Day 34 – Indianhead to Presque Isle (Total Miles = 525)

We left Indianhead with the day appearing like night, and the sky getting ready to hurl lightning and rain our way.  We were more than eager to get on the road after all the backtracking we had done, so we prepared mentally for whatever the day might bring in the form of bad weather, and moved on.  About 3 miles into the ride the rain started, so we stopped and put our rain gear on.  One mile later, the rain stopped, the wind was at our backs, and we were soaring!

What a fantastic ride it was to Presque Isle from the Indianhead Ski Resort!  We stayed ahead of that storm the entire way, and it didn’t catch up to us until later in the evening.  We left for The Porkies knowing we had nowhere to camp, so we were a bit on edge as we rolled into the Presque Isle Campground.  I had been checking and re-checking the website for 2 weeks in the hopes of snagging a campsite, but it only said full, full, full.  There it was too, the big sign that said ‘Campground Full’.  My heart sank.  I looked up at the gal in the box with my puppy dog eyes and asked if there were any campsites available, and she smiled back at me and said, “Yes, there are two”!  Two?!!  I can choose??!!

See?  It never pays to worry about the future!  God always has it under control!  Not to mention the toll, stress and worry, take on your body.  In most cases, the worry was for naught.  It just wastes your time, and more importantly, robs you of your joy.  That is not to say that turmoil might not be around the corner.   But, when you learn to trust God in the small things, like securing a campsite, the big things are so much easier to manage.  It’s good to know God has our backs!

How do you explain that to an unbeliever?  It is nothing that you can touch, see, smell, or hear.  But, for us who trust in Jesus, it is literally a piece of who we are…like, why do I use the methods I do to get through a swarm of biting insects, or why do I long to hear my daughters voice, and why does the sight of a soaring eagle bring me to tears.  The marvel of it all is, that sense of security and freedom, is available to anyone who wants it.

The reason I am questioning this is, when Ken and I arrived at the campsite, our neighbors, mom-dad-son, were thrilled to see us pull in on bicycles.  We were not even off our bikes before the woman came over and excitedly asked us what we were doing.  Before she forgot, she wanted our card so she could follow our journey.  From the moment she read the card, she walked away and never said another word to us.  I think “Spiritual Revival Tour” frightened her.  Like we were some holy rollers or something…well, I guess we are.  But, we don’t push ourselves on people.  In fact, we have simply been listeners.  I am feeling a bit of a loss over this, and of not having that joy of just talking to a family and hearing their story and sharing ours.  What, if anything, could I have said to break down her wall?  How can I handle the situation in the future?  Should I have approached her and asked?  Suggestions and Comments are welcome on the blog!  Ken and I just enjoyed our time there, seeing the waterfalls and sunsets, and let the family have their space.  They were so very kind though to pick up some ice, and marshmallows for us!

We did meet Sue and Bill, a retired couple from Florida spending their entire summer touring the northern tier of the United States.  They had their Windstream and were headed to Washington state.  Free birds, with only one appointment on their schedule…November 3rd, election day!

We finally got a real taste of Lake Superior, or as it is known, Gitche Gumee.  Actually, the Ojibwe dialect, which the name comes from, is Gitchi-Gami, meaning Big Sea or Huge Water.  It is 348 miles in length, 160 miles wide, and has a surface area of 31,700 square miles.  That is huge!!  And, absolutely beautiful and clear.  See for yourselves.

Entering The Porkies

75 Years!

Bill and Sue On Their Own Journey

Thimbleberries – They Are Everywhere.  They Are Sweet and Tart All At The Same Time

The Shores of Gitchi Gumee

Cold Clear Water

Sunset Over Lake Superior

Sunset

Sunset

Dragonfly Enjoying The Sunset Too

Moon Settling In For The Evening

Rock Homes

View From Camp

Storm Is Brewing

Rain In The Distance

Beautiful!

Presque Isle River

Ken On Top Of The World

Manido Falls

The Falls Look Like Shimmering Ribbons

Still Looks Like It Is Living

Presque Isle River – Shelves Of Rock Causing Waterfalls

Manabezho Falls

Another of Manabezho Falls

Rock Home