Minnesota, Mesabi Trail, World's Largest Floating Loon

Superior National Forest Trip, Day 5

Near homeless encampment

Home before midnight?

• State: Minnesota
• Date: 2025-08-30
• Route: Mesabi Trail, Gilbert to Virginia MN
• Miles:  11

Notes:

• Bob Dylan's birthplace, North Country Blues.
• Smelling the barn
• World's largest loon. (suggestion to Matt Binns, build the world's largest something, he wants to be paid). Retired hobbiest never want to work on what they used to be paid for,

Minnesota, Birch Lake, Superior National Forest

Superior National Forest Trip, Day 4

Steet mural in Ely

• State: Minnesota
• Date: 2025-08-29
• Route: Tomahawk Rd, FR 428 (near Birch Lake)
• Miles: 15

Tomahawk Road, FR 428

Minnesota, Lake Vermillion

Superior National Forest Trip, Day 3

Stayed two nights, nice facilities, upscale for fisherman, perfect access to Mesabi Trail

Semer Park

• State: Minnesota
• Date: 2025-08-28
• Route: Lake Vermillion SP campground to Semer Park, Ely
• Miles: 40

Notes:

• Asked directions of two meth heads
• Two women asked if "I was OK?" "Of course." I get a bit crabby, when tired.

Minnesota, Lake Wobegon Trail

About four years ago I started the Frizbo Fifty when I dropped my daughter and youngest child off at college.  This morning we started a cross-country drive to Yellowstone National Park where she will begin her career as a Biologist.  While Lauren has completed her bachelor's degree, I am not yet halfway done with the Frizbo Fifty, so I will use this trip to "bag" a few more states.

With an early start, we arrive in Albany, MN in the mid-afternoon.  Albany is right off the interstate and on the Lake Wobegon Bike Trail -- a 100+ mile trail running through the farmlands of central Minnesota.

Lake Wobegon, of course, is the fictional boyhood home of Garrison Keillor, who reports the News from Lake Wobegon on the radio show A Prairie Home Companion.  Lake Wobegon is characterized as "the little town that time forgot, and the decades cannot improve, where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average."

Rolling Minnesota farmland

The surface is nicely paved blacktop

Holdingford, MN, Garrison Keillor said is "most Wobegonic."

Longest covered bridge in Minnesota

Each mileage marker features the trail logo and a bolt right in the middle of the number!  Is that a two or a seven?

We drive into the sunset -- next stop Fargo, ND.

-- Frizbo

 

State:	Minnesota
Date:	2014-08-08
Route:	Lake Wobegon Trail (Albany to Holdingford)
Distance:	26 miles