Meanwhile, in Norway: You may have heard that the 148th Fighter Wing out of Duluth was part of the team that shot down a UFO – not alien in origin – over Lake Huron recently. According to an Associated Press story on MPRNews, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz tweeted after the event of Duluth-based crew, "The Bulldogs executed their mission flawlessly, protected the homeland, and got the birds home safe." (According to the AP, the object "was first detected on Saturday evening over Montana, but it was initially thought to be an anomaly. Radar picked it up again Sunday hovering over the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and it was going over Lake Huron, Pentagon officials said Sunday." But not all the Duluth crew was out hunting balloons (or whatever). For the last week, Minnesota National Guard, including some crew from the Duluth-based Bulldogs, were doing field training exercise in the Norwegian mountains as part of the 50th Anniversary of NOREX – the Norwegian Reciprocal Troop Exchange. The Bulldogs posted, "Our hosts and trainers from the Norwegian Home Guard, also known as Heimevernet, guided our troops through ski marches up and down the mountain, how to build different kinds of emergency bivouacs, skijouring, and the winter survival version of a polar plunge!"
More Norway: It was 50 years ago, in 1973, when the late Tony Wise looked to his Norwegian heritage and patterned a ski marathon after the Birkebeiner Rennet, which had been held in Norway since 1932. Tony founded the American Birkebeiner. Next week (Feb. 22-26) is Birkie Week with a slough of events sprinkled between Cable and Hayward, just as is the trail the cross-country competitors follow. "Both events honor and re-create a historic Norwegian event when in 1206, two warrior soldiers, called “Birkebeiners” because of the birch-bark leggings they wore, skied infant Prince Haakon to safety during the Norwegian civil war," notes the event's website. "Prince Haakon subsequently became King of Norway, and the Birkebeiner soldiers became a Norwegian symbol of courage, perseverance and character in the face of adversity." Events range from the Barkie Birkie (skijoring with dogs down main street) to the Giant Ski race (the skis are giant, not just the race) to the Prince Haakon race (with costumed competitors) to tons more plus the actual American Birkebeiner. During the week, Art Beat of Hayward invites Birkie lovers to meet local watercolorist Amy Hanson and view her new Birkie collection (a couple of them seen here) along with Birkie lego artwork by artist Nancy Douglas. Find all the events, including an expo and food, online.
Ice Climber Update: The National Park Service issued an update on the ice climber who died after being swept off a ledge at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan. "The 31-year-old ice climber, James Bake of Gaylord, Mich., fell into Lake Superior on the evening of Feb. 7 while climbing in the Miners Castle area, NPS reported, adding "Multiple agencies responded that evening and coordinated search efforts continued throughout the week as conditions allowed." On Feb. 12, weather and wave conditions on the Lake facilitated a focused search of the area using an unmanned aerial vehicle operated by an Alger Country Sheriff’s Department pilot and Mr. Bake’s body was located underwater about 30 yards offshore. The Michigan State Police Dive Team conducted the recovery with the U.S. Coast Guard providing an Ice Rescue Team from Station Marquette to ensure the safety of the team members. Also adding the search were Superior High Angle Professionals (SHARP) rope rescue team and the National Park Service. "Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore staff are saddened by this loss," said Pictured Rocks Superintendent David Horne, “and our entire community extends sincere condolences to Mr. Bake’s family and friends."
Open Books: Want to know what your neighbors and our visitors are reading? Drury Lane Books in Grand Marais, Minn., released its Top 10 Best Sellers for 2022 with regional topics and authors and our own SUNKEN Shipwrecks of Lake Superior by Kathy Groth made the list. Topping the Top 10 was Grand Marais author Staci Lola Drouillard with her books Seven Aunts and Walking the Old Road. You can see the full list online … and order books from Drury Lane online, too.
Help Wanted: Organizers of Copper Dog races in Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula have put out an all call for a few dozen volunteers to help at waypoints on the trail. The races take place on March 3-5 and there is a page dedicated to volunteers and sign ups.
Make Plans: Here are a few events coming up soon to put on a fun-do list:
Michigan
Today-Monday, Feb. 16-20: Deteriorating weather (flash freezing and a lack of snow) has cancelled the UP200 Powered by NMU, the Midnight Run and Jack Pine 30 dog sled races out of Marquette, organizers announced this week. But Northern Michigan University instead will host the Festival of the Sled Dog Powered by NMU at 7 p.m. Friday in downtown Marquette. The starting arch will be up, the streets will be filled with snow for sledding and sled dog demos meaning … with dogs! and nearby Grand Marais is planning a Winter Fest on Saturday with food, bonfires, a raffle and silent auction and other fun activities. “In our 33 years of putting on these races, we’ve never had to cancel due to weather," said Darlene Walch, UPSDA president, in a release. “This is a first for us and we appreciate the support of the community as we pivot to a festival format."
Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 18-19: Jibba Jabba is back. That's right … after a 10-year hiatus, the freestyle snowboarding rail jam event created by Rhythm Bike & Board Co. is returning to Houghton this weekend. Pro and amateur snowboarders will take over Huron Street where builders from Mont Ripley and the city of Houghton will construct the course Friday morning. Spectators can line both sides of the Huron Street course from the new Houghton Pier to Shelden Avenue on Saturday. Riders will begin warming up at 6 p.m. Saturday with the competition starting at 7 p.m. and awards by 9 p.m. The course will open from noon-3 p.m. Sunday to all comers, but riders must sign a waiver at Rhythm Bike & Board Co. before hitting the rails. Visit Keweenaw and Rhythm Bike & Board Co. will host Sunday's Social Media Contest with the opportunity for riders to win "Keweenaw Cash" and local swag.
