As noted in The 4th (the aftermath), on July 13, 2011, a date that will live in infamy, the Callecod sisters, a/k/a, The Biddies, deserted this reporter for a trip to the wilds of northern Minnesota and Wisconsin.  The sisters, native Hoosiers, are precisely two years and one day apart – one arrived on this planet on New Year’s Eve, the other on New Year’s Day.  Rita, the elder, still lives in Indiana – Nashville, Indiana, to be exact.  She is a regular visitor to us here in Vacationland, USA, often in her mini-RV.  She was a school nurse – once named Indiana school nurse of the year – and in that capacity was well aware that head lice are, indeed, the scourge of mankind.

Anyway, Rita had driven Jami and Tommy here from Indiana, and they had already returned home by separate conveyance.  The supervisor thoughtfully thought she should ride home with her older sister to provide company and driving relief, and then train home from Indy.  Plus, they could take the scenic route via the North Shore and then follow Great Lakes shorelines to Indiana.  The supervisor’s favorite new place is Grand Marais – and this would be her 3rd visit there in the last year – and she was anxious to show off this part of the state to Rita.  So, away they went . . .

Duluth was first – a first for Rita.  They were hoping to see the tall ships – but that was either a tanker or a mastless ship, something to do with the weather allegedly:

[“Fan mail from some flounder?”]

[OK, the last two are of Rita either in California, or around Lake Darling . . . I forget which.]

Grand Marias was next; in the midst of a heatwave, cooled to perfection by the big lake:

Then Grand Portage, High Falls, and the Canadian border:

[. . . and the State of Minnesota was closed!]

The girls head south again – stopping at Cross Creek (the cross, logically enough – there’s a long story to that, something about Father Baragras with a canoe full of people not heeding satellite storm warnings some time in the 180o’s (as I recall)) and Gooseberry Falls State Park (again, closed by the state, but Rita got in for her requisite photos):

The girls then crossed over into the northern land of the dreaded Cheese Heads.  This is virgin territory for me, so I’ll have to make it up as I go.  As I recall, there was some mention of a place called Bayfield and a boat ride to the Apostle Islands:

[“Tom’s Burned Out Cafe” on Madeline Island – the following 4 signs are at “Tom’s”]

Then it was on to the eastern edge of the Cheese Heads, territory of some familiarity to this reporter.  Soon we will be making our annual trek to Elkhart Lake, and to the supervisor’s Indiana University alumni camp.  In that neighborhood is Kohler’s famous Whistling Straits Golf Course, home to many major championships – The Biddies checked it out:

[Above:  Rita at Sheboygan Beach; the supervisor on the Sheboygan boardwalk.  Both are famous in song and story as final answers in the “Where in the World is Ruthie?” ongoing contest.]

The girls hit Indiana Dunes State Park where they were overwhelmed by heat and only enjoyed photo ops at what the supervisor called the crown jewel of the Golden Arches:

Then Rita returned to Nashville, an artists’ community, to her artist friends, David and Cynthia Dale, on the left, and Bill and Judy Zimmerman:

And the supervisor came home to help say sayonara to those to whom we bid adieu:

The Biddies thank you for your indulgence.