A Superior Vacation

We enjoy “getting gone” to honor our anniversary. Unmoored from the usual port and backdrops, we navigate into a new space together, isolating our spirits and bond, renewing our delight in each other’s company, reviewing the journey thus far, and dreaming together about the year to come.

The drought and heat sent us north this year, up to Lake Superior, the Great Lake that caps our state. The Ojibwa people called it “Gitchi-Gamee,” or “Great Water,” and the French explorers called it “la lac superieur,” or Upper Lake, because it lies north of Lake Michigan, which borders the eastern shores of our state. As the largest, coldest, and deepest of the Great Lakes, Superior certainly allowed us to cool our heels and relax for a few days.

We left our 4-legged’s in the care of their favorite friend (and ours), and headed north. We’re travel nerds, stopping for most historical markers and visiting museums along the way.

While we were aware of the Great Divide, we were utterly surprised by the “Concrete Museum” in tiny Phillips, Wisconsin. We’d switched routes and came upon this sustained burst of creative impulse right next to the road, and stopped to investigate, no other people in sight. Pure kismet, given our love for weird adventures.

We stayed in Bayfield, took the ferry to Madeline Island, and on other days, visited galleries, museums, berry farms and little towns bordering the lake.

It was a lovely vacation: in the company of my best friend and sweetheart, the days were fluid and peaceful, offering enough curiosities and color to balance the endless blues and greens of Superior and her shores.

We set out every morning with the sketchiest of plans, and allowed for plenty of time to wander, gaze, and dream.

We celebrated our anniversary and the memories accrued over the years of our shared journey, setting them out for each other like old photos of beloved friends, memories recounted like guests who have visited our lives.

We listened to other people’s stories, and took time to hear our own more clearly. Renewed, we headed home, ready to live into the next chapter.

 Here are some links, if you’re interested in learning more about Lake Superior… http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/superior/superiorfacts.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ekgic7aHc50&feature=player_embedded

 

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