Lake City, MN. Dragonfly is a sailboat again!

Yesterday, Kathleen and I had our first sail aboard Dragonfly since 2022, before this blog was created. We’ve cruised more than 4,000 miles over the past three years with the mast and sails in storage, and quite honestly, enjoyed being a powerboat more than we expected. But it was time to be sailors again, and we went out on Lake Pepin on a warm, gorgeous afternoon in light southeast winds and full main and genoa jib. Everything still worked, nothing (major) broke and we more or less remembered what to do. 

Dragonfly is now berthed in the Lake City Marina, a 635-slip municipal facility. The harbor was first opened in 1934, and its dedication was attended by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Map link: Lake City Marina.  Hansen’s Harbor, our former home on Lake Pepin and the location of our 2023 Great Loop departure and send-off party, was sold in February, following the unexpected passing of third-generation marina owner Allen Hansen. The site is now Pelican Point Yacht Club and Resort, and we observed significant redevelopment efforts on the grounds when we drove past yesterday. We thoroughly enjoyed our four summers at this marina and were saddened to hear of Allen’s death at the too-young age of 55.

Source: Visitlakecity.org

Bonus Question: Do you know the common names for the following medical conditions?

A. Sigmatism

B. Circadian disryhthmia

C. Cephalalgia

D. Sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia

Lake City, MN (population 5,200) is 65 miles southeast of our home in St. Paul and is located on Lake Pepin, a 40 square mile natural lake on the Mississippi River. The lake was named after Jean Pepin, a French explorer who settled here in the late 1600s, and the name first appears on a 1703 map of New France. Lake Pepin sits in a valley carved out by the last ice age, and was created when sediment from the Chippewa River dammed up the Mississippi and backed it up for 22 miles. Besides Lake City, a large part of the Minnesota shoreline belongs to Frontenac State Park, a 2,600 acre collection of river bluffs, prairies and forests with excellent trails, campgrounds and picnic facilities. The Wisconsin side is home to the villages of Maiden Rock, Stockholm and Pepin, which was our first stop in September 2023 after leaving Hansen’s Harbor. Post link: https://dragonflyboating.blogspot.com/2023/09/first-stoppepin-wi.html

Lake Pepin was the site of one of the largest maritime disasters on the Mississippi River, when the ferry Sea Wing capsized in an 1890 storm, killing 98 people. In 1922, Lake City native Ralph Samuelson invented the sport of water skiing, using a pair of boards and a clothesline—towed by his brother, Ben, at about 20 mph. Samuelson spent the next 15 years teaching waterskiing and performing in shows from Michigan to Florida. A large bronze statue of Samuelson is on display in a park adjacent to the marina and Lake City celebrates Waterski Days every year on the last weekend in June. 

Bonus Question Answer: 

A. Sigmatism = Lisping

B. Circadian disryhthmia = Jetlag

C. Cephalalgia = Headache

D. Sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia = Brain freeze

Acadia National Park, Maine

Thursday, May 21: Kathleen, Danielle, Jay and I left Boston at 9:15 AM, fought our way through the heavy city traffic and drove three hours north to Augusta, ME. Fun facts: Maine is the only U.S. state with a one-syllable name and the only state that borders exactly one other state (New Hampshire). Bonus Question 1: Which two states border the most other states? Hint: They touch each other (answer at end of post). 

Augusta (population 19,000) is the easternmost state capital and the third smallest capital city. Bonus Question 2: Which two state capitals are smaller? (answers also at end of post). Portland was Maine’s first capital city, but was considered too far south, and Augusta replaced it in 1827. The attractive statehouse was constructed of locally-quarried granite, hauled here by teams of oxen. After touring the building, which was mostly empty, we ate a picnic lunch in the 20-acre Capitol Park across the street on a sunny but cool and windy day. Map link: Augusta, ME

Number 32 on my state capitol quest!

Next we drove two more hours to Trenton, ME, arriving around 4:00 PM. Jay and I went grocery shopping, we ate dinner at our Airbnb, and spent a quiet night in. Our rental is on the west bank of the Jordan River, a tidal estuary which flows into Mt. Desert Narrows and the Atlantic Ocean. The tidal range here is a whopping 11 feet, big enough that you can see the moving water level in real time during the roughly six-hour cycle. The photos below show the change in the shoreline from high to low tide. Map link: Trenton, ME

At low tide you can walk out to the island behind
the trees on the right

Friday, May 22: We awoke to a beautiful, chilly morning, with blue skies, a moderate northwest wind and 47F outside; cool enough to need our bedroom space heaters. At 8:45 AM, we drove about 30 minutes to Acadia National Park, the first American national park east of the Mississippi River. Established in 1916 and renamed Acadia in 1929, the park encompasses about half of Mt. Desert Island plus many smaller islands and is one of the top 10 visited national parks in the country. The natural beauty, variety of activities and proximity to big population centers are the main reasons for Acadia’s popularity and the park does not disappoint. Its mountains, valleys, beaches, headlands, woodlands, lakes, streams, ponds, ocean vistas, hiking trails, and a 45-mile network of historic carriage roads draw more than 4 million visitors annually. Map link: Acadia National Park

Our first stop was Sand Beach and a hike up to Great Head, once the summer estate of Louisa and Herbert Satterlee, who received the land as a wedding gift from Louisa’s father, J.P. Morgan. We took in the spectacular views of the nearby islands and coastline from the summit, then descended to Sand Beach and ate lunch at the trailhead. Next we took the Ocean Path south to Thunder Hole, a natural blow hole, although it was low tide and there was no thunder. We continued on to Otter Point Overlook before we pooped out, got our car and drove back to Trenton. After showers and a little recovery time, Danielle and Kathleen drove to nearby Ellsworth and an L.L. Bean outlet store, then we all went to dinner in Bar Harbor, enjoying excellent Mexican food outdoors at Salsa Verde Grill, followed by ice cream on the Village Green in chilly 50-degree weather.

Thunder Hole

Saturday, May 23: Kathleen and I were up before 6:00 AM on another clear, cool day. We went through our morning routines (coffee/tea, Wordle, Waffle, crossword, etc.), then read and watched the tide go out, a mesmerizing and peaceful experience that became a new ritual. After breakfast, the four of us drove to Seal Harbor, where we rented bicycles and rode into Acadia National Park to ride on the carriage roads. Built for horse and buggy riding between 1913 and 1940 by philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, Jr., one of five children and the only son of Standard Oil co-founder John D. Rockefeller, Sr., the 45 miles of crushed stone trails are an enjoyable and popular way to see the park’s interior. Only bikes, pedestrians and horses are allowed, motorized vehicles are forbidden, and the system is very well marked. We completed the 9-mile Jordan Pond Loop, which was hilly and challenging in places, but mostly fun. After our ride, we ate a picnic lunch at the crowded Jordan Pond House, a teahouse and restaurant serving vacationers since the 1870s. We returned our rental bikes, then hiked part of the way around Eagle Lake, a beautiful, unspoiled lake under the shadow of 1,530-foot Cadillac Mountain, the highest point in the park and one of the tallest peaks on the Atlantic seaboard. 

We stopped for groceries on the way back to Trenton, then ate in again. Our dinner preparation was interrupted by a large red fox hunting in the meadow behind the house and we all gathered around the kitchen window completely captivated. After our meal, we played Azul, a favorite board game, then watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Blake Edward’s 1961 hit movie based on Truman Capote’s novella. The movie was critically acclaimed and a commercial success, but out of the all-star cast of Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Patricia Neal, Mickey Rooney and Buddy Ebsen, only Hepburn was nominated for an Oscar. Composer Henry Mancini won an Academy Award for Best Musical Score and his classic song “Moon River,” performed by Hepburn, won the Oscar for Best Original Song as well as a Grammy for Song of the Year. 

Eagle Lake

Carriage roads

At Jordan Pond

Sunday, May 24:  We had a slow morning, and passed the time watching the tide and the birds—in less than three days we’ve counted more than 20 different species on the property. We drove to Bar Harbor and walked along the Shore Path, a public thoroughfare that crosses private land, then continued across the namesake “bar” of Bar Harbor. The rock and gravel strip out to Bar Island, which is part of Acadia National Park, uncovers at low tide and is a popular day hike. Hundreds of others had the same idea and the bar and island trails were very busy. On the island there are warning signs to mind the tide tables so you don't get trapped on the uninhabited island; there’s also a phone number for a water taxi if you want a rescue, or you can just wait the 6+ hours until the next low tide. After the walk back to town, we ate lunch at Side Street Cafe, then shopped at the Village Green Craft Fair before driving to Southwest Harbor, in a less-busy section of the park. There we hiked the Flying Mountain and Valley Cove Trails, seeing only three other groups on the trail. We returned to our Airbnb, made dinner, played Code Names, another favorite game, then read until bedtime. Map link: Bar Harbor and Bar Island, ME

The Shore Path

Balancing Rock

The bar at low tide. The dark line of seaweed at
Danielle’s feet is the high tide line,

Village Green Craft Fair

Lobstah pawts in Bah Hahbah

Monday, May 25 (Memorial Day): We woke up to light rain, which turned to steady rain for the first half of our drive back to Boston. Rather than take the interstate, we traveled on the more scenic U.S. Route 1, which runs 2,370 miles from Fort Kent, ME, on the Canadian border to Key West, FL, and connects most of the major cities on the East Coast. We stopped for coffee in Rockland and lunch in Portland, where the rain stopped and the skies cleared, allowing us to stretch our legs in a nearby city park after eating. Traffic wasn’t bad as we approached Boston, and we returned to Danielle and Jay’s around 4:30 PM. After resting and unpacking, we ate dinner, watched Jeopardy and Taskmaster on television, then read until bed.

Bonus Question 1 Answer: Missouri and Tennessee both touch eight states, including each other. See map below.

Number of states bordered by each state

Bonus Question 2 Answer: Montpelier, VT, population 8,000, is the smallest state capital city, followed by Pierre, SD, population 14,000. 

Road Trip: Rhode Island

Kathleen, Danielle and I took a quick trip to Rhode Island, the state where Kathleen and I lived briefly and the site of our 1988 wedding. We first stopped at the large, attractive state capitol in Providence, sharing the atrium and hallways with a number of school groups touring the building. Completed in 1904, the statehouse is made from Georgia marble and boasts the fourth largest self-supporting marble dome in the world, after St. Peter’s Basilica, the Minnesota State Capitol and the Taj Mahal. Map link: Providence, RI

We drove south for another 30 minutes, stopping at 8025 Post Road in North Kingston, the house we rented in 1988 and the location of our wedding rehearsal dinner and reception. Not surprisingly, it has undergone significant improvements since then, but the lines, bones and location were all recognizable. We stopped for lunch in the nearby Village of Wickford, enjoying the shaded deck and sea breeze at Wickford on the Water restaurant in the 90-degree heat. Map link: Wickford, RI

Next we crossed the Jamestown and Newport Bridges that span Narragansett Bay to Aquidneck Island (the original Rhode Island) and the city of Newport, population 25,000. Famous for being a sailing center and summer resort for the wealthy, Newport hosted the first U.S. Open tournaments in both tennis and golf and every America’s Cup sailing regatta from 1930-1983. It was a major hub in the slave “triangle trade” of early America, where Caribbean molasses was distilled into rum, which was then exchanged for West African captives. Today Newport is home to Salve Regina University, the National Sailing Museum and Hall of Fame, Naval War College, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Naval Supply Corps School and Naval Station Newport, where Kathleen did her surface warfare training and where we were married 38 years ago next month. Our first stop was The Breakers, a 70-room, 138,000-square-foot mansion completed in 1895 as a summer “cottage” for Cornelius Vanderbilt II. The Breakers is the grandest and most-visited of a dozen Gilded Age mansions that are open to the public, most along the Cliff Walk, a 3.5 mile National Recreation Trail with stunning views of the historic properties and the ocean. The northern terminus of the Cliff Walk is at Easton’s Beach, which we visited briefly, but the stiff wind and chilly air coming off the ocean limited our enjoyment. Instead we strolled through Downtown Newport, with its waterfront wharves, hotels, restaurants and shops, until it was time to head home. Map link: Newport, RI

It was a two-hour drive back to Boston, interrupted by a vicious line of thunderstorms that brought thunder, lightning, heavy rains and road flooding. By the time we arrived at Jay and Danielle’s at 7:00 PM, the rain had stopped and the skies were clear. After dinner, we watched Jeopardy, and were excited that one of the questions on the show was about The Breakers in Newport!

