Denise Deithert (left) and Jennifer Serpico discuss camping sites with Grand Marais Recreation Park Director Dave Tersteeg, seated behind the computer. The two ladies drove from Hudson, Wisconsin to Grand Marais the night before to make sure they were in line when the tourist park office opened at 8 a.m. on January 2, the first day reservations could be made for the weekend of the Fisherman’s Picnic.
Last year Randy Nemitz was second in line to sign up for a prime camping site in the Grand Marais Recreation Park. This year the Zimmerman, Minnesota resident figured he would be first in line. He and his 14-year-old son, Matthew, left Zimmerman around 9:30 p.m. the night before and arrived at the park office at 1:30 a.m.
All to no avail.
“The same guy that beat me last year beat me again this year,” said Nemitz who had to laugh. “He got here about 10 minutes ahead of me. It was a guy in a red Jeep. Oh well,” said Nemitz, his voice trailing off, “I got the spot I wanted. That’s the most important thing.”
Matthew, who was missing a day of school, didn’t seem to mind finishing second. “It’s really fun to come here for Fisherman’s Picnic, and this is the only way we can make sure we have a spot,” he said, looking bright eyed and bushy tailed even though he had spent much of the night in his dad’s truck.
The door at the Rec Park office opened at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, January 2 and it’s first come, first served for coveted camping spots during the summer’s busiest weekend.
Park manager Dave Tersteeg and his crew were busy taking reservations from the 40 or so travelers who braved the sub-zero temperatures, many coming from the Cities and from as far away as Hudson, Wisconsin and Northern Ontario.
Doug Francis drove through the night from Brainerd to reach the campground at 4 a.m. He also had designs on being first in line. “Yea, some guys got here at 1 a.m. At least the roads were in good shape. Next year I might come a day earlier,” he said.
Francis signed up for six camping spots. His friends and family stay longer than just the Fisherman’s Picnic, taking an extended vacation. Francis even played a song he wrote about Grand Marais on his cell phone. A good singer and guitar player, the lyrics spoke of his love of the town and the family fun he experiences here.
As for Jennifer Serpico and Denise Deithert, for the second year in a row the two ladies drove to Grand Marais from Hudson, Wisconsin the night before to claim a camping spot for their families.
Why the sacrifice?
Two years ago Jennifer called the park office the minute it opened in January to get a reservation. It took two days and 775 robo-calls to get through to secure a spot in the park. Not wanting to go through that again, the ladies have made up their minds to come and wait in line.
Deithert and Serpico don’t come to Grand Marais just to vacation; they come as volunteers to help with the Minnesota State Championship logrolling events that are held over the four-day festival. To make sure they would make it for the 8 a.m. opening of the recreation office, the two booked a hotel room the night before and ate at My Sister’s Place that evening.
Jennifer was a new grandma – her daughter-in-law Angelique, who is a professional log roller, gave birth to a baby girl mid-December.
Denise’s son, Jacob, a good amateur log roller, was getting his black belt in the near future. Alicia, a champion log roller, was already a second-degree black belt, Denise said.
When asked about her husband Todd, who helps with the Minnesota State Log Rolling Championships, Denise said he had recently undergone rotator-cuff surgery. And oh yeah, he had a heart attack on Wednesday.
“Huh? This past Wednesday?” she was asked.
“Yes, but it was a mild heart attack. A small heart attack. At first the doctor’s didn’t even think he had a heart attack. He’s okay,” she said. “He knows he needs to start working out and watching his diet.”
“A woman would run through fire and water for such a kind heart,” a quote by William Shakespeare, had come to mind when Denise was talking about Todd’s health, which comforted me a little. At least I didn’t think he was home lying on the floor gasping for breath until Denise returned. Probably not, anyway.
Tersteeg had put the coffee on at 7 a.m. The office was crowded. About 40 brave souls had come from near and far for this annual event. People chatted nervously amongst themselves as they waited, each person hoping to get the coveted spot they had dreamed about.
The phones in the office rang nonstop. One employee in the back was solely dedicated to answering inquiries and making reservations.
At the end of the day there were about 10 tent sites left in the far back hillside at the park. Ten spots out of 300, not a bad day’s work for the three people who were taking reservations.
It takes persistence to get a spot in the campground over the Fisherman’s Picnic. Just ask any of the people who traveled hundreds of miles through the cold January night to stake their claim. Mild heart attacks and new babies would have to briefly wait.
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