Vacation! Lake Itasca Day 2:

Well we actually slept in some on our second day of vacation. No alarm clocks...thought we'd get up with the sun. Little did we realize that in the middle of a Forrest there really isn't all that much sun. That made it really hard to tell what time it was! But we were up and ready for an adventurous day around 9:00 a.m.

We decided that on Day 2 of our vacation we would head out on the bike trails. After reading up on all the information we had we decided not to do the 16 mile trial (YIKES)! So we headed down to the beginning of the trial at the Mississippi Headwaters. And off we went. We pedaled up hill and coasted down hill. And let me say there were some not so nice hills!! Riding like this made us realize how truly out of shape we were..he he! We had lofty ambitions of going to the Douglas Lodge but since that was closed for the season we rode all the way to the Visitor's Center. Our legs felt like jello when we got there! It was nuts. We were talking and we don't think our hearts have ever beat so fast!! I was worried one of us was going to have a heart attack! At this point we had gone 5.0 miles! I don't think I've ever ridden my bike for more then a mile or two...so this was quite the workout! We sat and rested at the Visitor's Center and also refueled with pop and Snickers bar (isn't that kind of stuff suppose to give you energy of some sort?)! We decided to stop on all the sites on the way back to our cabin...that way we would have a little time to rest our poor aching legs!

We took off again..going back the way we came. For some reason this way wasn't so bad. It probably was because all the steep nasty hills we had to climb to get to the Visitor's Center were now down hill! Boy coasting never felt so good :)!! We stopped at Preacher's Grove, Peace Pipe Vista and the Pioneer Cemetery on the way back. Those places were all very beautiful (see pictures below). Again the scenery was breathtaking...God really did a wonderful job when he created this world! We made it back to the cabin at around 2 or so and had lunch.

We grilled out again but this time the fox didn't grace us with his presence..he he! After we ate and relaxed our poor bodies for a bit we decided to try our hands at fishing some of the lakes in Itasca State Park. We first headed over to Squaw Lake. This lake at it's deepest point is 98 feet deep! We just shore fished. Some crazy man was out swimming in the lake! It wasn't warm out there by any means and this man was taking a dip! What ever floats his boat I guess :)! We didn't catch anything at this lake so we decided to head to Lake Itasca. We sat on this really neat fishing pier and got some great pictures of the lake and trees (see pictures below). It was so very peaceful out there! We were the only ones on the pier for the most part.

We headed back to the cabin before dark and when we pulled into the yard we saw our little fox friend again. This time he was sitting on the owners (Pat and Dave) front steps hunting squirrels or birds by their bird feeder! I got the camera out and snapped a few of him sitting there! He's a crazy fox! We later went over to Pat and Dave's house to ask them a question and this fox was standing under the bird feeder and he just looked at us..didn't run or anything. I have never seen anything like it! We grilled out that night too and the fox headed over our way for just a bit. He didn't stay too long...apparently just stopped to say hello..he he :)!!

We ate a wonderful supper and then played another board game that night by the fireplace. It was so very relaxing and warm. At one point the temp in the cabin was 80 degrees...we actually were roasting :)! There is nothing better then the smell of wood burning in a fireplace! LOVE IT!!

Here are some pictures of Day 2 of our vacation...Enjoy!

Our trusty bikes!

A creek over by the Mississippi Headwaters.

A wooden bridge was our bike trail for awhile. It was really neat!

Do I look frozen? I had on plenty of layers!

Here's Jeff posing in front of Lake Itasca. Looking Good :)!!

Peace-Pipe Vista. You had to walk down all these steps to get to where we are in the picture below.

Jeff and I in front of the lake at Peace-Pipe Vista. Possible Christmas card..he he :)

Squaw Lake. This is where that guy was swiming. Looks cold doesn't it?!

Lake Itasca from the fishing pier. Don't you just love the colors!!

Look at how calm the lake is. It truly was a beautiful site!

Our little fox friend hangin' out at Pat and Dave's house watching the squirrels and birds!

Stay tune for Day 3 in the next few days (probably tomorrow). God's Blessings to everyone!!

(Sorry for the long run-on paragraphes. Blogger wasn't letting me space them out...grrrr :)!!!)