In May, 2011, Cindy and I did the North Shore.  The North Shore being that area of Minnesota stretching from Duluth up to Canada.  We also made it over to Madeline Island near Bayfield, Wisconsin.  Here are some picutres of our trip.

Duluth in the morning:

Fitgers Brewery Smokestack.  The old brewery is now a restaurant/shopping building.

Lake Superior !

On the rocks..

Forsythia !

The 'point' of Lake Superior.

Water (falls), water (falls) everywhere:

Gooseberry Falls

Knife River Falls

French River Falls

Images from Grand Marais:

From the Motel Room.

Also from the Motel Room.

Walleye !

Additional Falls:

High Falls

Devil's Kettle Falls

Cascade River Falls

More falls:

Temperance River Falls

Cross River Falls

Caribou River Falls

Beaver River Falls

A look at Lake Superior from our motel room balcony (Duluth) after dark:

Cindy and I spent the next day driving, catching the ferry, and hiking Madeline Island.  Madeline Island is part of the Apostle Islands (although not in the National Lakeshore).  It is the biggest island (of 22) and has regular ferry service (car, bicycle, passenger, etc.).  It has a rocky part, like most of the Lake Superior shoreline and it has a sand beach part.  Both are shown in the pictures below:

The Birchglen heading out from harbor.  The 'lakers' (and other ships) go under the aerial bridge; between the lighthouses; and finally out on Lake Superior:

Split Rock Lighhouse.  Cindy and I took the stairs down to Lake Superior to get these shots (the last shot is from the lighthouse level):

I went up to the lantern room and here are some shots of the turning mechanism and the Second Order, Bi-Valve Fresnel lens.

A last view of the Light and the Foghorns...

Cindy and I made our way to West Bend, IA, to see the Grotto of the Redemption.  This Grotto had been featured on one of our favorite shows - Rare Visions and Roadside Revelations.  You really have to go visit as these pictures do not begin to show how great this accomplishment is.

Father Paul Dobberstein (see statue, above) was a German immigrant ordained in 1897.  He became critically ill with pneumonia and promised to build a shrine to the Virgin Mary if she interceded for him.   After his recovery, he began stockpiling rocks and precious stones.  Construction of the Grotto began in 1912 and continued year round for 42 years.

From Wikipedia...

Some view of the Grotto showing the largeness !:

Some detail shots of the various minerals used: