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Hip history and chocolate potato chips!

18 Dec

So last week as I entered my Grade 12 history class I was greeted by one of my students who presented me with a Pringles potato chip. Hiding the can from me, she told me to “taste it!” I’m usually very leery about requests to taste or smell unknown things for obvious reasons, but I decided to trust her judgement as I’ve never met a potato chip I didn’t like (well, with the exception of dill pickle). Taking the plunge, I was immediately greeted by the strangest combination of flavours I’ve ever experienced. I thought I tasted what seemed like peppermint and chocolate…weird. Turns out that Pringles has released some new flavours for the holidays, including white chocolate and peppermint; not something I’ll be running to the store for!

Anyway, the special edition chips tell us that Christmas is rapidly approaching. The man in the big red suit arrives in exactly one week! It’s hard to believe that it is almost here. It seems like yesterday that it was September and the school year was just starting. Where does the time go? Maybe the saying is true, “time flies when you’re having fun!” I wouldn’t necessarily say it was all fun, but certainly it was memorable.

It has once again been a very busy week on all fronts, especially with work. I am desperately trying to clear up as much marking as I can before we head into the break. My main priority is to finish marking the Gr.12 Independent Studies that I promised would be back by Friday. I also have a bunch of other things that I doubt will be done before Friday and on Thursday all three of my classes are writing tests. So I guess I’ll have a pile of marking to do over the break that I probably won’t get all through.

Speaking of work to do over the holidays, I know I’ll be spending some time going through clips and putting together our annual football highlight video. Come January players from this year’s team will be visiting our feeder school Pope John Paul II to do some recruiting. I guess I’ll have my work cut out for me!

It is also a very busy time for our boys with all the pre-Christmas activities. I spent the afternoon today with my youngest Noah at one of the local farms, Gammondale. They do a real good job making things fun and exciting for these young kids. Too bad they were not able to do the sleigh ride because of the lack of snow. Yes, once again pretty much all of the snow has disappeared due to warm temperatures! Unless we get some snowfall in the next few days (which is not in the forecast), we will have that brown Christmas I spoke of a few weeks ago.

Now with the approach of that much anticipated two weeks off, one of my primary goals (on top of all the other things I just wrote about and then some) is to do some work on my Leeblain article. It seems like eons since I last looked at it (November 4th according to my computer). I really want to get it done so I can have my contact at the Thunder Bay Historical Society take a look at it and give me some feedback. With Christmas close to the beginning of the break, I should be able to squeeze in some time here and there.

Handcar on the PAD&W, date unknown (Shelley Simon).

Handcar on the PAD&W, date unknown (Shelley Simon).

Work is continuing to progress on the Silver Mountain Historical Society. The last week has been filled with many little projects associated with the start-up and incorporation of this organization. We are hoping to have an executive meeting early in the New Year to complete and file the incorporation papers.

Ready for the incorporaton meeting, December 2012.

Ready for the incorporaton meeting, December 2012.

Yesterday I posted the first of what will be many blog entries describing the latest news from the society on our WordPress site. It seems if I am rapidly becoming a social media junky. Between the two blogs, several Facebook groups and pages, as well as four Twitter accounts, I feel as if this is like a fulltime job. However in this electronic age, it is absolutely critical to tap every medium possible. One of our goals is to reach out to our youth, and as a teacher I know that you need to speak their language and utilize all the latest technology. Welcome to a new era, where history can be hip and cool!

Shelley Simon and myself speaking at the SMHS, December 2012.

Shelley Simon and I speaking at the SMHS, December 2012.

On a final note, work is progressing on my personal project to preserve the railway in the North-Gunflint Lake area. Today I received an email from my contact in the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. Apparently gears are turning at the government level and hopefully everyone involved will be able to sit down and discuss where to proceed next. This certainly gives me reason for some optimism. I know that things like this take time, but at least we are moving in the right direction.

Anyway, it’s time to go…marking beckons! Next week’s blog will be a day early due to Christmas. Until then…

 
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Posted by on December 18, 2012 in History, Miscellaneous, Research, Writing

 

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Visions of what???

11 Dec

According to the poem, I am supposed to have visions of sugar-plums dancing through my head. I know that is from “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” but close enough. And what the hell is a sugar-plum anyway? According to our friends at Google, it is a type of dragée candy. Learn something new every day! Anyway, there are certainly no candy images floating through my head. If there was, maybe I wouldn’t have a headache. No, despite the season, my thoughts are focussed on other things. The sugar-plums have been replaced by marking, meetings and railways…par for the course right? All these things do nothing but exacerbate the sense of burnout that I’m feeling right now. How many more sleeps?

So Christmas is exactly 2 weeks away. The brown blah I wrote about last week has been replaced by a new blanket of snow, at least making it feel right. The house is fully decorated and ready for the season. Most of the shopping has been done and there are only a few things left to do. I guess it is now a waiting game, which is always interesting with a couple little boys in the house. They are certainly chopping at the bit for the big guy to arrive. We’ll see what he has in store this year!

To answer my previous question, there are only 8 more sleeps before the break. Thank God…my brain capacity is dwindling by the minute! I know I write a lot about it, but it seems as if every year the burnout gets more pronounced. Maybe it’s got something to do with the fact that I have way to many things going on (hence the lack of sugar plums). I tend to stress about things, which is not usually a good thing to do. I know that relaxation is important (and healthy), but I’m the type whose brain is always chewing on something. School is definitely one of those things. I had to laugh when I read my post from a year ago and wrote Santa for a marking elf. He never did send one, so maybe I should ask again!

This past week was again a very busy time on the railway front. Sunday was the incorporation meeting for the Silver Mountain Historical Society so there was a million and one things to do. Even though the event has passed, there are still many things swirling in my mind. The meeting itself went really well despite some bad weather.

The weather forecast called for snow on Sunday, so as I prepared to gather my stuff and head out to Silver Mountain I was a bit concerned at how that would affect the turn out. I’m sure we did lose some people due to the slippery roads, but the amount of folks that did show up was very positive. There was close to 30 people in attendance, and coupled with those that came to the previous event, we have over 60 names registered with the society!

Silver Mountain Station, December 2012.

Silver Mountain Station, December 2012.

I was the main presenter at the meeting, on top of speaking about the railway and our goal to preserve the North-Gunflint Lake corridor, particularly the ghost town of Leeblain. Other information was presented by my co-host Shelley Simon, who spoke about efforts to erect a historic plaque at Silver Mountain (like the PAD&W plaque in Hymers) and repair the Silver Mountain Cemetery. All this and we haven’t even really started!

PAD&W Historic Plaque, Hymers, May 2012.

PAD&W Historic Plaque, Hymers, May 2012.

To proceed with our incorporation process, a society executive had to be chosen. I was nominated and acclaimed as Vice-President. I certainly appreciate the selection, but I am also very nervous. There are just so many things involved and many of us have never done anything like this. Thankfully we have some members from the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society who will be guiding us through this process.

I guess my biggest fears stem from the fact that I am unsure how this will affect my free time. Between work, family and coaching, my time is fairly limited. I still want to pursue my research of the railway and especially the fieldwork aspect of it. Hopefully I can find a way to tie everything in together. To compound things, I decided to start a blog for the society as well, The Silver Express (not really sold on the title, but I can always change it). Oh by the way, if you haven’t noticed, I changed the title of this bog too. I thought it was a bit more creative than “Padwrr.”

Anyway, I guess I should get rolling as I have marking to do; big shocker! Hopefully by next week I’ll have some pics of the society meeting. Until then…

 
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Posted by on December 11, 2012 in History, Miscellaneous, Writing

 

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Now what have I gotten myself into?

16 Oct

Hey Dave, what do you think about doing some more railway related stuff? You’ve got lots of spare time on your hands right? My response of course was “sure, bring it on!” Good Lord, I must be a losing my marbles! If my life wasn’t busy enough, I’ve obviously decided to take on more things to do. I’ll explain it all very shortly, but it leaves me feeling like the schlep that Bugs Bunny eloquently describes as a “maroon!”

As usual, it has been a very hectic, but productive week. The travel meeting for the 2014 Europe trip was very successful, with about 21 students in attendance. This was exactly the number we were looking for; hopefully most of them make it out to the parent meeting happening next week. That will give us a true indication of our numbers. The kids seem pretty excited and I can’t wait to “touch” history with them!

Football of course has been busy, with both teams in action. The boys played their second game of the year on Saturday and came away victorious again. It is really neat to watch these 5, 6 and 7 year olds in action, with all of their passion and energy. Yesterday our team practiced with the “big kids” (12 & 13 year olds) and they had a blast! Great to see the older players working with and mentoring the younger ones…what an awesome way to promote the game.

Last Thursday was the third game for our high school junior team and we made it two wins in a row with a convincing 30 to 7 decision over Churchill. Responding to the previous week’s lackluster performance, the defence put in a great effort. We had two picks, two forced fumbles, a few sacks and limited their offence to a handful of first downs. Hopefully we can maintain that momentum heading into this week’s game against Westgate, whom we haven’t beat in the last five meetings.

So anyway, I guess I should say some stuff about the railway shouldn’t I? Well, there has been a flurry of railway related news this past week. I did manage the post the video of the trip to the Paulson Mine to YouTube; it and several others have been getting some good exposure thanks in part to the folks at boreal.org and their video labs project. They post links to videos about and related to the Cook County area. In recent weeks the Paulson video, as well as the Gunflint Narrows videos have been featured.

Speaking of great exposure, I came across a great plug for the railway and my work today in the writings of Sue Prom. Sue, along with her husband, own Voyageur Canoe Outfitters at the end of the Gunflint Trail. I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting Sue, but she has written about my railway research several times in her blog. I came across her latest mention this morning, describing a visit to the rock ovens of Leeblain (ironically enough the same day I was at the Paulson Mine). I certainly appreciate the free promotion and hopefully I can give her a tour of the railway that she is looking for someday!

The most interesting railway news however came on Sunday, and is the inspiration of the title. For many weeks I have been looking forward to celebrating the birthday of the last remaining significant building on the line. In 1907, Canadian Northern Railway (the then owners of line), decided to replace the 10 x 20 log freight shed at Silver Mountain with a more substantial structure. The project was announced in March of that year, and shortly thereafter a 25 x 50 station was in place. The pattern for this station would later be copied 40 miles to the west at North Lake.

North Lake Station, circa 1918.

So anyway, Sunday was the 105th birthday of the Silver Mountain Station, which is now a restaurant owned by local entrepreneur and friend Shelley Simon. Since moving here from southern Ontario several years ago, Shelley has worked tirelessly to promote the station and the area. There is a lot of history in that building and this was the second event hosted there in the last few months (remember the August “History Day”). It was supposed to start at 11:00am with brunch, but I almost missed it as I had to hustle from church that morning (Ethan had his first communion induction). Fortunately I was able to partake in the delicious spread Shelley put out and I even had a chance to sit and chat with Whitefish resident Helen Cooper whom I met this summer.

Silver Mountain Station, June 2012.

The ceremony began shortly after my arrival with a cake-cutting, as well as a plaque presentation by local Ontario MPP Bill Mauro. I did get a few minutes to speak to Mr. Mauro regarding the historic preservation on Gunflint Lake since he has been very helpful in our efforts. This brief conversation has led to some subsequent emails and additional assistance by Mr. Mauro. Hopefully this will lead to further understanding of the history of the area and what we are trying to protect.

Shelley Simon and Bill Mauro, October 2012.

Silver Mountain Station plaque presentation, October 2012.

On that note, a group of us stayed behind and agreed to launch what will become the “Silver Mountain Historical Society.” The stated purpose of this merry band is to preserve the history of the station, as well as to try to promote and preserve the railway. One of our first tasks, once we get rolling, is to work with the government to protect the railway in the North-Gunflint Lake corridor, and all the historic sites in that area such as Leeblain. This is going to be a huge task, not including getting the society off the ground. I volunteered to serve as interim co-chair with Shelley; hopefully more people step forward to help as I don’t think I can handle everything on my plate, hence the title of today’s post. It is exciting to be part of something like this, but when I started researching how to start a not for profit organization, it made my head hurt. Way too many legal and procedural hoops to jump through.

Speaking at Silver Mountain, October 2012.

Anyway, I guess I should wrap this up. I’m sure I’ll have more news to report on next week. Until then…

 
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Posted by on October 16, 2012 in Hiking, Miscellaneous, Research, Travel, Writing

 

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Cry havoc, and let slip…the Dawgs and Bandits?

18 Sep

Yes, sometimes I even surprise myself with my cleverness. Literary genius? Definitely not. Obviously this week’s title is a play on the famous phrase from William Shakespeare’s tragedy Julius Caesar. The big question remains however, is where does the other part come from? Well, you’ll just have to keep reading!

It has been yet another busy week, and my exhaustion has not dissipated; rather, I can say that it has become magnified. Is it Christmas break yet? I would certainly not wish away the fall for the respite that the holidays offer, but things are a tad bit crazy right now. Between work and football, I feel like I can’t stop my head from spinning.

My classes have certainly been going well and I am definitely back into the swing of things. It is almost like I never left. It sometimes amazes me how after 14 years in the classroom things have become second nature to me. It is also weird that I don’t think of myself as veteran, experienced teacher, but I am. Young at heart? I think a lot of it has to do with the passion I have for teaching and for history. I hope some of it rubs off!

Now speaking of history, work is progressing on the planned 2014 excursion to Europe. Last week I had an interest meeting which attracted 12-13 kids; I’m sure there were many who did not know about it despite my multiple announcements. The plan is to travel with our sister school St. Ignatius and hopefully we have enough kids to fill a bus. We haven’t yet decided on an itinerary, but that will be taken care of this week. Probably France, Belgium and the Netherlands…sounds like an awesome adventure!

Stone of remembrance, Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery, Cintheaux, France.

So, what are these dawgs and bandits you speak of Dave? I’ve used it in the title, so it must be something of significance. Well, it is actually. Since 1999 I have coached high school football, and for the past 10 years of that time I have been the head coach of our school’s junior team (JV for any American readers). I currently coach the linebacking corps, as well as serving as the defensive coordinator. In our 3-5-4 defensive scheme (3 down linemen, 5 linebackers and 4 defensive backs), the outside linebackers are called dawgs and the left/right inside ‘backers are called bandits. Linebackers are the heart of this blitzing defence, thus the need to unleash them! We play our first scrimmage on Thursday, so we’ll see how things pan out.

I’m currently getting a double dose of coaching, as I’m taking on a pretty substantial role with the boys Tyke football program. They were direly short of coaches, so I volunteered my services and experience to teach these 5, 6 and 7 year olds. It is certainly a challenge! We have not set any teams yet, so it is mainly just fundamentals for now. Introducing offensive and defensive schemes to them should be quite the interesting endeavour.

Needless to say that with all of these things going on, that any railway work has been put on the back-burner. I’m just too tired to concentrate on such things as writing. I’m hoping to get back to my Leeblain article at some point in the future. Leeblain however is on my mind. Even though I’m very busy with other things, I’m still working on the historic preservation at the site of this ghost town. I’ll probably have more news to report in the next few weeks.

I did spend some time working on some railway related stuff on Saturday. I’m still planning to head to Minnesota to visit the Paulson Mine in a few weeks. In preparation for that trip, I decided to do a bit of research. Despite several explorations, particularly this spring, I have been unable to clearly determine the exact route the railway took near the mine. My attempts this spring were frustrated by the new forest growth, so I’m hoping that with the dropped foliage I will be more successful.

To aid in my quest, I pulled out a historic map that was included in U.S. Grant’s geological survey of the area. Using the data on the map, I tried to plot some likely locations for the railway. For now I am optimistic as to what I’ll find. They say success is built on failure, and I’ve failed a lot in this regard. Maybe my luck will change this time…I guess I’ll find out soon enough.

Paulson Mine area, Minnesota.

Anyway, I better get rolling. As usual, there will be more to say next week. Until then…

 
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Posted by on September 18, 2012 in Hiking, Miscellaneous, Research, Travel, Writing

 

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Man I’m beat!

11 Sep

That pretty much sums it up. I am dead tired! Now you’re probably wondering how I could be in this state since school only started a week ago. Well, I guess it’s like the proverbial 0 to 60. A week and a half ago I was relaxing at home and now I’m putting in 11 hours days. Yesterday I was so exhausted I had no energy to even write this blog…I guess it will be a Tuesday night affair for the foreseeable future.

So the explanation behind my current physical and mental state is simple-I’m doing a heck of a lot of stuff. Tuesday I was back at work, and Wednesday was the first day of classes. By Thursday we were holding our first football practice and Saturday was the boy’s initial Tyke football practice. I try to put everything I have into what I do, and I guess it takes a lot out of me. Yesterday I went from the classroom to the football field, and then another football practice; hence my lack of energy to write. I’m hoping that my body adjusts to this new schedule soon; otherwise it’s going to be a long few months.

Anyway, enough about my sad sob story. It has been a good return to work, and I’m certainly (trying) to get into the swing of things. My classes are good, and I’m looking forward to working with this group of students for the next five months. Likewise it has been a good start to the football season, though I am concerned about the less than stellar player numbers. We have not had a numbers issue in quite a while so it is a bit baffling as to why we are suddenly faced with this issue. There are some students planning on coming out over the next few days so I hope things turn around. We play our first scrimmage next week so there is a lot to do in a very short period of time.

I’ve also jumped into some other extra-curricular planning. Based on the success of this spring’s Vimy Ridge trip, we’ve decided to plan a return to Europe for 2014. That year will be the 70th anniversary of D-Day, so I would be nice to see Normandy to commemorate that event. We’re having a meeting tomorrow, so I hope there will be enough interest to get the wheels turning. There’s no decision yet as to where exactly we will go, but definitely Juno Beach and Dieppe are at the top of the list.

German bunker, Nan White Sector, Juno Beach.

Needless to say all of this has left me with little time (or energy) to devote to the railway. I was hoping to get more work done on my article on Leeblain, but other than looking a few things over, I didn’t write anything new. I did get a little research done, as requires much less mental effort than writing. What I turned up was quite amazing. I found a document about Fort William in 1893. It spoke about the optimism surrounding the railway soon after its construction, particularly with the impending shipment of iron ore. Most importantly, it contained a map showing the route of the line and its initial stations. Very neat to see!

Railway Map, 1893.

Railway Map, 1893.

