What Hat Are You Wearing Today 1?

[delectans]

A truly magnificent Montecristi, Robert! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[delectans]

Very impressive photos of part of your wonderful collection, Eric!

 

[Jantjeuh]

what an excellent montecristi!!

 

[delectans]

Very nice pictures, James. That trail looks quite interesting and challenging!

 

[bowlerman]

A+

 

[hatophile]

Sweet Panama, Robert!

 

[delectans]

The Poplar River as it cascades towards Lake Superior.



The water is naturally colored by tannins and humic acid from its upstream, forest watershed, and is characteristic of many streams and rivers on the Lake Superior North Shore.



Amanita muscaria on the banks of the Poplar River. This is the Var. guessowii, a variant with yellow-orange coloration.



The Poplar River cutting through the basalt bedrock.



Tying on a fly early in the morning.



At a deep pool near the mouth of the river, with the historic footbridge just upstream.



The Poplar River is a designated trout stream, supporting a population of wild Brook Trout as well as anadromous, or 'Coaster' Brook Trout and 'Steelhead' Rainbow Trout in its lower reaches.



Mouth of the Poplar River. The Minnesota state record Chinook Salmon is shared by fish from the lower Poplar River and Lake Superior.



Heading up the Caribou Trail towards the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The pavement has long ago ended.



Logging in the Minnesota north woods is still active, and the area is laced with old logging roads. Here, a logging truck waits for me to pass before pulling out onto the Caribou Trail.

 

[delectans]

Summer Sojourn, Part 3


Driving down a lonely little dirt road.



The Amanita mushrooms were everywhere. Also known as the fly Agaric, they are considered toxic and psychoactive.



It was very interesting to see the mushrooms in different stages of development.



Amanita with cap fully opened. The mushrooms sprouted, grew rapidly and withered during our time on the North Shore.



Solitude at this remote lake in the Boundary Waters, with only the sound of the wind whistling through the trees and the lapping of the waves to break the silence.



Relaxing in Grand Marais with the World's Best Donuts.



I, for one, did not question the sign.



Cook County is as sparsely populated and wild today as it was decades ago, largely untouched by development.



Thomsonite Beach Inn, another of our favorite stops. Lydia has bought Thomsonite jewelry here for as long as I can remember.



A spectacular, natural Thomsonite specimen in its basalt matrix as collected from Lake Superior by Ryan. Thomsonite formed from the percolation of minerals into trapped gas pockets within the basaltic lava flows of the 1.2 billion-year-old, Keweenawan Rift.

 

[delectans]

The placid big lake under gloomy skies.



Beautiful, ancient rocks, remnants of geologic events too monumental to fathom.



The Lutsen Resort. Dating back to 1885, it is Minnesota's oldest resort. The current main lodge was built in 1952 following fires that destroyed the previous two lodges.



Late afternoon sun on the Poplar River.

 

[Lefty]

As expected, great photos. I particularly enjoy the varied perspectives, especially the really down and dirty worm's-eye views of the mushrooms.

 

[bowlerman]

Fantastic, Al! And you sure seem to be enjoying that Optimo Montecristi.

 

[delectans]

Thanks, Lefty and Jeff, I really appreciate your kind words!

Lefty: Indeed, I had quite a bit of fun with fungi lol

Jeff: Can't seem to take the hat off my head this Summer :yo:

 

[Flipped Lid]

Those are great photos from up in the Boundary Waters area. I've passed through that part of the country several dozen times on the way to and from the Canadian fishing camp I go to every year. I always thought it would be great fun to canoe the Boundary Waters sometime after the first frost in the fall after the mosquitoes were killed off. That's really wonderful country up there.

 

[DJH]

Finally it's cool enough (just) for a felt hat.

Zephyr Weight Stetson

 

[Marshall]

DJH, you have some fantastic hats. :eusa_clap

 

[Neophyte]

DJH, you have some fantastic hats. :eusa_clap

:arated: Agreed!

 

[hatophile]

:arated: Agreed!

I third that!

Today, the Adam Whippet style hat.

 

[Neophyte]

Love the wide binding on that edge, Hato! It looks great with that shirt, too.

 

[hatophile]

Thanks, Alex.

 

[delectans]

Thank you, Flipped Lid. Autumn is definitely a great time of the year to be up on the North Shore and the Boundary Waters, with the crisp Fall air and colors, but I think that any time one can make it up there is the best time...even in the middle of Winter!