Bonus Content: It’s Walter Cup and Stanley Cup playoff time and I am watching as much of the action as my schedule allows. Ice hockey is by far my favorite spectator sport and is unique among sports, in my humble opinion. There are also many peculiar and little-known NHL rules and regulations—here are some of them:

1. The Blood Rule: To improve player safety and minimize the spread of infectious disease, players must leave the ice if they have blood on their jerseys. The rule applies regardless of whose blood it is. 

2. The Two-Stick Rule: Players may not carry more than one stick. They cannot pick up a dropped stick and pass it to a teammate or carry a replacement stick without dropping their own first. 

3. The Gretzky Rule: From 1985-1992, the NHL forced teams to play 5-on-5 rather than 4-on-4 during coincidental penalties, specifically to limit Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers’ dominance on open ice. 

4. The Jersey Tuck Rule: Players may not tuck their jerseys into their breezers, so that player names and numbers are always visible and hip pads are not exposed. Famous former “tuckers” were Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals and Wayne Gretzky, who superstitiously tucked in the right side of his jersey before every game. 

5. The Brodeur Rule: Established in 2005, a trapezoid behind each goal limits the area that the goalie may play the puck. It was implemented to prevent talented puck-handling goalies, specifically the New Jersey Devils’ Martin Brodeur, from playing the puck in the corners on dump-ins, which limited offense and scoring. 

Other Goalie Rules: Teams may only play one goalie at a time. Goaltenders must use white tape on their sticks, to allow refs to see the puck better. Goalies may not leave their sticks in the crease when pulled in an empty net situation. The Emergency Backup Goalie (EBUG): Teams typically roster two goalies, and in the event that both are sick, injured, or otherwise unable to play, a local player is hired to fill in. Each NHL home team is required to have an EBUG in the stands—they are typically local amateurs, former college or junior hockey players or recreational league goalies. It is rare that EBUGS ever play, but it does happen, and has resulted in some legendary moments in professional hockey. David Ayres, a 42-year-old Zamboni driver and former American Hockey League goalie in Toronto, filled in for the visiting Carolina Hurricanes in February, 2020 and was credited with the win when the ‘Canes beat the Maple Leafs. He is in the NHL record books as the oldest goalie to win his regular-season debut. 

Boston, MA

After one night at home following my drive home from Kentucky, I was off again; this time with Kathleen to Boston for Danielle’s graduate school graduation.

Friday, May 15: We were up early and off to Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport’s Terminal 2 for our 7:00 AM flight on Sun Country Airlines. At the TSA security check, which was not at all busy, Kathleen and her carry-on luggage were pulled for further scrutiny. She got a full-body pat-down by a female TSA officer and her bag underwent testing that neither of us had ever seen before. It’s typical that our superfood/flax/psyllium/protein powder supplement mix (known in the family as “swamp scum”) gets flagged by the x-ray screener and is wipe-tested to check for illegal substances. When that was inconclusive, an agent retrieved a special briefcase, with three different reagents, to further analyze the compounds. The TSA agent had never used this kit before, and had a supervisor on speaker phone to walk him through it. They were friendly and professional and the whole experience was rather interesting—thank goodness that we had the extra time to spare before our flight.

That was the only excitement on our direct flight to Boston, and Danielle and Jay picked us up at Logan Airport’s Terminal E, which was noisy outside due to construction. We went straight to their apartment in Brighton, a western suburb of Boston named after the English city, and home to the New Balance shoe corporation and part of Boston College. We had lunch, relaxed, took a nap, went to the YMCA, ate dinner, watched television and read until bedtime. Map link: Brighton, MA

Saturday, May 16: Danielle’s graduation from the Boston University School of Public Health was at 9:30 AM, so we got ourselves ready and went to the BU Track and Tennis Center on campus. Danielle earned her Masters in Public Health after a two-year program, along with hundreds of other graduate students who earned advanced degrees. Following the ceremony, we enjoyed a light lunch and socialized at the outdoor tent reception on a beautiful sunny day. Map link: Boston University

After lunch and a change of clothes, we took a boat ride on the Charles River, then strolled along the beautiful riverfront Esplanade, stopping at a historical plaque on the Harvard Bridge honoring legendary escape artist Harry Houdini. On April 30, 1908, a handcuffed and chained Houdini plunged 30 feet into the frigid Charles in front of an estimated 20,000 onlookers to promote his upcoming performance at a local theater. He emerged, unbound and unscathed, after about 40 seconds. 