Now this work stuff has really cut into my “me” time, so I really won’t be able to get to hike the railway anytime soon. Besides, I do need to catch up on some projects around this house. I am planning my next hike though, and I hope it will be productive. I’ve been asked by fellow railway historian Elinor Barr to take her to the Paulson Mine. It has been several years since I visited the site, so it will be nice to get back. While I’m there I can shoot some new video for the YouTube Channel! I’d also like to try again to locate some traces of the second switchback on the railway near the mine. If you remember, my efforts were thwarted back in June, so I’m hoping that with the leaves down I will be more successful.

Anyway, I know this is a bit short of my usual babble, but I need to go to bed. I’m beat! So, until next week…

 
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Posted by on September 11, 2012 in Hiking, Miscellaneous, Research, Travel, Writing

 

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But I don’t wanna go back!

03 Sep

No this is not the end of summer, please don’t send me plea from my children; it’s actually mine. It’s quite unfortunately that summer is already over…didn’t it just start? It is amazing how quickly time flies. I’ll probably be saying the same thing in 10 months when it is June. The only solace I take is that I have yet to hear that annoying back to school Staples commercial. No, it’s not the most wonderful time of the year; if you don’t want you kids any longer, why do you think I do?

Anyway, tomorrow I go back to work. At least I get to be eased back with a PD Day tomorrow. However, I know that day two will be hell, as I’m never tired on the first day, but rather the second. Going back to work is inevitable, but you know where I’d rather be!

Beach at Leeblain, August 2012.

My schedule is not too bad to begin the year; two Grade 10 Canadian Histories (Academic and Pre-AP) and a Grade 12 World History. I know I’m dreading it right now, but give me a day and I’ll be right back into the swing of things…it’s like riding a bike. My love and enthusiasm for teaching will come flooding back. I can’t believe that I will be entering my 16th year in the classroom…damn I’m getting old!

September also brings with it the start of football. We’ve already held our usual pre-season meeting and I’m certainly looking forward to getting out on the field. It is always a bit of a crap-shoot when it comes to the composition of the team; we do have a core of returnees, but we don’t know who will be coming up from Grade 8 and who did not play last year in Grade 9. I guess we’ll get an indication at Wednesday’s lunch meeting.

The last few weeks have been a very good and a great way to wrap up the vacation. I spent a good part of it in the states with the family (and unfortunately a technical glitch with my laptop prevented my usual blog post last week). I know the boys really enjoyed the time in Duluth and Minneapolis and so did I. I spent lots of time hanging out with Ethan and Noah, and in some cases, trying to keep my lunch down. The boys love the rides at the amusement parks and the propensity is for the ones that make me want to puke. Case in the point, the Splat-o-Sphere at Nickelodeon Universe; I spent this particular whirl with my eyes closed lest I blow chunks in front of a bunch of kids. Maybe I’ll get better with time!

Sunset in Bloomington, August 2012.

Upon my return, I made plans for one final summer hike on the railway. I had been itching to get back to Leeblain since my last visit in early August. This trip would be different though, as I was planning to take the boys with me on the long drive to Gunflint Lake. The 146km journey is certainly very interesting, and I forgot how brutal the last 30k was.

When we arrived, we met up with fellow researcher Harold Alanen. As an amateur archeologist, Harold has spent a lot of time around Leeblain looking for Native/Voyager artifacts. We were joined near the railway siding by a few Minnesota friends, John and Joel. John was my host on my Minnesota trip and it was good to see him.

After getting myself (and the boys) ready, we headed north 130m towards the northern rock oven. As we arrived, I happened to glance into the bush just before the oven. I immediately recognized the flat slabs of rock that make up the ovens. Calling everyone over, I charged into the deadfall to identify the “mystery” fourth rock oven. I say mystery because Harold had previously indicated that there might be another oven in the area. However, when he failed to locate it on a previous trip, I was a bit disappointed. I cannot believe that I had never seen this oven before, especially since the brush was thinner before the 2007 fire. Needless to say I am ecstatic over this great discovery.

Rock oven, Leeblain, August 2012.

From there we moved to the ovens closer to the town and eventually said goodbye to John and Joel. Then it was time to go to work. One of my main goals for the day was to locate the 1100 foot spur that branched off somewhere near the ovens. The spur was probably removed after Canadian Northern took over in 1899 as it is not shown on the 1911 map. Google Earth told me that the gravel pit across from Leeblain looked very angular and the distance from the end of the pit to the grade was nearly 1100 feet.

Our first search took us along the eastern side of the pit, where it became obvious that there were no traces of a rail line. As Harold fetched his metal detector, I had a hunch that maybe the spur was in the pit (throwing the gravel into cars beside you would be easier than throwing it uphill). In the northern (drier) end, I noticed a slight mound running down the middle of the pit. Harold arrived on scene with the detector and we immediately began to find spikes, bolts and other bits of metal.

Leeblain Spur, August 2012.

The southern part of the pit is flooded, so our only recourse was to move farther north toward the main line. It was clear that the grade here had been disturbed by the logging following the 1999 blowdown, but the general outline of the spur could be made out. We continued to find items, including piles of spikes and even what appeared to be part of a handwheel. I even found some pieces of coal! It was a very productive day and I’m hoping that Harold and I can team up again to locate more items in the area.

Leeblain Spur items, August 2012.

The boys wanted to spend some time on the beach, so that gave me some time to shoot some video of the “mystery” oven. I then chilled out while Ethan and Noah played for a bit; I wish I could have stayed a lot longer…and so did the boys! The drive home would take 2.5 hours, so we had to get rolling early. We were actually making good time until it happened.

As we neared the intersection of the Gunflint Road and Highway 588, it noticed a slight vibration in my truck. I just assumed that my boat rack was loose from the rough road. The vibration got worse and I suspected something was up; it was at the same time that Ethan shouted, “there’s black stuff flying up from the tire!” My driver-side rear tire was a smoking, shredded mess. I lost 40 minutes putting the share on, but Harold happened to drive by and gave me a hand. I’m now on the hunt for some replacement tires; thankfully I have no hikes planned for the immediate future.

Blown tire, August 2012.

