We Knew That: After a monthlong contest, MPR revealed that Lake Superior is the most loved lake in Minnesota. We, of course, could have saved them all that trouble because we already knew that. Beverly Blomgren knew that, too. In her voting, she noted: "Lake Superior is my Glory Hallelujah space. Its sparkle; its power; its voice. I come to it for peace, for surprise, for laughter, for tears. It is the lake of my heart and my spirit. Hallelujah! Every time." The final voting came down to Lake Superior and Lake Kabetogama, also a very nice lake. MPR plans a performance by the Big Lake to celebrate it. Stay tuned (as they say in the radio biz). As one of our Facebook fans pointed out, though, Lake Superior isn't just Minnesota's Lake … it's in the hearts of those from Michigan, Wisconsin and Ontario, too, and freshwater lovers around the world.
Finally, the Smelt Down: Spring almost forgot to send us the small shiny fishes we love, but SooToday reports that the smelt run is trickling along eastern Lake Superior. “Many fish species, including rainbow smelt, rely on water temperature as a trigger for spawning," Derek Goertz, a marine biologist with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry told Darren Taylor of SooToday. "The late onset of spring has caused a delay in the increase of water temperatures, which has, in turn, delayed the smelt run by approximately one to two weeks compared to previous years.” In case you are wondering about the main season fishing openers, Wisconsin is this Saturday (May 5), Minnesota is May 12 and for Michigan, check online for specific species. In Ontario, our region covers several different fishing zones, so find specifics online.
A Hundred Years of Hoito: This week the beloved Hoito Restaurant in Thunder Bay started its year of celebrations for its 100th anniversary, reports NetNewsLedger.com. The launch and birthday cake for the restaurant, in the lower level of the historic Finnish Labour Temple, was Tuesday. We had a story about part of this year's celebration activities: a monthly enhancement of the Hoito's signature Finnish pancakes by guest chefs from around the culinary-savvy city. Check out Bob Berg's story, and a recipe for the traditional pancake.
Lakecation, Lakecation, Lakecation: The real estate mantra is "location, location, location," but it's the "Lakecation" that blew away Sotheby's International Realty agent Ross Melby when he visited the Lake Superior property currently on sale for a cool $5.5 million (or there about). The house is spectacular, but the cliffside location outshines it. "My jaw pretty much hit the floor … and the pictures do not do it justice." Ross had a video done by Edition Studios to show the impressive house and the environs. The video has generated news briefs from the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and, most recently, the Star Tribune. "I’ve been up there eight or nine times in the last year or so, and every single time I’m there, it’s totally different," Ross says of the cliff-hanging location. If the price seems a little spendy (as we say up in this neck of the woods), Sotheby's does have another nice lakeshore option: A $1.9 million property near Two Harbors, Minnesota.
Moose Are Loose: An accident near Marathon, Ontario, reported by TBNewsWatch, shows once again that we must watch our roadways for moose, bear and deer. The collision between a moose and a car on Highway 17 about 20 kilometres west of Marathon resulted in both the driver and passenger being taken to the hospital and later released. The car sustained major damage and there was no report on the moose.
Turtles Trampling Once Again: During this week's Homegrown Music Festival in Duluth, the ever popular local band turned national phenomenon, Trampled by Turtles, made a surprise appearance at a Pizza Luce show, reports Christa Lawler of the Duluth News Tribune. The Duluth-born group has just released its newest album, "Life is Good on the Open Road." Band members talked about hometown roots and broad success back in 2013 with Paul Lundgren as part of the Lake Superior Magazine story "Up North to International" about groups making a splash beyond the Big Lake shores. The festival wraps on Sunday.
Sunday Morning Along the Shore: The national TV program CBS Sunday Morning will be featuring fresh businesses from Duluth during its 8 a.m. (Central Time) airing this Sunday, according to Gene Rebeck of Twin Cities Business. Bent Paddle Brewing Co. co-founder Laura Mullen and Greg Benson, CEO of Epicurean and Loll Designs, will be among those interviewed.
Big on Biking: May is National Bike Month and Bill Bland of Bayfield wrote a heartfelt editorial for the Ashland Daily Press about the marvels of bicycling beside the Wisconsin shores of the Big Lake. “… the tourism encouraged by bicycling builds on our strengths. Existing events such as the Lake Superior Vistas Ride bring thousands to our communities. As we build more bike-friendly paths and expand events and opportunities, such as Bike Across the Bay and all-season cycling at Mt. Ashwabay, we will see even greater economic impact of this growing activity.” Indeed, bicycling has become big all around the Lake, as we noted in “Big Lake Bike Heaven: A Guide to Regional Bike Trails” in 2015. The roadways are nearly free of snow … get out there with two-wheels and a joyous heart!
New Way for Grandma's: Grandma's Marathon organizers announced this week that a new route will be in place for the next three years while Duluth's Superior Street undergoes some major renovations. Both the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon and Grandma's Marathon will still follow the shoreline outside Duluth, but in town there will be a turn along Michigan Street for nine blocks rather than the usual route along Superior Street, the city's main drag.
Fuzzy History of Lake Kites: Minnesota's North Shore plays host to its first "Kites at the Harbor: Grand Marais Kite Festival" this weekend, so maritime historian Fred Stonehouse sent along an old (and a bit fuzzy) image from the Marquette Maritime Museum's collection showing the Marquette staff from the U.S. Weather Bureau (precursor to today's National Weather Service) about to launch kites to carry weather instrumentation for high-altitude measurements. Fred believes the photo, which also shows the Marquette Harbor Lighthouse and the Life-Saving Station lookout tower, is from about 1900-1910.
Photo & graphic credits: MPR; Hoito Restaurant; courtesy Ross Melby; Trampled by Turtles; Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association; Marquette Maritime Museum