Attention Minnesotans and Travelers!
I just talked to my boss and he is going to let me have the time off to go to a training course in Ely, Minnesota.
For those of you in the area, give me a list of awesome places I must go.
Glancing quickly at the map, we’re not too far from the Canadian border. We’re going to be close to the Thunder Bay area.
Ready? Set? Suggest!
Ely is a very small town, but you’ll love it. You can walk up and down the main street in less than an hour. There are some great gift shops off the beaten track, and good food. (Try the Chocolate Moose Cafe.) There is also the North American Bear Center, where you can watch black bears at play, swimming in their pond and eating grapes. If you like wildlife, take a tour of their facility. It’s a very casual, outdoorsy place filled with artisans and people who love to camp, fish, ski, and live the outdoor lifestyle. It’s a great day trip that I take with friends every summer. Enjoy it!
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I live in Duluth, and am a native Minnesotan, though I have lived many other places. Very small towns appeal to me. You might like Two Harbors, too, if you have a car and can travel. Are you going in winter? It won’t be sub-zero this time of year, but Minnesota is always chilly. Bring warm clothes. (I think that’s our state motto!) Will Steger, who runs the Iditarod dog races every winter, has a small store in Ely where they make winter gear. (I think his wife owns it, actually.)
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Oh that sounds like so much fun!!!!
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Hmph No where near me. 🙁
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January is really really cold, as you expected. You can find lots of information online about Ely. I think the Wolf Center is there, too, though I haven’t visited. If you have time and a car, the road trip to Two Harbors might be a fun day trip. They’re right on Lake Superior (as is Duluth) and a touristy town with a train museum, grain elevators, and small shops. However, if you aren’t used to winter driving, the roads between Ely and other towns can be treacherous. I’ll be watching in January to read about your adventure. If you can get to Duluth, there’s lots to see here, too. But again: COLD! Still, it’s an adventure.
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PS: Here’s one of my favorite web sites for Ely. I’ve been watching one bear family (Lily and her cubs, Hope and Faith) for 2 years. I love these bears. The videos are very sweet… the scouts would love them. In the winter they put a camera in the den, so you can watch bears hibernate. Lynn Rogers, who runs the bear study, is an incredible person. Never tranquilizes bears, but feeds them by handand puts radio collars on them by trust alone. Not something I’d want to do, but I’m fascinated! http://www.bearstudy.org/website/research/daily-updates.html
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ryn: I know you said you weren’t fond of eggplant, but I wanted to let you know I tried your sauce and added eggplant and it was delicious! Otherwise I did exactly as your recipe stated.
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