Camping in Minnesota, eh?

This year's Adventure Siblings Excursion™ took us the furthest north we've been, outpacing Seattle, WA by a latitudinal smidgeon.
Seattle, WA --- 47.6062° N, 122.3321° W
Lake Vermilion-Soudan Mine Underground State Park, MN --- 47.8234° N, 92.2419° W

Preparation
Having neither backpacked nor camped since 2014, I upped my workout game (as in, I began 10min/day home workouts four (4) days a week) in preparation. I was feeling pretty good, even lost a few pounds. I'm nowhere near the activity level or metabolic level I was in my twenties, which is a continual disappointment to thirtysomething me, and I always worry about slowing down my younger, fitter brother.

I was also worried about pain. During the month leading up to our trip, my meds were being adjusted and I was experiencing varying levels of 'ow' from 'bandage-for-stability' to 'constant-pain-and-loss-of-strength'. A few days before we were set to embark, both of my wrists and hands felt terrible. I began to envision a repeat of our days hiking in Washington and the cross-country drive thereafter, during which my knees were in excruciating pain. I wanted this to be a fun trip for Sasquatch; not one tainted with my inability to adventure alongside him.

Thankfully, everything balanced out in time. I had very little disease-related pain during our excursion.

Day One

15+ hours of driving. S'quatch and I were on a tighter budget this year, so we opted for one long day of

driving over an additional hotel stay. I love being on the road, and S'quatch loves seeing me freak out over ridiculous traffic, so it all worked well. We departed well-before sunup with the goal of reaching the park and hiking into our campsite before dusk.

I will never again forget how much I loathe driving through the Chicago area. Much like driving through St Louis, all of my experiences with freeway traffic have been abysmal. Chicago and its traffic situation was the source of the majority of my Day 1 ranting.

Our routes around Cleveland don't take us through many traffic circles. Using them (without anxiety) was practically a skill I had to learn while at college, as my drive to and around Sweet Briar featured a few. S'quatch has not had this same experience, evidenced when we encountered a series of traffic circles in Minnesota and he began a mini rant. Which I found hilarious. I can't say whether it's the ease of traffic flow sans stoplights or just because my brother found them so annoying, but I have gained a higher appreciation for traffic circles in all circumstances.

When I booked our campsite in Afton State Park, I checked distances between the site and the parking area, swimming area, visitor center, park office, toilet, drinking water, and firewood. I also checked the ground cover / camping pad of the site. (Some had elevated gravel pads, which I did not want.) What I forgot to check was the topography. Somehow I missed a note that the 1-mile hike into the backpacking campground is strenuous; and that note did not lie. After a jaunty walk beyond the visitor center, there is a steep hill down to the beach. And then a steep, switchback path up to the campsites. There's a bit more path in between the two, of course; a lovely wooden bridge, other paths branching off, etc. It doesn't sound like much. It doesn't look like much. We've hiked more difficult terrain. But in the humidity, at that elevation, with backpacks...I am ashamed to say that I kneeled down more than once.

I had to take off my pack to be able to breathe. Even then, I struggled to get enough air. Cleveland's elevation is 653'. The lower elevation of Mount Rainier National Park starts at 1,600'. I never imagined 938' in Minnesota would cause me so much distress. Sasquatch eventually shouldered my gear along with his, leaving me with the lighter burdens, and still I crawled portions of the incline. God bless my brother, he never abandoned me.

Our campsite was fantastic. Private trail in, partially wooded, soft grass. And it was before dusk. We had accomplished our goal for the day! I unpacked and set up the tent while Sasquatch ventured to find firewood and potable water to replenish our bottles. Afton State Park has self-serve firewood, saws provided, for a fee per day/bundle. It had rained recently, humidity was high, and everything was damp. We had a collection of fire-starting tools (matches, magnesium, ferro rod, fire sticks) but couldn't keep the tinder and kindling aflame long enough for the larger fuel pieces to catch. It was an exercise in futility, having to continually relight the fire. Had we lost our amazing campfire skills? Oh, the humiliation!

