June 6, 2014 Ely, Wolf Center

 Friday, June 6, 2014

Misty morning and the countryside is more rocky, with the road blasted through rocks on occasion.  We take a few random side roads to explore Pfeiffer Lake and Big Rice Lake.

Wild rice at Big Rice Lake

Big Rice Lake has wild rice growing and signs saying you can’t use motor boats there from June to November to protect it.  Not sure if it is harvested by people or animals, but we have seen many places selling it.  We stop at HooDoo Point and have breakfast – inside, since the mosquitos are still with us.

Since we are early for the International Wolf Center, we ask where we can get internet and are directed to a small house/café called The Front Porch.  Greg gets coffee and we use the wi-fi for 45 minutes or so.  This is a real socializing place and is very busy.  No McDonalds or Walmarts for Ely!

The Wolf Center is opening as we arrive.  This is an educational facility and they have five wolves, one of which is in “retirement”.  As they  get older and lose strength, they put them in separate quarters for their protection.  Aidan is the dominant male who posed gamely for us. 

All are grey wolves, vs red – which are only found in North Carolina of all places and are very endangered.

A wolf in the wild needs 10 square miles of territory, so the US population will never meet that of Asia and Canada, though it is increasing somewhat.  7 states have a limited hunting season.  There were displays about vocalization, facial expressions, tail postures and pack behavior and an interesting display on the  negative image of the wolf -  Little Red Riding Hood, Werewolves, etc. which help explain why many peope dislike and fear them.

Interestingly, their lifespan in the wild is only about 5 years, and the mortality of cubs is very high due to nutrition, predation, and humans .  Wolves are not very good hunters, with only a 20% success rate.  Here they eat 2-3x a week, things like a whole deer  or several beavers.

We watched a film about coyotes while we were there too.  Their population is growing like crazy, even in cities like San Francisco and Chicago.  Greg and I saw one close to our neighborhood a few months ago.

We stop at a Subway on our way out of town.   Note that the lilacs are just beginning to bloom here! We are following Spring.

Next is a spot called “Mineview in the Sky”.  It is a visitor’s center/information center in Virginia, Minnessota, with a tip of the hat to Mom!  Mining of taconite, a low grade iron ore has been and continues to be a huge business here.  The rock is about 20% iron ore, so it has to be crushed and otherwise processed to produce pellets which are much higher – 75-95% iron.  These are shipped to steel manufactures, mostly across the Great Lakes. The three mines we could see are all owned by steel companies. Harry, the volunteer who greeted us and answered questions was originally from Dallas and did a great job!

From the center, you view an old abandoned pit mine which is largely filled by water now, at 250 -450 feet.  The pit is 4 miles wide. 

There are currently three companies mining in the area and it is, naturally, a big and generous employer, with the average worker making to $80,000.  Of course it is not without critics and the controversy comes in jobs vs. quality of life.  Many are concerned about water quality,  removal of trees ,  and other conservation-issues.  We saw many signs in yards saying “I support mining”.

This truck was used in the mining – 240 ton diesel electric haul truck.

We swung by Elvereth to see the world’s largest hockey stick.  The hockey Hall of Fame is there, but we passed on that.  The whole town supports hockey with streets like Hat Trick Avenue, and shops like Sue’s Penalty Box Café.

We arrive in Duluth and head to Canal Park on the lakefront.  Lake Superior goes on and on.  It is beyond HUGE!  It is a beautiful day and there are lots of folks out enjoying the park; walking, skating, biking, splashing in the water, feeding seagulls. 

We go inside the Maritime Museum which has interesting displays on shipping on Lake Superior, including bad storms, shipwrecks, etc. 

The aerial bridge is just outside and when it is raised for a large ship, there is an announcement made of the name of the ship, origin, destination, what it is carrying, etc. 

Greg spotted these interesting reflections in the windows of a nearby building.

We are pretty bushed by 5:00 so we head just across the river to a Walmart in Superior, Wisconsin.  The one in Duluth, we read, doesn’t allow overnighters!

Did some cleanup and after hearing from a few roadtrek folks, we put plastic over the stove and ac vents and re-sealed rear windows, hoping to deter mosquitos.  None tonight at Walmart, so the test will come later.