Anyway, I better rolling since I need to be up early. As usual I’ll have new stuff to report next week. Until then…

 
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Posted by on September 3, 2012 in Hiking, Miscellaneous, Research, Travel, Writing

 

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Gunflint Day 3

07 Aug

So I’m sitting on the front deck of the lodge looking out at a beautiful evening here on Gunflint Lake. Living in northwestern part of Ontario (even though I’m in northeastern Minnesota right now) we often take for granted how lucky we are to be able to experience this amazing scenery on an almost daily basis. I wish I could live out here on this lake…it is breathtaking!

So the third day of my adventure began much better than the previous one. I woke up rather early, five o’clock exactly (central time), and decided to take a peek outside before I tried to roll back into bed. The sun was just rising over the calm lake and it made for a neat picture. Had I not been wear just my boxers I might have ventured down to the water for a better view!

Sunrise on Gunflint Lake, August 2012.

Last night I promised my host John that I would stick around for his hot breakfast at 8. He was actually early, so I had a filling meal of eggs, sausage, bacon and fresh strawberries. After that it was straight to the boat, and off across the lake to my first destination, the ghost town of Leeblain.

Since the lake was relatively calm, I was able to crank the boat up to full speed, 39kph, which made my trip much faster. With the wind cooperating, I decided to make a short detour and take a quick look at some of the rock cuts along the shore of the lake. After setting up the fish finder, I puttered along the shoreline a bit until I reached what I was ultimately looking for. The water depth ranged from 7 to 25 feet, but I really wanted to re-visit the retaining wall site.

In this location, the railway grade was blasted right out of the shoreline of the lake. However, unlike in other places, the water depth necessitated the use of some elaborate iron and wood retainers to keep the rock fill from sliding into the lake. The engineers pinned and buried large metal rods under the grade, and inserted thick iron bars through the loops and in front of wood timbers. It is amazing to see most of these items still in place after 120 years!

Retaining wall, Gunflint Lake, August 2012.

The water depth right beside the wall is 13 feet, but as you move away from shore it drops very quickly. Ten to fifteen feet out it is at 25+ feet and by 30 to 40 feet the depth plunges to a jaw-dropping 90+ feet! I wonder if they knew this beforehand, or did they run into problems after they tried running a train by?

After this short mini-adventure, I turned the boat around and headed west to my original destination. On the way I passed by Dynamite Island (which I just learned the name of a few days ago). During the construction of the railway, the powder house was apparently located on the island to ensure minimal damage in the event there was a catastrophic detonation!

With my previous day’s struggle in mind, I was thankful to be beaching my boat at Leeblain. It is one of the nicest locations on the entire lake and it is probably one of the reasons why the railway chose this site for the town. I always love my trips there, despite the fact that I don’t really get to spend any time on the sand. From the beach it is a very short walk to the railway grade and the rock ovens.

Beach at Leeblain, August 2012.

My first task was going to be a quick examination of the northern most oven, located at the top end of the bay. I spent a few minutes cleaning up the inside of the oven the best I could, removing any growth lest it damage the remains. Just a few hours ago I learned that there is in fact another oven located just nearby, lurking in the bush for my next visit!

From the northern oven, it is a quick 200 metre walk to the site of Leeblain and the other ovens. Since planning this trip one of my main goals was to try and locate more ovens around where the station and hotel were located. On my July trip I had tentatively identified a possible site next to the grade, approximately 15 metres east of the known oven site. In 1994 and 1997 there was an oven next to grade with a tree growing through the middle of it. Was this that missing oven?

I had brought with me a small shovel to excavate the slabs of rock I could see jutting out of the sand. When I began to dig it became apparent that the nearby brush was going to cause a problem, so I retrieved my K-Bar knife to cut away some of the growth. As I did, I instantly recognized that the oven site was just a foot or so north of where I had started to dig. I quickly cut away what I could, trying to disturb as little as possible of the remains. I could make out a depression where the centre would have been, and then the slabs of rock scattered around. It is impossible to tell if the oven was damaged by the blowdown, or the subsequent logging operations.

Remains of a rock oven, Leeblain, August 2012.

After my great discovery, I decided to take a little stroll along the grade to where some of the development is taking place near the unnamed lake. I’m usually in a hurry every time I hike the railway, so my leisurely pace was a nice change. I spent a lot of time staring at the ground, especially along the sides of the grade where some of the soil had been pushed up. I saw a lot of spikes, but a few other interesting things. I spotted what appears to be a hasp from a trunk or piece of luggage, which I decided to pick up. I also saw a lot of little nails, almost horseshoe size, so I pocketed a couple of those as well.

From Leeblain my journey would take me to the end of the lake at Gunflint Narrows. I decided to beach the boat in Charlie’s Bay (or so I call it), near the property of long time lake resident Charlie Cook. Charlie passed away in 1997 but his cabin had still stood on his land just south of the grade about 800 metres east of the Narrows. At the presentation people had told me that his cabin had been bulldozed and I wanted to see for myself. It was very flat, a wasteful destruction in addition to creating a huge mess. Charlie had lived his whole life on the lake and I assume there might have been some interesting things in that cabin.

Charlie’s Bay, Gunflint Lake, August 2012.

After a short walk, I arrived at the Narrows and proceeded to take a look at where the eastern abutment of the trestle might be. I found it easily enough, but I was shocked at the amount of junk and debris lying around. I guess in days past no one thought of disposing of things properly, and I wouldn’t imagine where you would dispose of garbage around here. I walked down to the lake, but I was not able to see as much as I wanted to since the water level is up from years past. You could see the rock cribs under the water, but the pilings were tough to make out.

Gunflint Narrows, August 2012.

Heading back east, I spent a bit of time poking around the area just north of the grade. In one spot was located the station at the Narrows and in another was the “town” of Gunflint. I wandered around for a while, but I couldn’t see anything substantial. There were people living around that area for quite some after the railway, so it is difficult to determine what objects (cans, metal items) are from when. The new growth has also made it difficult to see what if anything might lie on the ground.

My last agenda item for the day was to venture through the Narrows into Magnetic Lake. Many locals claim that an area about 100 metres north of the Narrows was quarried to create the rock cribs for the trestle. After driving by, it is a certainty that quite a bit of rock was removed from the cliff on the opposite side of the peninsula from the railway. Where that rock ended up can’t be conclusively proven, but it is an interesting theory.

