This year is my 40th birthday. We originally thought we'd go to Mackinac Island and also played with the idea of going to Montreal. With a spring break trip coming up we settled on a cabin on the Gunflint Trail.
The Gunflint Trail is one of our favorite spots in Minnesota. So, why not? We'd also decided to go on another campervan/RV relocation adventure at the end of the month. So don't act like I don't treat my honey.
On our drive up we stopped at Tobie's to get cinnamon bread for french toast.
Just like a few years back we stopped at Hungry Hippie Tacos in Duluth.
I feel like we have to document whenever these kids get along as it's a rarity these days.
We got the frybread tacos, but the kids stuck with the corn tortilla options.
We brought along our projector and stopped at Blake's house to steal his internet to download videos.
Once we got to Voyageur Canoe Outfitters and unloaded our stuff, we crossed the river to explore the trails briefly.
Our feet kept falling through the deep snow, guess we could have put on our snowshoes.
For dinner we had crunchwrap knockoffs.
These kids love Jenga.
"Take a picture of our tower"
Once we hooked up my iPad to the projector, the Disney+ app gave us some dumb error about our projector/device not being compatible with downloads. I should've known better as I had similar problem with a different iDevice HDMI adapter.
Since movies weren't going to work out, Theo and I played Animal Crossing. He was really excited to show me the new wallpaper in his bedroom. "It looks like a bathroom wall in a bar."
It was snowing out when we woke up.
Cinnamon bread french toast. the kids topped it with frosting that was included. Thanks Tobie's!
We were a little spoiled this year with having a full kitchen.
After breakfast we got out to play/connect to internet to see when Blake was coming. There's no service up here, which was honestly nice to take a break from the news.
The kids that live here had built a snow tunnel, our kids had fun exploring.
Fun fact. We had stayed at this same cabin when Theo was a baby.
I did some work Voyageur Canoe Outfitters six and seven years back.
We let the kiddos play and then picked them up when Blake was near.
Theo: "I like playing board games at a cabin. Especially when it's snowing. It's nice. I can't really describe it, like when I think about it it's not nice, but when I'm doing it, it is."
I studied the snowshoe trails thoroughly. VCO has trails that pass the bunkhouses on the other side of the river and traverse all the way to Gulf Lake in the BWCA.
It was still going to be a bit before Blake arrived so we headed across the river to sled.
The blowing snow on the river was a bit brutal.
The hill up to the bunkhouses was perfect to sled down.
Meadow's always got to show off.
Time to go back. Blake's almost here.
The kids tried to get him with a giant snowball.
Blake surprised me with a Glensheen mug set.
I'm impressed that he wrapped it up.
Before going snowshoeing the kiddos wanted to play Jenga with Blakie.
After a few rounds of Jenga we headed back across the river to snowshoe on the trails.
It was magical with the fresh snow.
My new jacket was perfect for these conditions.
Meadow has hated snowshoeing the last few years, but nonetheless she tagged along and mostly lead the way.
She hates any activities that are outside, except for swimming.
Always be gramming.
The trail took us to Gulf Lake.
This lake is technically in the BWCA, though this corner might've just been outside the boundaries of the Boundary Waters.
Theo fell and was having trouble getting out when we decided to head back instead of staying on the wind whipped lake.
I brought the sled along just in case, but we only got one good hill.
(Eventually) Theo got the royal treatment on the walk back.
We got a little lost on the way back.
But eventually we found our way back to the river.
The last week had warmed up. I'm so glad we got fresh snow for some end of winter fun.
I made Brooke's favorite Korean Rice Bowl with Steak, Eggs and Fried Egg. Since Blake was here, I also baked some tofu. I even made homemade kimchi.
Having a full kitchen with a fridge helps.
Shenanigans with their favorite uncle were had.
After some 7 year old shenanigans we finished a round of the Game of Life.
The next morning we headed back across the river again for more sledding.
The weather was perfect.
We spent the morning sledding and playing on the frozen Seagull River across from our cabin.
Blake leaving literal traces. I suppose footprints are OK.
These kids need better winter mittens.
After a bunch of sledding we headed back over the river to the Riverside Cabin.
I'd just found out that the ice trails on Gunflint Lake weren't going to open this weekend. Boo!
Back inside for hot chocolate and stroopwafels.
Everyones always playing card games.
In place of our ice skating adventure, we decided to hike Magnetic Rock Trail. Still my favorite hike in all of Minnesota.
How many times can we hike the North Country Trail?
Well, it's quite long. So probably hundreds of times.
The kids are always amazed that this trail goes to Duluth and their Nana's house in Michigan.
Every so often the young forest opens up to rocky outcroppings with the best views.
Meadow was not happy about having to hike and took off way ahead of us.
A forest fire ravaged the end of the Gunflint Trail back in 2007. It's amazing how much it's grown back in 18 years.
Meadow raced ahead while we took it all in. Theo may have also been whiney.
Look who had been waiting for us.
A group asked us if our daughter was the girl up ahead. We were like yeah, she hates hiking even though she's really good at it.
Apparently they waited with her for a bit and even gave her a cookie.
Blake being Blake.
Theo being cool at the namsake rock.
I saw this rock and remembered I had taken a photo of Meadow and Theo in this same spot.
Should have recreated it. Not sure Meadow would have been this happy.
She would've been fine.
Until next time Magnetic Rock.
There is only a handful of restaurants open year round on the Gunflint Trail. Poplar Haus was the closest to us. We are more of the dive bar type of people so felt a little out of place here.
It was a bit bougie, but it would do. Blake said it was Millenial-core.
TBH the food was good. But dear god can bars not have seven IPAs on tap.
We then played a thrilling game of Mario Party.
It was very competitive.
We had run out of eggs for breakfast but made do with what we had left.
None of us wanted to leave. We could've stayed all week.
Got to say the Escape PHEV was a godsend on the hills of the Gunflint Trail.
On the way home we made a stop at Gooseberry Falls. The kids always have fun when we go here and we hadn't seen it in winter. Theo put up a fight about leaving the car, then as usual had fun. I brought our ice tracks and let Theo wear them so we could explore more.
The stairs were death-defying, but we made it to each of the falls.
We spent most of the time at the lower falls.
None of the crowds wanted to brave the ice covered stairs so we had it to ourselves.
You can't tell, but you could see the water running behind the frozen facade of ice. It was so cool.
We stopped for pizza at the Northshore Pizza Cafe in Two Harbors and then let our au pair go on his way.
Another fun birthday weekend.
Only the best for, killer bee.
Comments