Grand Marais September 2026

 

Monday 9/14

Lee and I both agreed that this year the drive seemed exceptionally long. Maybe it was all the construction on Hwy 61. Maybe it was being cognizant of the incoming rain and hoping to beat it, which we did. Anyway, we were very glad to finally arrive. 

When we checked in I asked if they had any sites with full hookups available and they did so we grabbed one. It’s very nice to have a sewer hookup and not worry about filling up the dark water tank. Also very nice for Lee to not have to deal with the dump station after we leave.

We had lots of time to get set up and take Sophie on a nice long walk before the rain started. It had been following us all day from Minneapolis. By the time we were ready to go to dinner however it was raining hard. 

We had appropriate clothing but we still got pretty damp walking the half mile to The Angry Trout. We didn’t mind though and had a glass of wine while waiting for our table. We got wild rice fritters and then we both got a cup of soup. I got the chowder and Lee got their soup of the day which was Korean tofu. His was spicy, but they were both good. Then I got a side of the fish of the day, Lake Superior herring. I got it when we were here 3 years ago and it was delicious.

Now we’re hanging out in the RV listening to the rain pitter patter loudly on the roof. It’s supposed to rain until around 2 am and then get windy and cold(er). No more rain though!

Tuesday Sept 15

As the rain stopped the wind picked up. I got up around 5:30 am, ate breakfast and was generally lazy until I was ready to go for a bike ride. I was afraid it would be wet and gloomy but no, just very windy. It started out overcast but it wasn’t long until the sun came out and it was just beautiful out!

It’s such a nice bike trail. I wish it was longer. Someday. It’s not easy, almost 500’ of elevation gain in 10 miles, long inclines. The way back was faster, more downhills and the wind was at my back mostly.

When I got back to the RV Lee and Sophie were gone. They went mushroom hunting. I changed out of my biking clothes and just hung out, crocheting, reading, playing with my phone. They got back around noon. They had fun but no mushrooms of any consequence. 

Around 1:30 we walked into town for coffee and then walked around a little. Way too windy to walk along the sea wall, we would have gotten drenched. 

Wednesday September 16

At 4 Sophie and I went on another walk, this time around the campground and the smaller loop on the little Sweetheart hiking trail. 

We had steak, baked potatoes, lettuce and tomatoes with blue cheese crumbles for dinner. After dinner I suggested we walk over to the Lake to watch the sunset, when we got there it already set, or that’s what it looked like. It was a little before 7 and it wasn’t supposed to set until 7:15. But we couldn’t see exactly west; that was obscured by a point. So I’m planning on going up the Sweetheart trail with Sophie again today and see if we might get a better view there.

This morning was much colder (low 40’s) but the wind was calm. After breakfast I hopped on my bike and rode the Gitchi Gami trail again, trying to improve my time over yesterday, which I did. That trail is such a workout!

Thursday September 17.

Yesterday continued. 

At the end of my ride  yesterday I continued into town. My idea was to get a donut but the donut place really is closed so I got a muffin at Java Moose instead, and gobbled it up as soon as I got back to the camper. 

When I got back Lee and Sophie were off mushroom hunting again. They came back while I was taking my shower. I spent a lot of time relaxing, reading, crocheting. At 1 pm we went into town for coffee. 

Later Sophie and I went for our afternoon walk. I wanted to try to do the overlook Loop from the Sweetheart Trail and see if I could do it without getting lost. So we did it counterclockwise and it worked. It isn’t long but it’s very tough, lots of climbing and clambering over rocks. Sophie managed all of it except one place where I lifted her up. She probably could have done it on her own but I didn’t want to take a chance.

After dinner we went on a sunset walk again. I figured out a place where we could actually see west but unfortunately clouds had rolled in and there wasn’t much of a sunset. Still pretty though.

This morning I took Sophie on her morning walk so Lee could hook the trailer to the truck and we could start on our way home. We’re going to stop at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park on the way.

…..

We are home now. We did stop at Split Rock on the way. I’m so glad we did! We opted for just entering the State Park, going on a short walk and admiring the view. Then we were on our way.

We really do love Grand Marais, even if it is a very long drive. The next time we go back I might take the car and drive to a different section of the Gitchi Gami bike trail. And Lee says he might go fishing!

California September 2026 - Hi Reia!

Din Tai Fung

 

Just a reminder, no images of Emi and Reia on social media with their faces showing. Sorry!

Friday Sept 4

Time to go to California and meet Reia, Emi’s little sister! She’s just a little over 6 weeks old, and already 11 lbs! She’s the cutest thing, with 2 inch long black hair sticking up all over her head! She is starting to smile, and she’s very strong, she is already holding her head up pretty well.

Reia is very loud. She is good at letting her wants known. I am hungry! I am sleepy! I have things to say!

