En Route to Duluth (9/19)

We got up bright and early this morning and experienced our last taste of Ely in the form of a wonderful breakfast next door from the bunkhouse.  We filled up on pancakes, eggs, and bacon, and went on our way to Duluth.

On the road we quickly moved away from the wilderness of the BWCAW into the logged and milled Iron Range.  On the side of the road we passed many open pit mines and empty patches of forest.  This new dose of reality came as somewhat of a shock, seeing as we had just emerged from one of the most pristine wilderness areas in the country.  I think that looking back on this experience, we will come to appreciate the natural world and know our full effect on the landscape around us.

Splitrock Lighthouse

Our first stop was at the Splitrock Lighthouse on Lake Superior.  After a quick lesson on the sugar maple, we spent an hour on pencil drawings of the lighthouse, and for the first time on Savanna we were invited to incorporate one color.  For a few of us this was no problem, but a lot of us were unsure how to get started and incorporate the color appropriately.  But most of us were able to produce a drawing we were satisfied with, and learning some new techniques.

Chris's pencil drawing of Splitrock Lighthouse

Two Harbors, MN

Continuing on, we stopped for lunch and a lesson at Two Harbors, Minnesota (named for Agate Bay and Burlington Bay).  We learned of the town's importance in the iron ore industry, being an important harbor in bringing the Iron Range's minerals to the coast by rail and making it accessible to the rest of the world through the great lakes.  We saw a beginning of an attempt to create a post-industrial landscape that nods at the town's past while creating a new character.  We then moved down to the waterfront to do another pencil drawing, this time incorporating two complementary colors.  It was at this moment that the sky decided to open and downpour on us, and for us who weren't under cover, completing the drawing was... a challenge.  Some of us, however, were very successful.

Blake's pencil drawing of the dock and Edna G at Two Harbors, MN.

The day finished at the Holiday Inn & Suites in Duluth, where we met our friendly advisor Mindy Cooper.  We got to our rooms and got a good night's rest.