A few days spent at Gunflint Lodge on the Gunflint Trail in Minnesota make the hot summers in New Mexico more tolerable. Canoeing, kayaking, hiking and EATING are just a few of the activities that kept us busy during our stay at the lodge. The high temps were in the 60's - quite a difference from the high 90's and record breaking 100's I left behind in Farmington and Albuquerque. My favorite excursion during the trip included a canoe which was a replica of a birch bark canoe used by the Voyagers who settled this extreme northern landscape of Minnesota. We left the lodge in the early afternoon and our paddle captain, John, was surprised four women could maintain a powerful rhythm, propelling the canoe forward, fast and furiously. We paddled across Gunflint Lake, approached the narrows which separates the lake from Magnetic Lake, then proceeded across Magnetic Lake and on to the Magnetic River. We anchored the canoe just before the rock strewn rapids and hiked down river to view more rapids where we witnessed a group of canoeists portaging the rapid upstream. This group dragged their canoes up over the rocks and our paddle captain shook his head at their lack of proper technique. Because we were on the Canadian side of the river, we took a picture of ourselves in Canada - no passport needed!
Another totally enjoyable activity at Gunflint Lodge is eating the food and I had my fair share of Walleye on this trip - cashew encrusted, pepper coated and even a deep fried Walleye sandwich - yum! When I return to New Mexico and reality, my first impulse is to dial up Weight Watchers and try to delete the pounds put on in Minnesota. The hikes, the kayaking, the canoeing don't seem to make a difference because the food is abundant and too difficult to resist.
Another trip to Gunflint has ended and I now savor the memories and look forward to next year's trip.
Uff-da! That Walleye sure is good stuff now, don't you know. Glad you enjoyed dem North Woods.
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