So tomorrow unfortunately marks the last day of this wonderful trip. The boat is on the trailer and ready to roll. I still have a little exploring to do before I leave however, as I have to return to the Minnesota side of the Narrows to take more pictures and video. Then it’s back home to the family. I hate to leave, but I do miss my wife and the boys. I really hope I can get back here next year as there I’d like to explore the Gunflint and Lake Superior Railroad.

Anyway, it will be another busy day soon enough so it’s off to bed soon, but I’ll be back tomorrow with again. Until then…

 
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Posted by on August 7, 2012 in Hiking, Miscellaneous, Research, Travel

 

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I could talk for hours!

30 Jul

In case you’re wondering, I can…seriously. If I’m talking about something I’m interested in! One cannot be a history teacher and not like to talk; it’s kinda like being a comedian and not telling jokes. So I literally make a living by talking, a lot. Now don’t get me wrong, I can shut up if I need to, but I rather enjoy the one way conversation. And I do like to take my time with my explanations. When my wife asks me a question, she always finishes her request with the statement “…and in 20 words or less!” Unfortunately I find it very difficult to provide a sufficient description in such a limited context. Brevity is just not my thing; once when I was a kid a friend of the family offered me 25 cents to stop talking!

Anyway, so why the commentary on talking? Well, talking was one of the biggest highlights of my week. As mentioned in my previous post, last Wednesday I delivered my first public lecture on the railway since 1998. Fourteen years…that was certainly a long spell between talks! It was also my only railway related event of the week since I didn’t want to push my luck and go for a hike too. Gotta make time for the family first!

Speaking of which, I did get my share of family time in. We have been spending a fair bit of time at camp (the cottage, the lake…we’ve had this conversation) this year and this past weekend was no exception. I know that my boys enjoy it out there and my wife LOVES the sauna. I can be a bit of a chore though, since it is like having a second home. I spent most of Saturday morning cutting the grass (my fav) and I know that I’ll have to finish the rest when I’m out again. This also means that I haven’t had a lot of time at home, and the grass here has gone a few weeks without a trim. Thankfully it has been pretty dry so the growth has been rather slow.

Boating at camp, July 2012.

So, the presentation. Well, I can honestly say that it went fairly well. I was a bit nervous; it is very different talking in front of a bunch of adults than a classroom of teenagers. I was also unsure what the turn-out would be like. The last thing you want is to be giving a lecture in front of 5 people. In the end, there were 80+ people in the audience, which is a pretty decent crowd for a Wednesday night. It did feel the pressure at the beginning, but then I settled down into a nice comfort zone. Part of my apprehension stems from the fact that I’m way more knowledgeable with the material in the latter half of the presentation.

Duke Hunt Museum, July 2012.

The only bad part I can say was that I went over time-go figure! I thought I’d talk for about an hour, but I finished after one hour and forty minutes. I like to talk! I did not get any negative feedback and it seemed as though everyone was very attentive through my extra-long rambling. I’ll have to make sure I stay on track for this weekend.

On Sunday I’ll be making my first “international” presentation as I head down to the Chik-Wauk Museum at the end of the Gunflint Trail to give a lecture very similar to one from last week. Obviously the audience will be a bit different, so my emphasis will be more on the Paulson Mine and less on the railway. It is of no consequence to me however, as I feel very confident with both areas.

Gunflint Narrows, 1911.

The only weird part of Sunday’s talk as that it will be outdoors, therefore I will not have access to any technology. I spend every day during the school year talking in front of a Smartboard, but I will have no visuals to assist me there. It will be a very strange feeling. I’m sure my power to blab will carry me through…as long as I stay on time.

Following the presentation I plan to spend a few days on Gunflint Lake completing some fieldwork that I started last year, particularly on the eastern end of the lake. I’m also going to spend some time at Leeblain, as well as on both sides of the Gunflint Narrows. Should be a good time if Mother Nature cooperates!

Gunflint Narrows, August 2008.

On the topic on Gunflint Lake, I did receive some interesting news pertaining to the work at Leeblain. My local MPP cc’d me a letter that was sent to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, which oversees such things as historical preservation and archeology. Hopefully the government takes an interest in protecting the railway and such rare treasures as the rock ovens near Leeblain.

In the last few days I’ve also discovered some very important information related to the railway. Since I began my research 18 years ago, I believed that the railway still owned the right of way. Much of this stemmed from some old documents that I had, and information provided to me by some property owners. After I received the letter, I was then advised that the grade was in fact Crown Land. I did some digging of my own and I came to the same conclusion. The big question that now lingers is has any of the right of way been sold off, or is it all still public land? Hopefully I will find out soon enough.

Tomorrow I am heading out for another hike, the last before I head down to Gunflint. It’s going to be a short one, probably only 3k and so I am going to take my boys with me. We will be walking the grade near the old village of Flint which lies between Harstone and Hymers. It is a rather interesting spot since the majority of the land on which Flint sat at one time has now been obliterated by the Whitefish River. As you can see in the rough Google Earth overlay (not everything matches up), the river has shifted some 80+ metres to the east since 1960. I haven’t been there since 1995ish so I’m interested to see what I’ll find. I’ll certainly get some video and I can post it with my flashy new intro. I had a former student of mine create the introduction and so far I’ve uploaded one video with it; makes me look kinda professional!

Flint, ON.

Anyway, gotta get going. My next post will be on Sunday night from the Cross River Lodge (they do have internet) and I’ll try to have some pics of the presentation. Until then…

 
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Posted by on July 30, 2012 in Hiking, Miscellaneous, Research, Travel, Writing

 

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Back to God’s Country

16 Jul

Catchy title huh? Betcha you thought I had this great enlightening moment when it came to me right? Wrong…I stole it! Back to God’s Country is the title of a of 1919 Canadian silent film which was based on a short story written by James Oliver Curwood (there were remakes in 1927 & 1953). Ironically enough, Curwood wrote several novels with the same theme, one of which, The Country Beyond (1922), specifically mentions the railway in it. Curwood spent a lot of time along the railway dating back to the 1910’s, which influenced his writings. So, why did I pick this as the title for this week’s blog? Well, you’ll just have to keep reading.

