The two of us headed up Minnesota Highway 61, heading towards the fishing community of Two Harbors. The red brick Two Harbors Light Station, which sits on a rocky cliff on Agate Bay, was completed in 1892. It is the oldest operating lighthouse in Minnesota. The house that is attached to the lighthouse is now used for a Bed and Breakfast. There is an additional light at the end of the breakwater to guide the ships.
Below is a view from the breakwater, looking back towards the lighthouse. You can barely see the top of the light tower because of all the trees. If you look closer, you can see Don on the cement boardwalk.
Near the back of Agate Bay sits the Edna G tug. It was built in 1896, put on the National Historic Register in 1974, and retired in 1981. This tugboat was owned by the Duluth and Iron Range Railroad and was used as a construction vessel during the building of the docks and railroad. She is best known for bringing the 3 spot locomotive engine during a nasty squall to Agate Bay. I guess she has earned the rights to now just sit quietly by the dock in the bay.
The 1004 foot long freighter, Edwin H. Gott, was sitting in the harbor too, only it was being loaded up with Taconite. Interestingly enough, she had her maiden voyage in February, 1979, a time when most of the Great Lakes are frozen solid and no shipping can be done. Her maiden voyage was aborted when ice punched a hole in one of her side tanks, and she lost one of her rudders. Poor thing had to turn back to the shipyard she had just came from. However, she is still hauling Taconite today, although she might be a bit slower than in her younger years! She was supposed to leave port between 9 and 10 AM, and at noon she hadn't budged a bit. Sounds a bit like Don and me some days!
The couple we had met the previous day by the Maritime Museum had suggested going to Two Harbors and also to Betty's Pies. They kept talking about the famous shakes there that had a whole piece of pie in them. They make 33,000 whole pies each year. Time for us to stop and at least sample one. The pie was calling to me, and the shake was calling to Don!
Trouble is, when you are a pie aficionado, it is hard to make a decision as to which kind to try. Decisions, decisions. I finally settled on the Great Lakes Crunch, a combination of rhubarb, apples, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. It was excellent.
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