We checked out of Rockwood Cabin #4 this morning after a wonderful week of relaxation with our granddaughter, age 14. Fishing with a dear friend on Clearwater Lake (and also watching what we could see of the eclipse through the clouds on Monday), hosting HoHo and David with dog Piwi for lunch on Tuesday at the cabin,and then doing some Gunflint adventures with them in the afternoon.

Lots of swimming/floating in Poplar Lake, some really fun canoeing, photos of loons and an eagle, climbing on rocks (Anna, not us), cookouts with hot dogs and smores, and games around the table in the evenings.

Now we are headed to Naniboujou Lodge for two nights, and some time on the wonderful north shore of Lake Superior. A great time in the North Country. We are blessed.

Sounds like a great trip! Have you ever gone the long way (across the top of Superior) to get back to Michigan? Or the UP route?

Sounds like a nice getaway!

Good to hear. Haven't heard much from ho ho here for a bit. Your travels should inspire those of us who can't paddle like we did to think about options as you are doing. I get to run a canoe up to Grand Maria here possibly tomorrow later on or Monday. Fun to have things to look forward to.

Nice!

quote QueticoMike: "Sounds like a nice getaway!"

What QM said. Bet it'll be tough when the time comes to head back home.

Awesome!!!

Sounds like a hoot and a half!

quote rtallent: "Sounds like a great trip! Have you ever gone the long way (across the top of Superior) to get back to Michigan? Or the UP route?"

Several, or many times for both. But can't do that anymore, as we have our granddaughter with us, and we have to drop her off at her home in suburban Chicago on our way.

quote Jackfish: "

quote QueticoMike: "Sounds like a nice getaway!"

What QM said. Bet it'll be tough when the time comes to head back home. "

It is tough. We have such a good time, and always hate to drop her off again and head for home, "just us two". She is very tradition-conscious, and this being the tenth anniversary of the first time we took her to the canoe country has been very special. Lots of wonderful memories made on this trip.

Today, since it was rainy, we headed up to Grand Portage and looked around the historic site there, then took the short hike to High Falls. It was really fun!

Super to hear. I used a bunkhouse at Rockwood last weekend for shoving off on a solo trip. Those cabins look great.

Sounds great. Glad it was fun for all. Is the Naniboujou still for sale?

quote rtallent: "Sounds like a great trip! Have you ever gone the long way (across the top of Superior) to get back to Michigan? Or the UP route?"

I always go through MI and the UP (from WV) - much nicer than the other way and not much, if any, longer. One year (2014) I came back through Canada on Spartan2's advice; it was about 50 miles and an hour longer for me than UP route - very scenic and nice. Pukaskwa NP was spectacular.

UP route vs Chicago route is about 50 miles longer. Well worth it vs the tolls and headaches. Took it many times hauling boats. But luck would have it that many times I'd get one boat to Chicago to force that direction. I will say the road out of Chicago to Rockford got a lot better, and traffic flowed through better when you found the correct roads to take.

This is a nice companion thread to the "Eye Opener!" thread. Read one and then read the other.

quote Zulu: "Sounds great. Glad it was fun for all. Is the Naniboujou still for sale?"

Spartan1 attended a talk by the owner, and from what he heard at that time, it is no longer for sale. Everything seemed to be just the same as in our former visits.

quote kona: "Super to hear. I used a bunkhouse at Rockwood last weekend for shoving off on a solo trip. Those cabins look great. "

We have stayed in cabin# 2, and also this year in cabin# 4. They are very nice. The one this year was very well appointed, had a great view of the lake,and really good access to the lake for someone like me with severe hip pain and mobility issues. A loft bedroom for the teenager, who likes her privacy. Really nice kitchen. Very clean and easy to maintain, and a little propane fireplace for the cool nights. The new owners are making changes, but from what we saw, they are all to the good. Very friendly, personable people, too.

We hope to stay there again. Great place.

quote Spartan2: "

quote Zulu: "Sounds great. Glad it was fun for all. Is the Naniboujou still for sale?"

Spartan1 attended a talk by the owner, and from what he heard at that time, it is no longer for sale. Everything seemed to be just the same as in our former visits. "

Sounds like a great time? Stayed there a night with my nephews in June. Love that place and wish we could have spent several days there

Anna and I were talking about Naniboujou in the swimming pool this morning. She loves it there so much. We booked the adjoining rooms in the west wing "family plan" this time so that she had her own little room and it was so neat! Two nights, and such a relaxing time. She spent hours in the surf picking out "interesting" rocks and just loving Lake Superior.

