September 2015 Posts

Fall Reading List: A Hillsider and a Buried Man

Hillsider by Don Ness The Emancipation of a Buried May by Eddy Gilmore

Two books lead the list of recommended local reads this fall: One is a new book by Duluth’s outgoing mayor, which will no doubt generate tons of attention before anyone fully reads it. The other is an impressive memoir published back in March by a humble Lakesider, which deserves to be held up next to Duluth’s highest ranking literary office.

Free Train Rides

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There are two opportunities to enjoy free train rides on the Lake Superior & Mississippi Railroad on Sept. 23. Departures are at 2 and 6 p.m. The century-old coaches have capacity for 130 riders each trip, so arrive early! More info on the PDD Calendar and Facebook.

Minnesota North Shore Fall Colors Report 2015

Minnesota North Shore Fall Colors 2015

 

With today the first day of fall there is no better time to post the MN Fall Colors map for 2015. We are really starting to see pockets of great colors in Duluth and along the North Shore. You can also use the MN DNR interactive map by clicking here to help track the colors as they change. What are you seeing in your area? Post you favorite tree picture as it changes in the comments.

Temperance River GoPro – Lost & Found in a Beautiful Place

Temperence River GoPro - Lost and Found - Kare11

Two summers ago Kyle Puelston lost his GoPro jumping into Temperance River up the North Shore. He figured it was gone forever. Luckily, a year later, Chris Flores and his brother Kyle Puelston found it while snorkeling at the mouth of the river.

Bird’s Eye View of Leif Erickson Park

Here’s the first installment in the North Shore Series by BlueSky Aerial. I flew around Leif Erickson Park in Duluth and got some really gorgeous video! If you like what you see and/or you want to learn more, don’t be afraid to like and subscribe on YouTube and keep checking in for more footage of the North Shore.

Carrying Root From the Cab at Skunk Lake

Train Wreck

This 1909 drawing by Jay Hambridge depicts a train that attempted to outrun the Great Hinckley Fire of 1894. Engineer James Root chugged his St. Paul and Duluth Railroad locomotive into the burning city, where it was quickly stampeded by people trying to board and escape the disaster. The fire raged forward and the train ignited.

Root reversed the engine and raced six miles north to Skunk Lake. Within minutes of its arrival the train was engulfed as passengers dove into the mud and water. Root was pulled from the train and counted among the lucky survivors. Over 400 people died that day.

Nirvana – “Lake of Fire”

Wanted to make sure this was logged if it hadn’t been.

I knew a lady who came from Duluth
She got bit by a dog with a rabid tooth
She went to her grave just a little too soon
And she flew away howling on the yellow moon”

This Week: Zoo boozin’, bench buildin’, Minecraftin’ and more

Untitled design
Here’s a bit of what you’ll find in this week’s PDD Calendar:

Beaner’s Central kicks off another week of live music that leads to an annual compilation album, Spike Carlsen chats about writing while he builds a bench, Choice, Unlimited is throwing an arts showcase at Clyde Iron, people can drink wine at the Zoo, kids can Minecraft with their peers at the Library and the Minnesota Ballet is having a ball.

The new Tobey Maguire flick opens at the Zinema, the ninth-annual Grand Traverse hike/run event takes place, the 16th annual Lester River Rendezvous recreates the fur-trading days, Artcetera 2015 lands at the DECC, Legacy Glassworks celebrates half a decade in operation with a big concert and Twin Cities “it” band Hippo Campus comes to the Red Herring.

Mayor Ness banned from Labor Temple’s Wellstone Hall for life

Mayor Ness at Radisson

From the Sept. 16 issue of Labor World:

Without opposition a motion was made, seconded, and carried to ban Don Ness from the Duluth Labor Temple’s Wellstone Hall for life.

Time Inc. looking for ATV riders

Time is looking for local ATV riders for a video they are shooting soon.

A production team will be in Minnesota to film a short 2-3 minute video for a series that we produce quarterly. This particular shoot will feature an SUV and up to 6 subjects on an off-road trail in Gilbert. Shoot days are October 1st and 2nd.

The subjects we’re looking for are ATV enthusiasts, with their own ATVs, who are rugged, athletic, between 35 and 50, and local to the Gilbert area.

Participants will be expected to ride their ATV on a closed off-road course and then enjoy a ride in our Expedition on the same or similar course on video.

Time Inc. will compensate each applicable participant featured in the video $150 for their time during the two day shoot.

If interested, please email me at [email protected] for more details.

Please include a recent photo of yourself, and one of your ATV, full name, height and address.

This offer is on a first-come basis so please reply soon and feel free to share this offer.

“Duluth is a good town”

Duluth is a good town

This little gem is postmarked Sept. 18, 1905. Hopefully Ermina B. Smith of Menominee, Mich., believed it. It’s still true 110 years later.

David Campbell interviews Dave Campbell

David Campbell of the Current interviews Duluth’s Dave Campbell, Aerial Lift Bridge chief operator.

Shrine Game of 1965

Football poster 1965

Fifty-year-old UMD Bulldogs football road-game poster.

Selective Focus: Fringe

Jason Linus

Jason Linus, untitled

Where’d we be without the square pegs, the odd ducks, and the outliers? Blaine, probably. Feels like I’ve landed somewhere that not only appreciates, but cultivates individuality. Not eccentricity for its own sake or ostentatious outrageousness; still, there is a climate of mutual support here, and a community that values unconventional ways of approaching life, accommodating people and schemes that yield weird, unanticipated, often gratifying things.

Putting Duluth on the map

Duluth Fire Button Duluth Experience Logo

Posting the Duluth Fire button to the Duluth Button Collection recently made me think of the Duluth Experience logo, which reminded me that Perfect Duluth Day briefly had an on-the-map logo at the end of 2003, before the official and current logo was developed in 2004.

PDD2003Dec

Are there other logos putting Duluth on the map? And yes, I did notice the mark on the Duluth Fire map seems to be placed over Floodwood. I also think the old PDD logo artist intentionally made it look like the tip of Lake of the Woods was broken off.