Chapin's Ridge

Today I hiked from Split Rock Lighthouse State Park to Chapin's Ridge campsite. I hoped to make it to Beaver Pond campsite but it just didn't happen today. I had a very hard time finding the spur trail to the Superior Hiking Trail. The guide book said follow the maps at the state park. I spent an hour walking around the state park looking at maps and could not figure it out. Eventually I found my way. Here I am on the trail.  In the very center of this photo is the Lighthouse. It's probably too small for you to see.

I made it to Chapin's Ridge. Both sides of this narrow ridge have very steep sides. I turned back to my car at this point.

Climbing down the ridge was difficult. Here I am sitting on a rock because the rock under my feet was way too low for me to just step down. Sometimes I wonder what I got myself into. Then I remember I made it up here and I can make it back. I go slowly and carefully.

The aspen woods are pretty. I found one strawberry in here and I picked it. I flicked two insects off of it with my finger before eating it. That strawberry was delicious! The smaller the sweeter I guess.

I am back on the spur trail to my car. Here are thirty steps I came before. Going down is easier. Today I added 3.9 miles making my new total on the Superior Hiking Trail 93.8 miles. I have 238.7 left to go.

The End Of Life Book Club

During the last couple years of his mother's life, Will Schwalbe formed a two person book club with his mother, Mary Ann Schwalbe. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and they discussed books at her chemo appointments. Both of them would recommend books to read. Both Mary Ann and Will already read a lot of books. His mother was an educator and a charity worker. During her illness she set up a library in Afghanistan. Will worked for a book publisher as an editor. Some of the books they read together are ones I have already read and liked. Others were new to me. I think it's touching that a son is so close to his mother. His admiration of her is very evident. Mary Ann had a quirky habit of always reading the last chapter of any book before starting again at the beginning. I do the same thing but only with mystery books. I really enjoyed The End Of Life Book Club. 

Back to West Gooseberry

Today I parked my car at Gooseberry Falls State Park. I walked past the visitor center to the path that took me over the river and under the highway bridge. I walked past the old visitor center and headed upstream the Gooseberry River. I walked past the Fifth falls and took the bridge over the river again.

The Superior Hiking Trail inside the state park is primo and deluxe. The path is very well maintained. Once beyond where most state park visitors go the path becomes less deluxe.

I came to a campsite with a log cabin. This would be a nice spot to stay.

I came upon some orange lilies. We used to call them Tiger Lilies. The brownish water of the Gooseberry River is in the background.

I came to the Gooseberry campground.

Another view of the river.

Here is the Middle Gooseberry campground.

Only a tenth of a mile later was the East Gooseberry campground.

These lush ferns are taller than my head. It's almost tropical in here.

Here is the work of ambitious and industrious beavers.

Whew! Finally I came to the West Gooseberry campground which is where I left off on my last hike. Today I added 4.4 miles to the trail making my new total 89.9 miles completed and  242.6 left to go.

Upstream

Dan Heath wrote Upstream: The Quest To Solve Problems Before They Happen. The book starts with an example of two adults relaxing by a river. They see a child bobbing and drowning in the water. One rushes to save the child. Success! Soon another child comes bobbing by. After saving ten children one of the adults leaves the river even though more children are coming. The other adult questions that decision. The adult says they are going upstream to stop the person who is throwing children in the river. When the author talks about upstream what he means is proactive. (I know someone who shudders when they hear that word). One example was a high school with a high drop out rate that they wanted to fix. Research showed they could predict by the end of the first quarter of ninth grade who was likely to drop out. They focused their energy on ninth grade students and watched for truancy, unfinished assignments, tardiness. Students who had those issues were discussed by name in weekly meetings and teachers focused attention on them. Subsequently the drop out rate plummeted. The teachers had to let go of their previous tough love approach. In another example, a city in India was plagued with cobra snakes. The city put a bounty on cobras. In order to make money, some people were raising cobras to collect on the bounty. According to the author, the bounty on cobras was a downstream approach and that is why it failed. Another example was the travel company Expedia. Expedia had a problem with frequent customer calls for help. Most customers wanted a copy of their itinerary. The idea of Expedia is that the customer does not need to call for help. In designing the website the designer thought it is annoying to enter your email twice. Many people enter the wrong email which is why they never got their itinerary. By fixing the website and asking for the email twice, they greatly reduced the number of calls to the customer care phone center. Some of the examples I read were great and inspirational. I found the chapters confusing and some examples were repetitive. I think this would have been a better book if it had fewer chapters and fewer examples.

Castle Danger to Gooseberry

Today I hiked from the Castle Danger trail head to the west Gooseberry campsite. In the first half mile you climb up an incredibly steep slope on rocky stairs and come to this view on Wolf Rock where you stand 1200 feet above Crow Creek Valley and Lake Superior in the far distance.

Then you climb up six more sets of rocky stairs to go even higher.

Four miles into the hike I came to Nestor Grade.

Nestor Grade is an old logging road definitely not suitable for my car.

Here I come to my destination of the west Gooseberry campground. I stop to use the latrine and head back eating my cheese and pickle sandwich as I go.

Another highlight of this trail is Mike's rock.

Mike's rock has a nice view to the east.

When I started this hike I found two walking sticks. I used one of them and found it helpful to keep my balance. With my walking stick I feel like Gandalf, especially when I walk through this cedar grove. White cedars are beautiful, gnarly trees.

These two trees must have sprouted on a fallen log. As the log beneath them rotted away it looks like they have grown legs. Today I completed 4.7 miles making my  new total on the  Superior Hiking Trail 85.5 miles. I have 247.0 left to go.

Sharks In The Time of Saviors

This is a new novel written by a guy from Minneapolis named Kawai Strong Washburn. He grew up in Hawaii and most of the novel is set there. The story is about a low income family of five. The parents love their two sons and a daughter. For economic reasons they have to move from the big island to Oahu. On a boat trip the middle son falls overboard. Before he can be rescued a group of sharks nudge him to the surface and close to the boat so he can be scooped up. There is some Hawaiian magic  and some Hawaiian beliefs in this book. Since this son was rescued by sharks his parents think he is a miracle and is gifted. The expectations put on him are meant in kindness but the relationship between the three children are not easy. The characters in this novel stay with me after I finished reading it. Life In The Time of Saviors is a story about family relationships.

Hike to Encampment River From The North

Today I hiked from the Castle Danger Trail head back to the Encampment River. Yesterday it rained. I got 1.4 inches at my house which were sorely needed. Rain fell here too which made for slippery rocks, slippery exposed roots, slippery mud, and slippery boards. Here I am at the Crow Creek gorge. Look at those cliffs!

I think hiking up cliffs is easier than going down because I can bend forward and use my hands for balance.

This is a dicey walk across a flowing stream. The board on the right is flat. The board on the left is rounded. Both move down an inch or more as I shift my weight. I made it across safely.

Here I am at Pine Ridge Overlook.

Much of my walk was through private property but this spot belongs to the Minnesota Land Trust.

I think the land was donated in memory of Sarah Ellen Jaeger. I give credit to whomever hauled that big rock up here for her.

Whew! I am back at the Encampment River. Time to turn back to the car and start eating lunch.

Here is another look at the Crow Creek gorge but this time I am pointed downstream. Those cliffs are very dramatic. Today I added 2.7 miles making a total of 80.8 miles completed on the Superior Hiking Trail. I have 251.7 miles left to go.