Yesterday, August 17, I left Lake Itaska a day early and drove to International Falls.  So I have made it to the Canadian border and the furthest point north in my journey.  International Falls has claimed the nickname of Ameriica’s Ice Box, as it frequently records the coldest temperature in the country during winter months.

After a relatively short (170 mile) drive to International Falls, I checked in to Arnold’s Campground.  This campground is located within half a mile or so of the main downtown street, and has clearly been there for many, many years.  Most of the rigs there appear to be long-term residents, either for the entire or even multiple seasons.  It’s a no-frills campground for sure, but they do seem to work hard to keep the aged infrastructure clean and working on a shoestring, and that fact and its great location make it a good option for a short stay.

I had been given a tip by a couple in Bemidji that a resort called Sha Sha was a great place to get a meal while sitting on a deck overlooking the Rainy River, so our initial exploration took us out to that site which is about 15 minutes east of town.  Sha Sha did not look promising, however, as it looked closed and the parking situation was confusing, so we went on.  Less than a mile before Sha Sha, we had passed a more inviting location called the Island View Lodge, so I decided to check that out.  This turned out to be one of the most pleasant surprises of the trip.  The deck, right on the water, was huge and nearly empty in the middle of this Thursday afternoon.  The wait staff was very attentive and immediately brought a large bowl of water with ice to Ollie.  The view of the lake and the many islands was absolutely beautiful and reminded me of areas in the Thousand Islands area in the St. Lawrence River.  Great bar-type food, and the Philly French Dip sandwich was first-rate.  We were in no hurry to leave on this beautiful day and spent over two hours soaking up the sun, beautiful view, and good service.

On Friday Ollie and I walked at Voyageurs National Park, only our second national park of this trip.  Unlike many of the other national parks, Voyageurs – at least in this area – is located on islands and is accessible only by boat.  Not surprisingly, there are lots of kayakers and other watersports enthusiasts as well as outdoor adventurers who make up the visitor base.  However, the trail we walked was a paved trail close to the visitor center and was neither challenging to reach nor to travel.  Which was fine with me on this warm day.

In the afternoon we went back into downtown International Falls and arrived as the Brat and Corn Feed started.  This uniquely-named event is a street fest that features live music and numerous booths with local vendors displaying their offerings for sale.  The featured fare was a dinner of bratwurst, slaw, and roasted corn on the cob and soft drinks – the last two in unlimited quantities – for a price of $12.  It sounded great, but my second consecutive late lunch at Island View Lodge had left me too full to partake.  So Ollie and I left for about three hours and went back to camp.  By the time we returned three hours later, the food booths were being cleaned up, and the live music was starting to play.  For a town of the size of International Falls, there was a large and enthusiastic turnout.  This was obviously the big social event of the weekend.

International Falls is the home and namesake of a huge paper mill that was originally the flagship operation of International Paper Company.  Since sold to another owner, the plant still casts a large shadow in the community.  Just a few short blocks from downtown lies a yard that contains thousands of large timber trees, stripped down to the trunks, laid in several stacks probably 40-50 feet tall and stretching for close to ¼ mile.  Across the railroad tracks are large piles that at first glance look like mine tailings but are actually made up entirely of wood chips and sawdust.  The smell of fresh lumber permeates the air, and provides further evidence that paper is king in this town. 

One attraction that I had wanted to attend but did not is the Bronko Nagurski Museum.  Nagurski is perhaps the most famous citizen of International Falls and was one of the greatest football players in history, playing back in the 1930s and 1940s.  He is a legend not only in Minnesota but across the football world.  One of the many stories is that when he was in high school a scout from the University of Minnesota came to International Falls to check on another player.  As he approached town he needed directions to the home of the other player when he saw Nagurski plowing a field on the family farm.  The remarkable thing was that Nagurski did not have a horse pulling the plow, but was pushing it all by himself.  When the scout asked for directions to the home of the other prospect, Nagurski showed him where it was by lifting the plow and using it as a pointer.  Probably apocryphal, but a good story and an illustration of the renowned strength of Bronko.  Unfortunately, on the last day the checkout time from Arnold’s was early, and did not allow me time to get to the museum and back before I needed to get away and on my way to Duluth.