Captain’s Log – Star Dates 08102009 through 08132009
Location: Transiting the outer rims of the Great Galaxies of Wisconsin and Minnesota
(Translation: Chain O’ Lakes RV Park, Eagle River, Wisconsin and Ogston’s RV
Park near Duluth, Minnesota)
Trip Miles -- 6064.2
Diesel Price -- $2.69 per gallon; 29.0 gallons loaded on board
Report from Engineering – Chief Engineer fretted over occasional dragging sound when truck is under trailer load; consulted with Ford Service Center in Cloquet, MN; occurrence somehow tied to codes in engine computer; decided to make this occurrence a non-problem unless other problems appear…in short, Chief Engineer, chill out!
Weather: Summer has arrived after unseasonably cool weather; warm (80-85 F); lots of wildflowers along roadsides much to the delight of the Commodore!

I’ll BET you don’t have a tee shirt like the one I have! MINE is navy blue with OLD GEEZER FORMERLY KNOWN AS STUD MUFFIN written across the front of it! Yes, this is a fact! My dear wife presented it to me on my 71st birthday! That was on Star Date 08102009. While wearing it, I get LOTS of attention from women! Of course, all they do is look at me, laugh, and tell me that they want to buy that shirt for their husbands.

Driving west across Michigan’s UP, we found roadside services to be few and far-between. It’s pretty remote up here and I was forewarned by my brother-in-law to load up on fuel before starting out on that trek! I obeyed his suggestion…a wise move since all one can see up here are trees, trees and more trees. Our view of Marquette, Michigan, was a collage of a busted-up roadway and a flabby, pathetic two-ounce mushroom burger at Beef-A-Roo! That was my BIRTHDAY LUNCH, beloveds! Now, isn’t that truly sad? It breaks my heart just to remember it! Sniff!

My granddaughters, my son, my daughter, friends and our financial planner all called to wish me a Happy Birthday while I was driving the UP…now, that was a joy that brightened the day!

Northern Wisconsin is a jewel…a lot of jewels, actually! There are long necklaces of sparkling lakes and miles of hiking trails…a paradise for outdoors people. We were INTREPID… we rented a two-person kayak and BRAVED rapids and collisions with submerged rocks as we were SWEPT down the raging Wisconsin River! Uh…I’m Irish and I stretch the truth just a bit! The water was crystalline and peaceful, the day was sunny and the trip was glorious! The sighting of a large black-and-white osprey in flight was a special bonus for us…as was the inviting Eagle River Coffee Roasters Shop which served excellent brew and had fast Wi-Fi service for our Internet tasks!

MEDICAL EMERGENCY – A HORSEFLY BIT BARBARA ON THE RING FINGER KNUCKLE OF THE RIGHT HAND; THE HAND SWELLED UP TAKING ALL THE WRINKLES OUT OF HER SKIN; A NURSE FRIEND SUGGESTED SHE APPLY AN ICE PACK. TREATMENT IN PROGRESS. REPORT TO FOLLOW!

Duluth is a lively city with lots of activities! We walked the Boardwalk along the western tip of Lake Superior, had lunch at Grandma’s Grill, and took a most interesting tour of the William A. Irvin, a U.S. Steel taconite iron ore carrier ship with 40-years of service on the Great Lakes. John, our tour guide, had 37 years of service aboard ships such as the Irwin.

At this writing, we are hunkered down in our trailer at Ogston’s RV Park. Angie is pestering us to let her go outside. That would be unwise as a large flock of Canada geese is outside our door. Also, the park manager told me there are coyotes, wolves and foxes in the area….so…we’ll stay inside, Angie! Sorry about that!

Affectionately,
Captain Baldy