Duluth, MN      -     July 20, 2012    

When we first drove into town, we wondered if we would like Duluth because we came in over the bridge into the industrial area.  We quickly found the campground we had reserved online.  Well....  We have now learned to read all the fine print.  This is what the ad showed...   Spirit Lake Marina

Needless to say - this is a drawing and the print casually mentioned planned.  He said they were working on the street leading in and they were!  Completedly dug up and just rough dirt leading us down toward the shoreline.  First we saw a bunch of tanks and hardware things - not nice.

This is were we ended up camping next to the machine that lifts ships out of water....

We were fine there but not the spot we had planned on spending a relaxing week.  So we just spent the next couple of days touring the city, which was great, while we searched for another campground.

Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge (St. Louis County, Minnesota)

Opened as a transporter bridge in 1905; reconstructed as a vertical-lift bridge in 1930; rehabilitated 2000
Vertical-lift through truss bridge over the Duluth Ship Canal on Lake Avenue in Duluth. the first of just two such bridges ever constructed.  The bridge can be raised to its full height in about 3 minutes, and goes up 25 to 30 times daily during busy parts of the shipping season. The span is about 390 feet

Bridge is down and we drove across

Canal Park District

Bridge is going up as people look on.

Walking under bridge and looking up at bottoms of cars driving over.

Going UP!

Downtown Duluth



Milwaukee, WI and the Brewery  July 18, 2012           

Ask most anyone and if you mention Milwaukee, they'll think of Brewery or Brewers.  The Brewers were in town so we could not tour the stadium but got a good view from the Interstate.  It has a roof that will slide to cover the top.  How cool is that.  Too bad KC didn't go through with their original plan of rolling roof.

Miller Brewing Company was founded in 1855 by Frederick Miller.  It is said that it is his granddaughter that is the girl in the moon on their logo.  The term "High Life" on their label referred to the high society parties given in the early days.

From these simple beginnings, Miller now makes all the Miller brands plus Coors, Hamm's, Ice House, Keystone, Mickey's Malt Liquor, Old Milwaukee, Old English, Red Dog, South Paw Grolsch, Peroni, Blue Moon, Leinenkugels, Killian's Irish Red, Foster and more!

They gave generous samples which we enjoyed after our long walk around buildings.

Milwaukee Art Museum, WI   July 18, 2012  

It's funny how you hear of all these cities during your lifetime then once you visit them, they are truly real to you.  Milwaukee is one of them.  Even as a kid I remember beer commercials about Milwaukee.  We went there mainly for the Art Museum.  The building is spectacular!!!   It has huge wings that stretch out mimicing a bird in flight, possibly a swan.  There are certain times, the roof retracts like a butterfly.

The inside of the gallery was just as beautiful.  It reminded me of movie "2001 Space Odessy".  The special exhibit showing was sort of history of  French Posters and how their popularity grew.

The grounds and lake outside the Art Museum was just as lovely.  The city shows great pride.