Up in the woods.

Destination.

After posting that last bit, I forgot that I forgot to say anything about the lovely vacation I had last weekend.


For the fourth time in my life, methinks, my family took a wonderful weekend trip to Grand Marais, MN to hike, eat good food, see beautiful sights, and just be together. 




So here's the lowdown on the showdown.


On Thursday morning, we packed up our smokin' hot mini van and took off for the north. You must realize that there is something in every Minnesotan that wakes up and gets a strong sense of joy and contentment when one drives north in this state. It means you are soon going to be immersed in the silent beauty of pine forests, clear lakes, and the smell of welcoming bonfires. The term 'up North' around here could be synonymous with 'happy pills' or something, because it sure to pull you out of any grunge you feel at home and clear your head. 


Anyways, the drive from Maple Grove to Grand Marais is a good six hours, so we didn't arrive until about dinner time. On the way, muffins we consumed at Tobie's, a lovely lunch was had at Amazing Grace Café in Duluth, and to top it all off, I listened to the most wonderful music the whole where there, during, and back. I look forward to this road trip every time we go, because I get to play music that fits my lovely experience.


Here's a list of said enjoyments:


The Exploding People by Cloud Cult [for riding in a sunlit car]


The entire Amelié soundtrack by Yann Tiersen [for fun times with those you love]


Boy Lilikoi by Jónsi [for dancing like a banshee around a campfire]


New Piano Song (Live) by Jónsi (a new fave)[for walking through the pine and birch forests to reach an endless lake]


Grow Till Tall by Jónsi (my absolute favorite song in the world)[for feeling the most sincere joy about being alive]


Woods by Bon Iver [for when you stand in a vast, dense forest and just want to hear your voice echo]


Michicant by Bon Iver [for taking in a Lake Superior sunset over the wooded hills]




Perth by Bon Iver [for watching the forested landscape fly by out your car window]


Around Us by Jónsi [for running through the woods and singing as loud as possible]








I'm telling you, guys, both Jónsi and Bon Iver are true Northern men. These guys know what's up. Cloud Cult can come, too. They're Northern.

Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. If the North Woods could be summed up in a person, this is what that person would look like. I mean, he's probably a child of that tree behind him. That's his mom.  He's that hardcore.

You know me. The music I listen to absolutely effects the experience I'm going to have. And let me tell you--I had the best experience.




We arrive on schedule, piled into our favorite cabin, and moseyed on over to the one and only Sven and Ole's pizza parlour for some veddy good chow, jah.

Darn tootin'.

After filling our stomachs in a very full restaurant, we moseyed over to Drury Lane Books, which is, by far, the cutest bookstore I know of. It's right on the lake, and the lady at the counter is very enthusiastic about helping you find things/recommend stuff. I found Rachel a birthday present, and after browsing a big more, we  headed off to the happy place of the night: Artist's Point. 

The cutest, no?

If you've never been to Grand Marais, well, you're missing out. This little strip of land is perfect for an evening romp out to the point, and over to the lighthouse.If it's windy, it can get a little tipsy as you tiptoe across the sea walls to the lighthouse, but it's worth it.

Note the lovely smokey haze from the restaurants cooking/campfires/evening mist. :D

I won't bore you with all the details of every moment of said trip, but unless you've been there, it's hard to imagine the magic that the North Shore delivers so profusely. On one of our hikes, I was realizing how interesting it is to stroll through the woods by Lake Superior, versus the woods out in, say, Glacier National Park. Both places are gorgeous, and inspire a sense of quiet and awe, but in very different ways. Walking through the North Woods is like being in a small country chapel. It's clean, quiet, beautiful in its own right, and quieting. The mountains, on the other hand, instill a sense of awe in a grandiose, cathedral-esque manner. You still enjoy the woods, but your eyes are always drawn to the spires towering above you. I love both places dearly, and I think that everyone should experience both at least once in their life.

So, yes. The trip was wonderful. We hiked our favorite stretch of the Lake Superior Hiking Trail where we find a bajillion mushrooms. We took photos for a large group of Asian tourists loaded down with camping gear before their hike to "we don't know", according to them. I guess they were ready to go anywhere and camp, as long as they could be together and have fun.

And I read so many books. Three point five, to be exact. I'm still working on that other .5 of John Steinbeck's East of Eden. It's one of those books that is extremely good, but no matter how long you read, you still look at the pages left and feel like you've made no progress. Meh.

Anyways, remember: when planning your vacations, keep a place like this in mind. It'll bring you peace like no other :)

Audios.