YESTERDAY WAS a marvelous day for Doug’s Road Scholars. After Tuesday’s visit to Sig Olson’s iconic Listening Point with Listening Point Foundation president Patsy Mogush, my great friend, we arose early and hiked in to scenic Kawishiwi Falls, along a trail populated with glorious trees, unique specimens growing over boulders and old white pine stumps, surrounded by blue bead lily, starflower, bunchberry, and sarsaparilla. We visited the fabulous International Wolf Center and got a special private tour at the perhaps even more extraordinary North American Bear Center. There, delightful Education Director Spencer acquainted folks with Ambassador bears Holly, Tascha and Lucky, gave a thorough talk about the life history of black bears and answered every question. (Road Scholars have a lot of questions.)

Today we are off to walk a bog, to travel to Voyageurs National Park where we will take the park boat cruise to historic Kettle Falls, receiving another information-packed tour from another wonderful friend, Head Park Interpretive Ranger Mark Miller, while we soak up the grand scale and beauty of the Voyageurs’ Highway and the Canadian Shield. Then on to a day of paddling at my childhood haunt, Lake Kabetogama, and a fine dinner with the grand folks at Thunderbird Lodge on Rainy Lake, just a mile or so from our Fawn Island.

Each of these days is a North Country gem, polished fine, and augmented by time spent with countless Northwoods friends—some with two legs, others with roots and blossoms, feathers and fur. It’s a joy to share favorite scenes, favorite places, hidden secrets about my favorite part of the world.
(Yes, next year’s trips are already listed as ‘sold out’ but there are waiting lists! 😉).