Superior North Shore, Part 2

By Jen.

Dates: 2021/07/12 to 2021/07/14

We continued north along highway 61, arriving at Grand Portage National Monument, which is a really long but narrow monument dedicated to the portage route along the old fur trade water route. At the lake is a recreation of the old trading post.

 

Could you imagine baking with this type of oven?

These birch bark canoes could hold 3-4 tons of cargo!

The 3 sisters gardening technique (a mound with corn, peas/beans, and squash)! Plus some antler-based gardening tools.

Some of the product! They had pelts from all types of animals. Those from the furthest north felt the best (arctic fox, beaver, arctic hare, snow leopard).

From there we made our way right up to the border, Grand Portage State Park (easily confused as we discovered when Jonathan accidentally downloaded the map for this park instead of the national monument).

 

The State Park has the highest waterfall in the state, at 100-130’ feet tall (no official measurement has been recorded).

I guess it becomes obvious why they would need a portage…

It was a bit disappointing to be so close to Canada (the right side of the river in the photos), but not be able to enter. At least it was relatively cool along Superior. Since we had reached as far north as we could legally go, we turned back down the highway to visit Tettegouche State Park.

 

Shovel Point Trail offered several beautiful views.

On the return trip, I was able to catch a few photos of the peregrine falcons that were flying overhead (not an easy task, I assure you).

 

This one had breakfast!

Finally, one landed for a minute!

Then was off again!

Then we made our way to Cascade Falls.

It got distinctly more hot and humid the further from the lake we got.

 

Then there was Split Rock Lighthouse, a bit further south.

 

 

Then there was Gooseberry Falls, which had 3 sets of falls.

 

Upper Gooseberry Falls.

Middle Gooseberry Falls.

Lower Gooseberry Falls. I couldn’t get an angle without that flirting couple…

This window was the easiest path between the middle and lower falls.

Our last stop before Duluth was Betty’s Pies, which came highly recommended.

 

 

Our last stop in the state was Duluth’s 100+-year-old aerial-lift bridge.

 

Check out the 6-ft rolling waves!

In action!

 

Onto Wisconsin!! [Happy Birthday, Grandma!]

New Mexico, Part 1

Dates: 04-09-2021 to 04-11-2021

 

Having never spent much time exploring NM, we decided to visit some of the more remote locations and cultural sites. 

 

First up was La Cieneguilla Recreation area with some petroglyphs.  This area has served as part of a vast trade and travel network, going back to prehistoric times.  First used by the native peoples to move valuable trade goods such as copper, tools, luxury goods from Central America to the interior of what is now the USA for thousands of years.  Then in the 16th century as part of the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (Royal road of the interior), the earliest European trans-American trade route that connected Mexico City to New Mexico in the North. Finally becoming part of the famous Route 66. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That evening our cat decided that she really liked the NM dust.

 

In between major destinations we visited the Santa Fe NF and and White Rock Overlook.

 

 

The geology of this region is heavily shaped by volcanism.  This waterfall shows a hundred feet of pyroclastic flows and volcanic ash. Many areas have over a thousand feet of this compressed ash, with various layers having different properties.

 

 

 

 

 

The next major destination was Bandolier National Monument.  This valley monument was established to protect extensive cliff dwellings, many dating back nearly a thousand years.  Carved directly into the soft tufa (volcanic ash turned into rock), they are a fascinating look into the lives of the prehistoric peoples of North America. While the wood and plaster have long since decayed, the remnants of these extensive building complexes remain.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In many of the rooms, you can still see the original soot and hand sketches on the walls.

 

 

 

 

In a few high places you can spot petroglyphs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the valley floor extensive granaries and storage buildings were excavated.

 

 

  

 

Here is a tiny area of plaster that survived (likely over 800 years old).  You can imagine these buildings extensively decorated with red, yellow, and black pigments. 

 

 

For some odd reason, religious and political leaders love to look down on their populace from on high.  At the highest point in the area, in a natural alcove far above the valley floor, is a religious site and likely home for various important peoples.

 

 

This round, partially underground room, called a kiva, would have been used for religious ceremonies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For scale, here is a view from the rim of the canyon.  The cliffs on the right are the start of the cave houses.