The North Shore Tundra

From my travels around the country I've found when Minnesota is mentioned, people know two things, its cold and its close to some lakes. While there's plenty of other fun thrills to be had here, these two cliches are part of what makes the North Shore so great. Highly recommended on my places to visit, the Minnesotan North Shore shoreline stretches almost 200 miles along Lake Superior carrying it all the way Thunder Bay, Canada. Back when I was living in Wisconsin I tried to visit as much as possible. Each trip had it's own set of fond memories but the first maiden voyage was a time i'll never forget. That particular weekend, the forecast was predicted to be a chilly one with below zero weather conditions but I'm not the type to change my plans. If you're the type of person with ideas, plans, and ambitions you'll find quickly that this life often doesn't leave you with perfect scenarios but an opportunity to make a great compromise.

I pose an important question. How often are your ideas being squashed by your friends and family and are you paying attention to this trend. If the honest answer is often, one of two things is occurring, you're allowing others to live for you or you haven't found the patience to allow new community to come into your life. And if you want like minded people to come into your life you have to audaciously project those values into the world. Well I'm here to say I've progressed through this coming of age and am happy, healthy, and equipped with the right mentality to allow the right people to be in my circle.

By this time, I'd lived by my adventurous values and I had two willing participants to join me. One of them has been a best friend for years and the other a photographer with a Chrysler Van that was just perfect for road tripping. We strapped three kayaks to the top and looked like a happy tourist family on labor day but only difference, we were locked in for two days in the tundra. When you start traveling a lot you quickly figure out some of the best times are just getting there. A fresh perspective and an open road has a way of opening people up for meaningful conversation and memories that last a lifetime. Sometimes the best part is showing your friends a favorite song, reliving old memories, creating new ones or getting to know the people in your life better.

After making the two hour jaunt from my home base, the first spot I had planned to stop was Palisade Head. Like a true explorer we followed the short mile trail through a beautiful mixed species midwest forest until we reached the cliffs edge that stretches out above the oceanic looking lake. A couple hundred feet up over the edge we stood braving the brisk lakeside wind like Rose from the titanic. And at that moment, I noticed my buddies face light up. It's always an unforgettable feeling being in the presence of people that connect with nature the way I do. For a long time now my mission has been to inspire others to break the routine and step into the unknown and when I know it's working, it keeps me going. As the photos started snapping with plenty of laughing we ended up overstaying our visit. It's not always the worst thing but some spots you could photograph for days so when there's more sites on the itinerary I have to make sure not to get lost in the moment. I could genuinely say the trip was off to an amazing start but within a couple hours it took a rather dramatic turn.

To divulge a little backstory, In the summer months I'd spent some time doing deep Instagram research and found a secluded beach that would be perfect for camping. Regrettably, this dream literally came crashing down when I hit the first wave around Baptism River. So here we are around Tettegouche State Park, we hauled our gear down to the beach and overhead basket carried the kayaks down three flights of stairs. I certainly noticed the wave conditions were a little more gnarly then I anticipated but I had a goal and I don't give up very easily. I made sure my pack was loaded with all the camp and photography essentials, strapped it in and got in the water. It couldn't have been more than 30 seconds when a 5 foot wave flipped me over into the slushy bath. Now here's the fun part, because I had all of my gear with me, all of it came and took a dip too. Shocked and panicked I grabbed my backpack and treaded back to shore in the near freezing water.

Not worrying about how cold and dripping wet I was, I frantically dug into my camera bag to check my Canon Rebel's vitals. To no avail, I could feel the water slosh around inside it's body; it was completely soaked. Furthermore, as I exposed it to the winter air the remaining water froze around it. It was my first camera equipment loss but I'm glad it went quick and peacefully that day on the frigid lake. Needless to say, my secluded beach dreams were crushed and I needed to come up with plan B.

Sure it was below freezing outside, I was standing in wet cloths but I was still set on making sure we all had a good time. At this point I'd taken so many spontaneous trips, that you start to realize mishaps like this just make the adventures more interesting and are something to laugh about in the end. After carrying all of our gear back to the parking lot I quickly stripped down and watched as my cloths instantly froze solid. It got a good laugh out of my comrades but I think they were just glad I was the first to go in. Putting the sarcasm aside for a moment, I do always try to keep the good vibes alive during my trips, when you're traveling with a group everyone has different expectations so it's important to think of others.

With fleeting daylight, we had little time to find a place to sleep. Fortunately, we were close by Temperance River State Park and they have some phenomenal camp sites available. One of the benefits of late season camping is you'll typically have the parks to yourself. All of us now cold and shivering while pushing a barrel of logs, rushed our way to the site and eventually got a fire started. It's never a fun job to stoke a fire with numb hands. I decided to stay up late, bundled in a wool blanket, gazing out at the stars that fell just above the black tree line. When it was time for bed I casually broke off the ice on my sleeping bag and settled in for a night that got down to 6 degrees.

Even though the frigid temperatures and the loss of my camera cut the trip short, the guys that went with me were just happy to have been there. If you can keep in mind, elaborate plans don't make the best memories but a little spontaneity does, you can focus on doing more of what you desire and spend less timing planning for next year that never comes. You'll find it's often your attitude that makes the trip. With these stories, I hope to continue to inspire people to break the rhythm and go do something you've never done before. Adventure is waiting. When you ignore your desires you fail to live.