Minnesota
Thru Feb. 28: All this month consider taking a self-guided fireplace tour through Cook County. Cozy up next to some of the warmest and most wonderful fireplaces in the county as part of the Hygge experience. A full list of tour-able fireplace sites is online.
Saturday, Feb. 18: 218 Days is an Odyssey Resorts-sponsored community celebration of the music, tastes, artisans and artists found living within the 218 area code.
Saturday, Feb. 18: A whole lot of organizations are coming together in The St. Louis County Depot in Duluth on Saturday for a free "Let's Move" session sponsored by Grandma’s Marathon, the Young Athletes Foundation and The Depot. The 10 a.m.-3 p.m. event is geared toward children from kindergarten through 5th Grade, but all are welcome. The mission is to engage children in fun, healthy indoor fitness and encourage kids and families to continue to participate in healthy lifestyle habits at home. On hand to interact with the kids will be the Minnesota Ballet; Youth in Action; 4-H; Individual Nutrition; Girls on the Run; Duluth Area Family YMCA; Duluth Huskies; Duluth Community Education; Stella Maris Academy Football; Salvation Army Rookie Basketball; Junior Golf; Rev Fitness; Young Athletes Foundation; and Grandma’s Marathon.
Wisconsin
Saturday, Feb. 18: As many as 4,000 skiers and snowshoers will head out across Chequamegon Bay on Saturday for the 26th chapter of Book Across the Bay. The Bookers start at Kreher Park in Ashland and trek across the bay to the opposite shoreline at ‘Dragon Island,’ then return to the Chili Feed Celebration at the Event Tent in Kreher Park. The start tent opens at from 11 a.m.-11:30 p.m. on race day with South Shore Brewery beer and Haulin’ Hotdish serving food. After the race (the course is about 11K) in the tent, the band Champagne Glitter Train will be playing, and there will be a free-for-racers-and-volunteers chili feed (or you can purchase food) plus bonfires. Fireworks at 7:15 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 18: Iron River hosts the Northern Pines Sled Dog Race with Sprint and mid-distance runs plus weight-pulling and kids mutt run competitions. The action focuses at the Northern Pines Golf Course and Event Center where the race starts and finishes. Lots of free spectator opportunities (and volunteers still welcomed).
Wednesday, Feb. 22: The University of Wisconsin-Superior’s Indigenous Cultures Resource Center will host the 11th annual Wisconsin Indigenous & Multicultural Read-In featuring author Anton Treuer at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Erlenbach Lecture Hall in in Swenson Hall. The free event features Anton, professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University and author of “Everything You Wanted to Know about Indians but Were Afraid to Ask" and other history books, will share traditional Ojibwe winter legends.
Thru Sunday, Thru Feb. 19: The Groundlings in Washburn are performing "Tales of the Lost Formicans," a comedically dark exploration of late 20th century society, family, and relationships viewed through the skewed perspective of a team of extraterrestrial anthropologists. Evening performance start at 7:30 p.m. and the Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. in StageNorth.
Ontario
Tonight-Monday, Feb. 16-20: Fort William Historical Park in Thunder Bay hosts two great opportunities this weekend. Tonight from 7-9 p.m., Indigenous Night Sky Storytelling will examine Indigenous spirituality, traditions, stories and seasonal rounds that are influenced by all of creation, including the Earth, Moon and stars. Then starting Saturday, the Voyageur Winter Carnival offers fun indoor and outdoor activities, including sledding and tubing hills, winter games and contests, visiting the farm animals and more right through Ontario's Family Day on Monday.
Tonight, Feb. 16: Michael Pal, associate professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa, will discuss the state of Canadian and global democracy as part of the Harold G. Fox Distinguished Speaker Series, 7-8:30 p.m. tonight in the Paterson Auditorium at the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law, Lakehead University in Thunder Bay. “The idea of military coups and so on from the history books are not the main risk today," Michael says. "Instead, what we see around the world is the gradual erosion of free and fair elections and the institutions that support democracy.” You can still register for the free lecture.
Saturday-Monday, Feb. 18-20: Free fishing is just part of the Family Day weekend opportunity throughout Ontario, reports SaultOnline. Among the celebrations in Sault Ste. Marie will be the family-friendly activities at The Corner and Boots & Saddles Roadhouse, including Touch a Truck, snowshoe race, tug of war, sleigh rides and Hogans Homestead will be on site with a ton of syrup-related fun stuff.
Watch for It! Many annual events around Lake Superior sell out because they are so highly popular. We're going to try to give you a heads up here so you can plan far in advance. Two "cool kids" events coming up in the fall are Thunder Con in Thunder Bay, Sept. 9-10. Online ticket sales have not yet started, but you can see videos of past speakers and events for this pop culture gathering. MiParaCon, or Michigan Paranormal Conference, in Sault Ste. Marie will be Aug. 24-26 and ticket sales are open … with some options already sold out (see, we told ya). It's the 13th edition of the event celebrating all things spooky and paranormal so you know it will be a good one.
Photo & graphic credits: 148th Fighter Wing/Minnesota National Guard; Amy Hanson/American Birkebeiner; National Park Service; Drury Lane Books; Jibba Jabba/Visit Cook County/Book Across the Bay/Lakehead University