It was a hot and steamy holiday weekend. We left the rush of the cities behind and headed north to the quiet of the woods and lakes, spending the weekend near the shore of Lake Superior. In the northern part of Wisconsin between the towns of Washburn and Ashland is an inlet of Lake Superior called Chequamegon Bay (pronounced “sha-wahma-gann”). The name comes from the Ojibwe term meaning “sand bar place.” (Those of you that have followed my blog will remember that in the cold of winter we have snowshoed across this bay over the frozen lake.) After a hot and humid day the clouds were beginning to roll in over the hills to the west. The sun had just enough energy left to break through some of the clouds and lend its lengthy reflection to the rippling waters of the lake at it moved below the hills. Wading in the cold waters of Lake Superior and savoring the calm and color that the sunset provided was the perfect way to close out a long summer’s day in the north.
Lake Superior
Book Across the Bay, 2010 edition
We’ve just returned from a delightful weekend in Ashland, Wisconsin on the shores of Lake Superior. With a dear friend from Seattle who wanted to experience the fun of a snow-filled winter event, our visit coincided with the 14th annual Book Across the Bay. To celebrate the uniqueness of our upper-midwest winters (and just because we can!) over 3,300 people donned their skis and snowshoes and crossed frozen Chequamegon Bay from Ashland to Washburn, Wisconsin. The distance of 10 kilometers was lit by frozen luminaries, and included warm bonfires on the ice marking each kilometer. After snowshoeing for a bit more than a kilometer, I looked back to photograph this winding curve of luminaries leading to the lights of Ashland. Although the event started under partly cloudy skies at dusk, the clouds cleared as we worked our way across the bay, ending under a bright partial moon and a canopy of stars. The promise of a big party, great friends, and good beer at the finish-line was our incentive to “book” the distance.
Fall apple harvest
One of my favorite bounties of fall is the apple harvest. Whether I was living in Washington state or in Minnesota, there are wonderful and delicious apples that grow in the respective regions. This seems to have been a good year for the apple harvest in the midwest. Although it may be a little bit later than usual, the apple trees are full with their luscious fruit. We ventured north to the shoreline of Lake Superior this weekend nad harvested apples from an old tree belonging to a dear friend. No one knows the type of apple, but everyone agrees that it’s excellent for cooking. So now we’ll put up applesauce to enjoy throughout the cold winter, and we’ll enjoy apple pie and cobbler, apple muffins and turnovers. There’s a wonderful smell wafting from our kitchen!
Up north to the lake
“Up north to the lake” is the common weekend occurrence here, whether it’s a small lake or a big lake. And the biggest lake is Lake Superior. We spent the weekend in Ashland, Wisconsin, along the southern shore of Lake Superior. It was a perfect summer weekend — warm daytime temperatures, cooler nighttime temps, the lake close by, along with a special 4th of July celebration. We were treated to beautiful sunsets with calm waters that reflected the boats in the marina as well as the fireworks that were set off after dark. A perfect dose of summer relaxation!
Book Across the Bay on frozen Lake Superior
Valentine’s Day on frozen Lake Superior — what a great way to celebrate a winter’s evening! Chequamegon Bay is at the southwest corner of Lake Superior, surrounded by the towns of Ashland and Washburn, Wisconsin. For the past 13 years the residents of the area come together to celebrate the cold of winter with a ski and snowshoe race across the frozen bay — the Book across the Bay. This event is unique in that it begins at 6:30pm, and the course is lit by hundreds of frozen luminaries marking the route along the ice. The event draws over 2,000 participants skiing, snowshoeing, and hiking. This year’s route was changed at the last minute because of four days of warm temperatures and a big thaw. The snow that had covered the frozen lake became liquid, then froze again into a huge sheet of ice. The race organizers changed the course to a loop and spent hours “churning” the ice to lay a path that provided some traction for skiers and walkers. Their hard work paid off and it was a beautiful event, accompanied by light snowflakes. After crossing the finish line there was a huge bonfire to warm up at and a post-race party in a giant heated tent. Hay was scattered on the frozen ground and hay bales were stacked around the perimeter. Everyone was treated to a hot chili feed, delicious local beer, and dancing to a great live band. It’s a party of the best kind, and a delightful way to enjoy and appreciate our winter weather and scenery.
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