Lee managed to get over the Lake Darling cold right before it was time to leave for California. I have symptoms, but they are so mild, a slight cough, a little congestion. I can’t tell if I’m just getting over a very mild version or about to get deathly ill.

We arrived here yesterday afternoon. I wore a mask on the plane, and any time I was near Reia inside. And I washed my hands and used sanitizer every time before I touched her. I’m not wearing a mask today, but still sanitizing of course. We shall see.

Last night we went to Howie’s for pizza, pasta and a salad. It was delicious, I was hungry. We ate outside and it was windy and cool. The people at the table next to ours had a little baby too. Their
s was only 1 week old!  

Saturday Sept 5

Yesterday Emi went to preschool. The rest of us went on a long walk in the morning, almost 4 miles. Reia slept a lot yesterday. I had to be reminded that newborns sleep a lot, like dogs, lol. When she was awake and not eating Lee and I took turns cooing and making faces at her, trying to get her to smile and copy us. When she was tired we held her. She is a very cuddly baby. When I was a new mother I found it very difficult to just hold my baby, with all the things that needed to be done weighing on my mind. But as an old person it’s pretty nice! Until I start to get warm; she is a little furnace! Then I had to trade off or put her down and cool off. 

We had Vietnamese for lunch. Dan and I had Bahn mi sandwiches, Lee had a curry and I forget what Kelsey had. Later we went out to this new Japanese coffee shop, Yutori. It is very very popular, and I can see why. They sell the standard coffee and matcha drinks but also some different specialty drinks you won’t find anywhere else. Dan got a miso latte and I got an orange ginger one. Mine was delicious!

I spent a lot of time in the afternoon just holding Reia, hanging out on the couch while she napped on my chest. Very relaxing for both of us!

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Note, added 9/24/26: I need to add a clarification here. Emi is riding a pedal bike! She started to learn how about a week before we arrived. At first Dan was holding on to the seat to help her get the hang of it. Her balance is really good but she needed to understand how to use the pedals. As soon as she got that part she was off and rolling! We watched her in amazement; she won't be 3 until December! This will make the story about going to the playground later in this post a WHOLE lot clearer!!

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Dan and Kelsey made Caesar chicken wraps for dinner. They were great.

This morning we went to Din Tai Fung and then walked around the mall and the fake San Jose downtown. No waiter water accidents this time!

Dan, Kelsey, Emi and Reia are all going to Hong Kong on a tour with Kelsey’s family over thanksgiving so they purchased this attachment for Reia’s stroller that Emi can sit on. They practiced using it on our walk. I think it will work, except on some of the escalators where there isn’t an elevator. But many things may have changed. It’s been a long time since we’ve been there.

Tuesday Sept 8

We’re going home today. Leaving for the airport soon. I haven’t written anything about our trip since Saturday afternoon so I’m sure I’ll forget something that happened!

Sunday we drove to the school by their old house and played at the playground and then Emi rode her bike. Dan decided to see if she could start to learn to start herself. We all thought this would take a while but she picked it up in a couple of tries! She is so coordinated! It’s just that her mental/emotional capacity is not at the point where she can be trusted yet. I mean she won’t be 3 until December! Thinking about the boys, it will probably be next spring before they can pop Reia in the bike trailer and all ride down the trail together.

We had sushi for dinner Sunday night. It was very good!

Emi had a hard time Sunday night (and so did Daniel poor guy). She took off her diaper sometime during the night and then had an accident around 4:30 in the morning. It took her a while to get back to sleep but she did. Then when Lee got up around 6:30 she was standing in the door of her bedroom. She announced “I pooped!” So Lee got to clean that up. 

Monday was our day to hang out with Emi. We planned to take her to Shoreline Park and ride the pedal boats. But (no surprise) Emi fell asleep almost as soon as we got in the car. She slept for an hour so then it was time for lunch. We drove to Mountain View’s nearby downtown for gyros. We parked and then realized we had forgotten Emi’s shoes!! So we carried her into the restaurant. After we ate we decided to drive back to their house and grab her shoes and then go to a playground instead. Maybe we’ll try Shoreline Park some other time when it’s not so busy. 

We went to the Magic Bridge playground in Mitchell Park instead. She had a wonderful time. Magic Bridge has lots of structures that encourage imaginative/creative play and Emi was in her element. A stage! A store! A boat! It was 2:30 before we could drag her away. We could have stayed longer but it was getting pretty warm and I wanted a coffee. We went to the coffee shop we used to go to near their old house but it was just packed so I said forget it and I lived without an afternoon coffee for once. I survived!

That evening Dan made burgers, corn on the cob, and watermelon. Emi ate her weight in watermelon! It was all good.

That’s it. We are on our way home. We’ll be back for Emi’s birthday in December. She will have changed by then, and Reia will have REALLY changed! Oh well we will see them on FaceTime.

"I'm Baking Tofu in the Oven"