So, what’s new? Well, it’s still stinking hot. But it’s summer, what’s so unusual about that? It is unusual because we seldom get this many days of solidly hot weather; it has been close to, or over 30C for the past 10 days. That is very weird for our area. Global warming? Probably, but that doesn’t exist right? Anyway, it has been both a blessing and a burden. I certainly appreciate the warm weather, but at times it has just been hard to bear, especially the humidity. You have to remember that it gets down to -30/-35C in the winter; that’s almost a 60 degree temperature swing!

In the meantime I have been very preoccupied with the visiting relatives I spoke about last week. On Tuesday we travelled down to Grand Marais, Minnesota which is a picturesque little town about 1.5 hours south of here. While I was there I paid a little visit to the folks at WTIP radio since I’ve had several conversations with the news director at the station regarding the railway. They are going to do a few little radio promos for my talk at the Chik-Wauk Museum on August 5th.

I also had a chance to stop by the Cook County Museum and meet up with an old friend, former museum director Pat Zankman. Pat and I met back in 1997 after I had written to the museum looking for information regarding the railway and the Paulson Mine. It had been a long time since we had spoken so it was good to re-connect. Pat has already prepared some writing work for me about John Paulson…I could make this gig a full-time job!

Anyway, the relatives enjoyed the trip and it was nice to beat the heat along Lake Superior. Yesterday we took them back to camp, with a short trip to Ouimet Canyon. Unfortunately it was scorching hot, but I was able to cool off with a nice dip in the lake. Then it was back into the heat for a refreshing sweat in the sauna! The time at camp also gave me time to try out the “new” boat we bought to take the kids around the lake (it obviously is used). Runs very nice…can’t wait to get it on to Gunflint Lake in August!

Well, what about the title Dave? Okay, I guess it’s time to talk railway. So on Thursday I decided to take a journey to the Canadian side of Gunflint, which is a rather interesting ordeal since it involves a 150km drive over some very rough road. The last time (and the first time) I did this drive was in 2008. I had recently heard that sections of the road had been repaired, and more importantly, that some work was being done along that lake near Leeblain. As I mentioned last week, I am very concerned for the preservation of the rock ovens near the ghost town and any potential remains that might be located there.

So my journey began very early, since the drive would be long and I wanted to beat the heat. The trip started with a very unique twist in fact. As I was passing Iron Range Lake and some road work, I noticed a guy walking along the road. It is very unusual to see someone walking along the road in that area since it is very remote, especially since it looked like the guy belonged in a metal band and not walking a gravel road. About 10km or so up the road the story got even better; I see a SUV on its side along the road. Then I realize the guy I saw was the driver of said vehicle (he had probably lost control and rolled), but he made no attempt to flag me down or anything. The plates were from Virginia, and the message written in the dirt on the rear window said “I’m fine, gone up the road.” What a bizarre episode.

Flipped SUV.

Eventually the gravel road became even rougher, and I entered the area burned by the 2007 fire. As I approached Gunflint Lake my thoughts were that people would have to be nuts to drive into the lake on that road on a regular basis-it was insanely rough! However, once I reached the area just above Magnetic Lake, the view was worth the drive. The surrounding ridges sit some 200 feet above the lakes, and a beautiful panorama unfolds before you. It is very breathtaking, even with the burned nature of the forest.

Magnetic Lake, Gunflint Narrows and Gunflint Lake, July 2012.

As I was descending the hills toward the lake, I came across several heavy machines heading north. I stopped and chatted for a while with the driver of a large dump truck. He told me that they were done working and were leaving the area, which was much to my relief. He also informed me that they were aware of the rock ovens and that there were currently no plans to develop that area. I certainly felt a big weight lifted off my shoulders, but I did want to check the ovens over for myself.

The ovens are located approximately 300m northeast of the newly graded road along the railway right of way. I drove to the spot and quickly found the undisturbed oven with my GPS. I decided to take a few minutes and poke around to see if I could locate the other oven that was nearby. To my surprise I may have located it buried in sand that was placed on the grade back in 2000 when the area was logged. I’ll have to go back with a small shovel to investigate further, but it appears it is in the right spot.

Rock oven, Leeblain ON, July 2012.

I then drove a little further up the road to where the RV sites had been created and near where the grade crosses a small creek emptying from an unnamed lake. From there it would be nearly 4km to our destination at the Gunflint Narrows. Almost immediately it was obvious that some work had been done to the grade, as the workers had replaced a burned bridge over the creek with a culvert and had bulldozed the right of way. They did muck some stuff up (ie. disturbing some of the drainage) but they also turned up things that had been buried like dozens of spikes.

Unamed Lake, July 2012.

After the small lake, the railway passed through a number of small rock cuts before the grade and the road split. When the area was logged in 2000, they chose not to follow a 600m section of the grade and instead built a new road around it. About 300m is through a swampy area, and the remainder encompasses an embankment and a rock cut. The road then intersects the grade, and afterwards there are several long embankments (they are not particularly high, but made of a lot of crushed rock). The second embankment is followed by a 150m long, 20 foot high rock cut.

This cut is of particular importance since it is the location of the Gunflint Cross. I made mention of the cross in a previous post and although this was my third visit to the site, it is still interesting nonetheless. The cross is a memorial to a worker named Joseph Montegia who was killed in a blasting accident near the spot in October 1892. In his memory, his fellow workers carved the cross near where he fell, and today it remains there 120 years later. The cross sits almost 5 feet above the grade, and is easy to miss if you do not know where to look (it was actually obscured by bushes growing at the sides of the cut).

Gunflint Cross, July 2012.

From the cross, the railway passes through several more rock cuts before it reaches the site of a 250+ foot trestle. Most of the eastern side has been obliterated when they created first the snowmobile trail and later the logging road. The trestle sat probably 30-40 feet above the valley, and it is neat to see the remains of the western abutment, with the massive amounts of rock fill that was used. Beyond that there are a few more rock cuts and embankments before the railway reaches Gunflint Narrows. I didn’t walk all the way to the Narrows since I will be returning in August and I knew that it was nearly noon and getting hotter by the minute (the temperature peaked at 36C with the humidity). Poor Loki was feeling the heat!

