Thefoggy nights have made driving next to impossible. Last night, while returning from Des Moines, Iowa my wife and I could barely see the front of the car in some areas. If there was a dip in the highway at all we drove into a wall of fog. I have to admit it was a bit frightening. Of course driving for nine hours did not help, but it was a white knuckle experience for sure.
We spent Saturday visiting Iowa City for the Hawkeye/ Gopher game at Kinnick Stadium. The game was sold out but fairly uneventful, with a score of 12-0 Iowa. There were very few big plays and a lot of good defense, which makes for a slow game.
We had a great time in Iowa City reliving some college memories and seeing all of the students going crazy. The more things change, the more they stay the same. I walked into Vito’s bar where I worked through my six years in Iowa City, and I did not know anyone there. The owners had changed hands. I had not stepped foot in the place for nine years so it was not a big surprise to no longer be recognized or welcomed by familiar faces. However, the bar looked the same and the students came rushing in directly after the game just like they did when I was there.
Thetown was full of brand new faces to me, yet it still felt the same. I experienced a little anxiety attack when I saw the business center where all of my hardest classes were.
A true Big 10 college town has a lot of school spirit. My wife was secretly cheering on the Gophers but she dressed like a Hawkeye since we were sitting with my college buddies. When in Rome…
The holiday season is now upon us and I feel like I have already done enough traveling. It is very difficult to ask our families to drive up here, but someday it is going to have to happen. I am beginning to dread this time of the year because of the commute. It is too far for just a couple of days and I really do not like to be away from our nearly completed house for very long. It will be an exciting day when we can comfortably entertain friends and family in our home.
Do not get me wrong, I love the vacation time and always have a great time with our families over the holidays. That was a choice we made when we decided to live so far away from the rest of the world.
TheTrail has still been very quiet and many places are not open. The Gunflint Bistro has been open from lunchtime on Friday until breakfast on Sunday. They are supposed to be back on their normal schedule after Thanksgiving. Trail Center will remain closed until after Christmas and Hungry Jack Lodge will be announcing their re-opening date soon. Windigo Lodge is still open full-time and serving their menu.
I hope you had a great Turkey Day and I hope your travels are shorter than mine!
Cory Christianson, a 2000 graduate
of the University of Iowa,
has worked as a fishing guide
on the Gunflint Trail for nine
years. If you have any fishing
reports or stories to share, send
an email to: christiansoncory@
hotmail.com or call 218-388-
0315
Leave a Reply