Exploring Duluth

Sunday morning we packed a picnic lunch and left on our expedition of exploration going west on Highway 23 toward Fond Du Lac. The translation of Fond Du Lac to English is "Bottom of the Lake" which is where it is located geographically. The St Louis River was the primary corridor of travel for the Voyageurs heading to the Mississippi River and the Northwest. The American Fur Company established a fort here in 1817 on what was the site of an Ojibway village. The route took the fur traders up the St Louis River to Floodwood (My home town) and then west along the East Savanna River, over a seven mile swamp portage and onto the West Savanna River which took them to Big Sandy Lake and the Mississippi River.

Historic Sign

Landing at the American Fur Company Post

St Louis River

We had a lovely picnic lunch on the banks of the St Louis River and then headed for the Lake Superior Zoo. The zoo was hit by a flash flood last summer and they are still doing a recovery effort. Many of the animals had to be moved until the work is done. We did enjoy seeing animals we have never seen before and seeing baby Colobus monkeys.

Angolan Colobus Monkeys

Look Milk

Callimico

Cotton Top Tamarin

Mexican Porcupine

Pallas Cat

Reeves Montjac Deer

Tiger

After leaving the zoo we headed back up to Skyline drive for another look at the city.

Lift Bridge

Ore Docks

Back at the Winnebago I barbecued some chick thighs for dinner and we enjoyed watching our first movie of the trip.