So I guess I didn’t explain the title did I? Well, this area is so beautiful and remote it is like the God’s country that Curwood spoke of, and it wasn’t my first trip there. As I walked the grade, I did what I often do in the quiet silence; I imagine what it would have looked like all those years ago. It would have been something to ride the train through that remarkable and untouched wilderness. Maybe someday they’ll invent a time machine that will let me do that…maybe in a hot tub!

Anyway, enough for this week…I’m had back to camp today so I have to get going. I’ll be back next week at the usual time. Until then…

 
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Posted by on July 16, 2012 in Hiking, Miscellaneous, Research, Travel, Writing

 

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I am Ironman!

09 Jul

My alter ego? I wish! Secret childhood fantasy? Nope. So what gives Dave? Well, today we celebrated my youngest son Noah’s fifth birthday and Ironman was one of the toys he received as a gift. Noah is quite enamoured with superheroes, in particular Spiderman, Batman and Ironman. He even picked out a Batman cake.

I was never into those things as a child, though now as an adult I find my kids interest in them intriguing. It would kinda be cool to have a special power, or a suit like Ironman. I must say I did like the movie, particularly the end when Tony Stark answers the reporter’s questions with the statement, “I am Ironman!”

Anyway, back in the real world, things are chugging along. The first week of holidays has passed by and I feel somewhat relaxed, though things are still very hectic. Last week I wrote about our quick trip to Duluth and the pace of things has not stopped. On Wednesday I spent the better part of the day hiking the railway (which I will talk about later), and then it was a short turn around to make it to the airport to pick up some relatives who were flying in from Italy. Showing them the sights has kept me and the family hopping, since there are five of them and I have to help shuttle them around.

On Thursday we headed out to Kakabeka Falls, which is one of the traditional places to visit around here. Not as big or tall as Niagara Falls, they are nonetheless quite a beautiful sight. The only negative that day was the heat; we are still struggling through some warm temps, and it doesn’t show any signs of letting up! I was certainly feeling pretty sweaty and gross after walking around the falls for a while, but I guess I shouldn’t complain. It could be -30C outside and I could be sporting a parka instead!

On Saturday we took our guests to my in-laws camp for a day at the lake. I think the kids (as well as mine) enjoyed the warm weather and the temped lake water; I’m sure they’d like a return trip at some point. Maybe this Saturday might be a good time, since we still need to visit Ouimet Canyon, the Amethyst Mine and Sibley.

Rail bed, Wolfe Siding, July 2012.

Things have been progressing as well on the railway front. As I already mentioned, last week I was able to get out for my first hike after the end of school. I decided that I would tackle the section of railway just west of Wolfe Siding (that area is now officially know as Suomi) since I had never hiked that area before and I didn’t complete it when I was there in early June.

I tried to get out as early as I could since I knew it was going to be hot later in the day. It is roughly a 45 minute drive from my house to where Wolfe is located on Whitefish Lake. I would start my hike where I ended the last one at Mileage 46 Road and work my way 3km east to Wolfe. My previous hike had been very difficult due to the heavy growth and I was hoping that it would not be a repeat of that experience.

Telegraph pole, Wolfe Siding, July 2012.

One of my main objectives for the hike was to locate any remains of a bridge on a creek about 900m east of Mileage 46 Road. I had been to that spot in 1998, but I wanted to see what was still left. I was in for a bit of a surprise though, as I would find a few more things than I anticipated!

About 200 metres into my walk I made the first discovery, broken shards of what had been a ceramic culvert (or culverts-there may have been two) under the grade. Another 250 metres later I made my best find, the prized telegraph insulator. Every time I hike the railway I am always scanning the south side of the grade looking for telegraph poles and potentially a very rare insulator. As I was winding my way along, dodging the trees and deadfall, I happened to look back on the grade and caught something white on the ground. Sure enough it was the remains of a pole with the insulator still attached. I marked its location in my GPS as I knew I didn’t want to lug my find along with me.

Culvert, Wolfe Siding, July 2012.

As I continued east I did find the remains of the bridge, and then a 150m long, very high embankment. From there I entered a relatively open area of the railway, which would stretch almost the whole way to Wolfe. About 1km west of my destination, and just beside Mile 46 Road there was another interesting discovery; an intact ceramic culvert. The grade above it had been supported by rock, and the culvert was still doing its job and handling the flow of water under the grade.

After reaching Wolfe I began my return journey and shortly thereafter I came across something very neat. About 400m west of Wolfe I had wandered slightly off course, but it the process I made a discovery. I noticed a pile of rocks very close to the grade, arranged in a circular pattern that definitely was not natural. I then remember I had seen the same thing weeks earlier when I found a telegraph pole closer to Mackies. This was the base of the pole, where it had been inserted into the ground and the rocks were there for support. While I could not find the pole, I now had an obvious clue to help me find other poles. I then proceeded to locate another four poles on my way back, making a total of six poles (I guess five) for the trip.

Glass insulator, Wolfe Siding, July 2012.

After 3 hours and nearly 7 kilometres I had made it back to my truck. I drove the short distance up the road to photograph and retrieve the insulator I had found earlier. It will make a fine addition to the similar items I had donated to the Duke Hunt Museum in the past.

Speaking of the Duke Hunt, my presentation there is rapidly approaching. I just finished printing off some posters to put up and I need to get my butt in gear with the slide show. Since I’m busy writing this blog today, tomorrow night might be a good time. However, my thoughts right now are preoccupied with Thursday’s impending trip to Leeblain.

Ever since I had heard that the road to Gunflint Lake had been repaired I have been itching to get to that area of the railway. With the potential development that might be occurring there, my trip is even more urgent. Late last week I received an email from an acquaintance with the US Forest Service. He informed me that he had seen an excavator at Leeblain, which certainly got my attention. The only part of the trip I am not looking forward to is the drive, which is almost 150km, most of which will be on gravel roads. Hopefully all goes well and that I will be able to bring back some great pics of the area (and I don’t keel over from the heat-it’s supposed to be 38C with the humidity). I’m also praying that no damage has been done to the rock ovens at the ghost town.

Anyway, gotta get rolling. Tomorrow we’re off to Grand Marais with our guest for a little visit south of the border. I’m sure I’ll have a lot to say in next week’s post. Until then…

 
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Posted by on July 9, 2012 in Hiking, Miscellaneous, Research, Writing

 

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