cookies by a roaring fire where all participants got to hold three-day-old puppies (future dog team members) as we compared stories of our journey. My only regret is that I got so wrapped up in the thrill of driving the sled that I completely forgot to take any photographs to record my dog team or while sledding out in the woods. Oh well. Guess I'll just have to go back and do it again. And that is not a problem.

Snow sculpture in downtown Ely

If you ever get the chance to go dog sledding, I highly recommend Chilly Dogs in Ely. So go! I can guarantee you will have a great adventure.