I mentioned to her that places like that are a niche appeal and will eventually die out unless the love of peace and quiet and being "unplugged" catches on with the younger generation. Our rooms had no AC, no TV, no phone, no wifi, and were very small. Not fancy. Handmade quilts on the beds, labeled with the names of the creators. High tea in the solarium at 2:30, meals in that stunning dining room. Board games and card games in the evening. Like stepping back into history. And she said, "WHO WOULDN'T LOVE THAT??"

Our fourteen-year-old granddaugher, who has been traveling with us to the canoe country for ten years, loves it up there as much as we do. We hope we have sown seeds for her to someday do her own canoe trips and pass this love on to another generation.

But when I said I thought Naniboujou was one of my very favorite places in the whole world, she smiled and said, "Mine, too." She is taking home a bunch of rocks, and she made sure I picked out three little ones for myself, too. Life is good. :-)

quote Spartan2: "Anna and I were talking about Naniboujou in the swimming pool this morning. She loves it there so much. We booked the adjoining rooms in the west wing "family plan" this time so that she had her own little room and it was so neat! Two nights, and such a relaxing time. She spent hours in the surf picking out "interesting" rocks and just loving Lake Superior.
I mentioned to her that places like that are a niche appeal and will eventually die out unless the love of peace and quiet and being "unplugged" catches on with the younger generation. Our rooms had no AC, no TV, no phone, no wifi, and were very small. Not fancy. Handmade quilts on the beds, labeled with the names of the creators. High tea in the solarium at 2:30, meals in that stunning dining room. Board games and card games in the evening. Like stepping back into history. And she said, "WHO WOULDN'T LOVE THAT??"
Our fourteen-year-old granddaugher, who has been traveling with us to the canoe country for ten years, loves it up there as much as we do. We hope we have sown seeds for her to someday do her own canoe trips and pass this love on to another generation.
But when I said I thought Naniboujou was one of my very favorite places in the whole world, she smiled and said, "Mine, too." She is taking home a bunch of rocks, and she made sure I picked out three little ones for myself, too. Life is good. :-)"

We probably stayed in the same two rooms in the west wing? What a wonderful young lady whom appreciates that there is more to life than Wifi and the "Idiot box!" You really are blessed! The boys loved it too and enjoyed poking around the shoreline.

Yes, the same rooms! When I get a chance to process some of my photos, I will have one of Anna in the surf gathering rocks. She was in her glory!

We are truly blessed.

I had hoped we might meet up with you on this trip, Terry. I know you mentioned the possibility. Someday perhaps we'll cross paths with you. I would like that.

quote Spartan2: "Yes, the same rooms! When I get a chance to process some of my photos, I will have one of Anna in the surf gathering rocks. She was in her glory!
We are truly blessed.
I had hoped we might meet up with you on this trip, Terry. I know you mentioned the possibility. Someday perhaps we'll cross paths with you. I would like that."

We were hoping for a late summer trip, but it just wasn't in the cards. Maybe next year we can plan it better?

Some memories of Naniboujou:

quote Spartan2: "Some memories of Naniboujou:















"

NICE! I should have taken some pics in the dining room, all I have are some old 35mm pics.

Glad you had a good time. We were the ones who pulled up to Rockwood right before you. I meant to talk to you guys more and introduce ourselves, but I was a bit of a zombie after all the driving. After we figured out about our bunkhouse and permit, you must have already made it to the cabin. Maybe I'll manage to say hi at Canoecopia.

We took the longest backcountry trip of our life, spending 9 wonderful, relaxing days in the BWCA. I'll try to write a trip report soon.

I'll look for your trip report! I wish we had gotten the chance to see you off! Glad you had a nice trip! The weather was certainly good for us the week we were there.

Glad you guys got to spend some time up north. I really had to laugh at the picture of the gangly all arms and legs of the girl gathering rocks on the beach compared to the picture of the very dignfied young lady at the supper table, she sure cleans up nice. FRED

Yes, she does clean up nice, Fred. Two years ago she went to "high tea" and later to dinner, and we weren't staying at the lodge, so she had to just try to clean up in the bathroom before we went to the dining room. She looked really rough.

But this time she was really pleased that she could come in and get into her pretty dress and be a "lady" for tea in the afternoon, (couldn't quite tame the hair, though) then go back out and do the rock search thing until time for dinner, and shower and be a "lady" again for dinner.

In the morning each day she tucked into one of those plate-sized cinnamon rolls like there was no tomorrow, too! Vacationing with a teenager can be such a great deal of fun!