Hubris

I saw two ravens
a portent

I didn't heed

Frustrated

mosquito ridden

I plunged ahead

on a narrow log

across a creek

with a crack

and shudder

I fell

soaked, phone ruined

chastised

for my willfulness

another lesson

in hubris

Minnesota Trip

Been up in Minnesota with my HS friend Beanpole to do some hiking and paddling.

Jay Cooke State Park. Beautiful but muddy, buggy, and wet.

St. Croix State Park. Huge, empty, saw a black bear.

Banning State Park. An old overgrown quarry. 

Stayed at a cabin on Sturgeon Lake, wonderful and relaxing.

Watch Tower

As we climbed

the expansive green

to reach the perch

where all is seen

We huffed and puffed

ascending steep

sweat broke out

our efforts cheap

But at the top

the world out wide

did lift our hearts

once again right sized.

Sturgeon Lake Meditation

Consider the water

the lake lapping

the wind (overzealous)

the hunting heron

the clouds in their grayness

the chill

the absence of human action

there is only this

If the land could speak

it wouldn't

doesn't need to

Now

The mud
and the mosquitos

at first blush

a hinderance

a detractor

become valuable,

in their immediacy

are we brought further

and solely

into this instant

this hike

across the St. Louis River

along Silver Creek

in Jay Cooke State Park

our minds entirely occupied

our bodies totally present:

we trudge.

Hjemkomst Center

Yesterday we cut in to Devil's Lake, ND and spent the night in Grand Forks, got up this morning went to the UND bookstore then headed to Fargo and stopped at the NDSU bookstore(my dad's a huge fan). Fargo butts up against Moorhead, MN which is where the Hjemkomst Center is one of the things I wanted to visit most on this trip. It has a replica 10th century Norse Church which is what was built when the country converted to Christianity and the style is a combination of the old ways and the new in order to make the conversion more palatable for the commoners. Gorgeous and detailed wood work, really special.

The other big item they have is a replica viking ship that was made in the 70's by a local Robert Asp whose family, along with additional crew, sailed to Norway and back. Pretty inspiring and my dad loved it. His side of my family is mostly all Scandinavian and we've always had cultural pride.

After spending a good amount of time at the center we blasted to Minneapolis to have dinner with my dad's cousin Rick and then bedded down right across the Wisconsin border in Hudson. Final push tomorrow.

Lake Superior Lighthouse

Rode up what's called the North Shore out of Duluth and stopped at this historical landmark the Split Rock Lighthouse. Pretty spectacular views.

We turned in on highway 1 which took us through the Superior National Forest, beautiful rolling forest land but about half way the road went from great shape to pretty wrecked, made for a bit of a challenge and my visor broke on my helmet so the wind was pretty loud. We made it through to Bemidji where we stopped, they have the oldest Paul Bunyan and Babe statues.

Minnesota Ride

Left this morning on a motorcycle trip with my dad, we did one last year and it was a lot of fun so hopefully we're starting a bit of a tradition. Rode from Chicago to Duluth today, heading up the coast of Lake Superior tomorrow then cutting across the state.