We walked back through the BU campus, then met Kathleen’s sister Scarlett, who lives in Somerville, for a celebratory dinner at Bar ‘Cino in Watertown, next door to the Armenian Museum of America, which was closed. After an amazing dinner we went back to Brighton, where I watched NHL playoff hockey until late in the evening. 

Harvard Bridge and Houdini plaque

Harry Houdini in 1908. Source: Bostonmagazine.com

Sunday, May 17: While I ran some morning errands, the others went to the YMCA, then we all went to brunch with Scarlett at Veggie Galaxy in Cambridge for a late Mother’s Day celebration. Kathleen, Danielle and I went sightseeing in Boston, first visiting the Massachusetts Statehouse. Completed in 1798 on land once owned by John Hancock, the attractive gold-domed structure on Beacon Hill fronts Boston Common. Across the street is the 1897 Robert Gould Shaw Memorial, a bronze relief sculpture of the Union Colonel leading the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, the second of more than 150 African-American regiments formed in the north. The son of wealthy Boston abolitionists and a tested combat veteran, Shaw was handpicked by Massachusetts Governor John Andrew to lead the regiment, which included two sons of civil rights leader Frederick Douglass. The 54th saw extensive action during the war, including the July 1863 assault on Fort Wagner overlooking Charleston Harbor, where Colonel Shaw was killed while leading the charge. The story was depicted in the 1989 Academy Award-winning film Glory, starring Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, Morgan Freeman and Andre Braugher. A reenactment group affiliated with the Massachusetts National Guard still marches in parades and celebrations, and I chatted with one of them at the memorial.

The 50-acre Boston Common is the oldest city park in the country and part of Boston’s “Emerald Necklace” of public green spaces and connecting waterways designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. Used as a cow pasture, military camp, public execution grounds, gathering space and finally parkland, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. The adjacent Boston Garden was the first public botanical garden in America, built on filled-in mudflats in the early 1800s. Fun fact: In the early 20th century, baby alligators were kept in a small basin near the Commonwealth Avenue entrance, and were fed rats and mice by residents. The tulips were in bloom, and the paths, gardens and historic swan boats, operating since 1877, were busy with folks enjoying the warm Sunday weather. In the northeast corner is a set of small bronze sculptures honoring Robert McCloskey’s classic children’s book Make Way for Ducklings, which was set in the park. The duck statues are typically dressed in seasonal costumes by locals. Map link: Boston Public Garden

“The Embrace” pubic art in Boston Common

Make Way for Ducklings sculptures in costume

Some guy named Washington—I guess he’s famous

Our last sightseeing stop was Cheers, the Boston bar whose exterior was seen in the NBC sitcom for 11 seasons between 1982 and 1993. Opened in 1969 as the Bull & Finch Pub, the basement establishment was named Boston’s best bar by Boston magazine in 1982 and soon after, the show’s creators considered it the perfect image for the opening sequence. By 1990, the bar was one of the top three tourist destinations in the city. In 2002, the owners struck a deal with the network and officially changed the name to Cheers. Today, it’s open for business, complete with a kitschy gift shop upstairs, which we perused. 

It was a hot afternoon (88F) and we were done sightseeing but not quite ready to return home. Across the street from Boston Commons was a multiplex movie theater, where we saw Devil Wears Prada 2 in air conditioned comfort, before heading back to Brighton, where Jay made us dinner.

Bonus Questions: Cheers trivia—Test your knowledge of the hit TV show (answers at end of post):

1. Which three actors appeared in all 275 episodes?

2. What was Sam’s profession prior to owning the bar? What was his nickname?

3. What was the name of Norm’s wife? 

4. What was the name of the seafood restaurant above the bar?

5. True or False: Nobody ever left the bar drunk.

Bonus Question Answers: 

1. Ted Danson (Sam), Rhea Perlman (Carla) and George Wendt (Norm) appeared in every episode of the show.

2. In the show, Sam “Mayday” Malone was a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox baseball team. 

3. Norm’s wife was named Vera.

4. The restaurant above the bar was Melville’s.

5. True. The producers and writers made it a point to never show anyone leaving the bar too drunk to drive home. The series was recognized by groups against drinking and driving for helping to promote designated drivers and responsible alcohol consumption.