Early Season Camping

I'm willing to admit that there really is something to this early season camping. Minnesota State Forest campground are still closed, and in this case, the main road into the forest itself was gated against motor vehicles. No bugs, no people, no worrying about who sees me digging up ramps or catching frogs.

At Birch Lake I camped on a hill over the boat launch, out of sight from the campground but close enough to walk down heat up some soup in a fire ring. It was cold, yes. There was a bit of snow after dark. I'm becoming much more tolerant of that, so long as I keep moving, and with a bottle of hot water and my new sleeping bag, it may as well have been a warm summer night.

---

Campground host site, still empty.

Out of sight, mostly.

A light to read under.

---

Golden Lake Campground

Once I get a nicer camera, I'll probably have to stop doing things like this.

---

Barnum to Hinckley

• 39mi

---

Not a good omen, so early in the day.

Wait whats that?

This guy! This is the first time I've seen another Novara Safari, rather cool.

Epic glove tan.

Back to Hinckley.

No need to sleep, I'm getting a ride tomorrow.

This light bulb is far too interesting, anyway.

Near Duluth to Barnum

• 34.73mi
• 8.0AvS

---

My neat little cabin.

Taking my time at Jay Cooke State Park. This is part of the visitor, build by the CCC.

Root Beer River, more formally known as the St. Louis.

A sandy beach, hidden from view. The perfect place to ignore the "no swimming" warnings.

Looking back, I should have ate him.

One of several schemes to help downplay the horrible headwind: Focus on finding more flowers.

Not shown: Nome, Moscow, and the moon.

Really the map-reading is just an excuse to sit for a while.

JUICE.

St. Croix State Park to Hinckley

• 25.85mi
• 8.0AvS

Compare various objects(step ladder, picnic table, anything, really...) to that bus. It's a huge bus.

Cloverdale, future ghost town?

Crackers!

Always nice to spend a night in Hinckley.

St. Croix State Park Rest Day

Not going nowhere....

St. Croix State Park highly advises one to leave the wildlife be, but enthusiastic snake-handler that I am, I decided that didn't apply to me and brought this guy back to the campsite to be admired.

Jake and the snake. Hog-nosed snake, very cute.

A handful of wintergreen.

A somewhat more substantial campsite then to which I am accustomed.

Near Spooner to St. Croix State Park

• 70.73mi
• 8.8AvS

---

Scenery sample.

First order of business in Spooner. A very generous fellow chatted with me for a bit, then insisted I take $20.

So I had a nice lunch at the Economart deli.

Back to the Gandy Dancer trail.

The imposing St. Croix River gorge.

At some point after the sun had set, I looked over my shoulder and nearly jumped off the bike. The moon, just climbing over the horizon was so massive and bright it startled me. This photo is a rather poor depiction.

Smith Rapids Campground to Ojibwa Park

• 58.29mi
• 8.6AvS

---

A cozy warming shelter at the Tuscobia trailhead near Fifield.

Hey, it's that guy.

Road sample.

Scenery sample.

A dry, comfortable evening in the quiet park.

Rhinelander to Smith Rapids Campground

• 58mi
• 9.6AvS

---

The Smith Rapids covered bridge, remarkably non-vandalized.

Anvil Lake to Rhinelander

• 38.32mi
• 8.9AvS

---

Golden Lake to Anvil Lake

• 44.80mi
• 8.7AvS

---