Grand Rapids -- Birthplace of Judy Garland (Frances Gum)
Today we were joined by Tom Michaels, Horticulture Department head at the U of MN, who keeps in shape by biking three times a week from his Stillwater home to the St. Paul campus. The entire day was spent on the Mesabi Trail with the exception of a few three mile sections that are yet not completed. It's a beautiful trail traversing through the Mesabi Iron Range. We saw lots of red roads, deep mine craters, and many mountains of "spoil" from the mines. The trail was lined with lovely flowers -- tansy, birds foot trefoil, fireweed and the ubiquitous spotted knapweed. Believe it or not the bikers seemed to thrive on the hot temps ending the day in Mountain Iron -- 100 degrees in the shade! There was no road kill along the way although Tom was "attacked" by a red squirrel who ran off to live another day. Four deer were seen plus two cotton tails and a snowshoe hare but not the bear that a fellow biker told us he had seen. Did you know that the Greyhound Bus Company originated in Hibbing? There is the Greyhound Bus Museum situated at the beginning of the bike trail in Hibbing. When Hibbing began in the 1880's they had no idea that the largest area of iron ore in America was beneath the town. As mining progressed it was necessary to move the houses, stores, etc. to another location. Some enterprising persons provided transportation for the people to get to work, church, etc. and that was the start of the bus company! We drove to Duluth from Mountain Iron arriving around 5 p.m. and the temp was 104 degrees! Several rainstorms came through in the early evening lowering the temps but the humidity was very high. Doug Blackmore of Amity Creek Landscaping invited us and several nursery people to a fun picnic at Enger Tower Park -- a beautiful city park with gorgeous flower gardens. Great visiting and yummy food made for a very pleasant evening.
