Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Ely, at last!

Finally, I am actually here in Ely. This is someplace I've wanted to visit for the past 15 years. We are camped 3' from a beautiful lake. By the time we arrived in Ely it was 4:30 and the International Wolf Center closes at five. I did run in just to look around a bit and decided to go back tomorrow. 10 am is Wolf 101, the birth and development of new pups. There are 2 in the pack and I am anxious to see them. When I saw the water tower with Ely written on it I had to smile to myself. The town is very hilly and northwoodsy. Tomorrow will offer ample time to explore and check out the houses for sale! I must say, it does look like a nice place to live.
The drive from Park Rapids showed off the changing fall colors nicely. It was apparent that we were heading north as the trees got progressively more colorful. A beautiful time of the year and, of course, my favorite time. I am going to see if there are any northern lights in the sky tonight. Should be clear and starry with a lovely moon.

Ten thousand lakes is no exaggeration. The landscape is mostly forest and water, slightly hilly. Very lovely and there is a nip in the air. Perfect! It is hard to believe I am this far north. Tomorrow I will take the scenic route down the north shore of lake Superior. I only have 92 miles to go tomorrow so I will be stopping frequently to take in the beauty.

So far, South Dakota has my vote for camping. The state parks are clean, spacious campgrounds with electric hookups and inexpensive. N Dakota's did not have hookups nor does MN. MN's camp sites are rather cramped, expensive and not very clean. To get hookups you have to camp in an RV place and they run a minimum of $30 per night. I am going to stay in a municipal city park in Two Harbours. It is right on the Lake.

No sign of wildlife yet, other than deer. Supposedly there are lots of moose and bear, as well as a wild wolf pack. The Bear Center is close by so I might take a look at that.

For now, I am going to sit back, listen to the waves on shore and contemplate the universe. Night all.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hi Judy,
It sounds like you are truly enjoying your trip. You are taking in everything. We should all live that way on a daily basis and not lose sight of one single moment. Foxy sounds like he is the big protector. I am enjoying your blog.