A Little R and R

School Closings - Northern Minnesota

We got to Tofte last night around 8:00. We stopped in Two Harbors to pick up some last minute groceries and beer. The friendly folks at the checkout told us to be careful driving tonight--they said there was an ice storm happening from Silver Bay north to Canada. We drove cautiously on hwy 61 for the 80 miles. It was dark so we couldn't really see the ice, but when we got to Silver Bay the Cleveland Cliffs Mining operation lit up the sides of the road and I could see how the ice storm had already hit and each of the tiny branches were coated with ice.

We followed a salt truck most of the way north and didn't have any problems. When we got to Bluefin and stepped out onto the ground it was slick.

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Woke up this morning and opened the windows--dark and gray, windy and cold-looking. The lake is dark but open. Two years ago when we were here it was freezing cold (negative temps) and the lake was pretty still and partially frozen. Today it doesn't look like we'll be skiing. Bill said he'd swim some laps in the pool for exercise.

Duluth schools are closed as are most of the schools along the shore where the ice storm hit. I checked the Mining Journal to see if the ice hit the UP. Yup, most of the Marquette area schools are closed but Marquette and NMU are open.