Exhausted and blind in the dark, we retired to the tent. Paper-and-pencil games are a favorite when we're traveling. We especially enjoy battleship, tic-tac-toe, hangman, and dots & boxes. And of course we each brought a paperback book to read. Neither of us packed sleeping pads, but the grass beneath our tent and sleeping bags was perfectly comfortable. We were visited by deer, owls, and a raccoon during the night! Hearing hoofbeats gallop onto the site was incredible, and I laughed out loud when the confused deer stopped short. It did not care for the appearance of our tent in its frolicking zone, but was curious enough to snuffle the tent - and me inside it - before bouncing away.

Day Two

It was a beautiful morning in the park! Waking up to wild turkeys in our campsite was awesome. Sasquatch and I hiked a prairie trail that led to a wooded overlook of the St Croix River. Early morning mist made everything ethereal. Without backpacks our hike around the park was less difficult, though the steep paths still left us out of breath. My water bottle was my most important possession; I refilled it at every opportunity. And where yesterday I had scoffed at benches placed along more demanding routes, today I took advantage of every one offered.

As we completed a long loop on our return trek to the camp area, a team of young men were jogging the arduous trail. Envy flared within me, and even S'quatch looked incredulous. There was no way we were joining them for a run.

After lunch and a nap (I love midday camping naps!), we ventured north to William O'Brien State Park for a bit of canoeing on the St Croix. Afton offers a boat-in campsite, but does not rent watercraft. Everything we experienced in the parks was very much an honor-code system. From parking passes to paying for firewood and renting canoeing supplies, the park provided envelopes and drop boxes for payments and returns. And not once did I see anyone abusing the system. It was refreshing and uplifting.

The river was low in the launch area and along the route we canoed, so we spent a lot of time wading and pulling our craft. It was still a fantastic scene. We had a great time making up stories about who lived in the houses along the river. An island served as our halfway point, and we had a snack break and stretched our legs before the return trip.

Swimming is a staple of our Adventure Siblings Excursions, whether in a natural body of water or a hotel pool. Swimming in the St Croix River was unlike anywhere else I've swam. Maybe it was the river plants tangling around my legs. I didn't feel unsafe exactly, just different. The water almost seemed more dense than usual. It was a very odd feeling. S'quatch said nothing felt off to him, so perhaps it was a product of my tired self.

That evening I broke out my final, trusty fire starter I'd saved from our whitewater rafting trip in 2014. Sawdust with a wick packed into a paper cup and sealed with wax. It burned hot and long, and we had no problem lighting a proper campfire. Because can you really say you had a successful camping trip if you didn't make s'mores?

Day 3

On our quest to discover something awesome to do during our trip - besides backpacking, camping, hiking, canoeing, swimming, etc. - we found tours advertised for Soudan Underground Mine. And we were not disappointed. Being approximately a 4-hour drive further north, Sasquatch and I packed up our campsite and said goodbye to Afton, in favor of visiting Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park.

In short, it was amazing! Our tour guide was absolutely fantastic and fun. Having worked in a mine himself, Karel had the best stories and insights to share. And he was enthusiastic without being irritating. I do get claustrophobic, but other than the 3-minute cage ride down into the mine I was fine. Besides the underground mine tour, a science tour into the physics lab (there really are underground government labs!) is also offered. I would absolutely visit again for the science tour, and even a repeat of the mine tour. It was such an interesting experience.

The Journey Home

The drive home was eventful. We hit a massive rainstorm in Wisconsin that stopped traffic. It was the worst weather I have driven through. Everyone on the freeway was creeping along with their hazards turned on, trying not to hydroplane or hit other vehicles. The rain was sheeting in such a way that visibility was limited to maybe 7 feet. Even when it cleared a bit, I couldn't drive over 20mph without slipping. And this went on for 30+ minutes. I had white knuckles. It was so stressful. Naturally the exit we needed in that area was a grand sweeping curve on the left-hand side. Always an adventure.

We began our drive out of Minnesota in mid-afternoon, and the storm slowed us down, so we stayed in Wisconsin overnight. It was nice to have a hot shower.

If you're wondering, yes, our second drive of the trip through the Chicago area was just as awful as the first. Between construction and other motorists behaving like [expletives], our average speed was 15mph. Argh! But all those experiences make memorable trips.

Another successful Adventure Siblings Excursion™ has ended. It wasn't our best camping experience - campfire difficulties the first night and an invasion of bugs the second night - but I am never disappointed to have spent any time with my brother. I'm so thankful we have this sort of relationship. And I cannot wait to plan our next adventure!

You can see more photos from our trip (including park habitat information and info about Soudan Underground Mine) in my album Minnesota Camping Trip (2021).

A Few Good Friends

I did not grow up with a best friend or experience the type of bonding childhood shenanigans depicted in films such as Stand By Me or The Sandlot. And it bothered me for a very long time. Despite being liked in school and moving easily between groups of people, I felt very isolated. I struggled with depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. I struggled with the reality that life was nothing like the novels I enjoyed reading.

When I reached my lowest point, I knew that only I could affect how I interacted with the world and how I felt about myself. It wasn't an easy thing, or a quick thing. Something that helped me especially was deciding to view everything as a possible adventure. It was like writing the book of my life, and I wanted to ensure there were exciting chapters worth reading.

I was lucky enough to connect with a few great people in high school; the type of people I consider family, who I will love and cherish for the rest of my life. I also (finally) found my best friend, that part of me that seemed to be missing, in college. I had waited so long for that feeling of connection, of knowing another person before even meeting them. I discovered that it exists. It is real. I just needed the patience.

When you find people who make your life better, more enjoyable, easier to manage, spending time with them can be a type of catharsis. And it can help reaffirm that you are worthwhile, especially during times when you can't muster that feeling yourself.

Hold on to the people and the experiences that make you happy, that remind you who you can be.

Date Night, 2008

        A collection of happy memories, featuring Cole!

A celebration of the highest order, 2018

Lakewood Park (2009)

Chautauqua Lake (2012)

Ohio Pinball Show (2017)

You can see more photos from our impromptu adventures in my collection Adventures with Cole.

Austin Lake Park & Campground (2012)

I mentioned my brother (codename: Sasquatch) in a previous post. Every summer, he and I take a trip together. It all started the year he turned sixteen...

Growing up, my parents enrolled me in all sorts of outdoor activities. I learned orienteering, trap-setting, identification of animal tracks and edible plants. You get the idea. I loved it. Every weekend we were hiking, biking, canoeing, rock climbing, visiting the zoo. It left quite an impression on me. I feel strong and capable and connected and creative when I'm outdoors, I get an adrenaline rush and feel like I'm doing something important when I try something new, and each experience helps boost my self-confidence.

My brother and I are eleven years apart. We are each other's only sibling. He didn't focus as much on the outdoorsy stuff. So when he expressed interest in camping, I leaped at the chance to be a model big sister and teach life skills. We had so much fun on that first trip that a tradition began: Adventure Siblings!

Our first summer adventure was a two-day trip to Austin Lake RV Park & Cabins in Toronto, OH. Located 2+ hours southeast of Cleveland, near Jefferson Lake State Park, it was a manageable drive and easy to navigate. Austin Lake Park has a variety of hiking trails and water activities, both of which Sasquatch and I enjoy.

He wasn't quite tall enough to have earned the nickname yet, but there were already signs...

I purchased a dome tent specifically for this trip, so Sasquatch's first assembly and overnight experience wouldn't be in the military tent I usually used. Our primitive campsite was pitched with minimal struggle. I was so proud of him!

I'm still proud whenever I look at this photo!

The true highlight of the trip was Sasquatch's first campfire. It took us over an hour to get the flame to catch. I had never had such problems getting a fire started. Burned finger pads and knuckles later, we were both frustrated and losing hope. And then...then...the tiny flame flared and decided now was its time!

And once it was lit, nothing would put out that fire. A thunderstorm raged throughout the night / threatening to flood our campsite / but our campfire burned strong and bright. We were so impressed with it and ourselves that we stayed awake in the tent watching the fire, letting it burn long overnight. He still talks about that epic campfire!

We had a great time hiking and canoeing at Austin Lake Park. Two days wasn't enough to partake in all the activities, but it was the perfect first trip to launch our adventures. I would absolutely return for a low-key, family-friendly camping experience.

You can see more photos from our hike in the Austin Lake Park (2012) album.