Traveling as Two - Silver Bay

The drive from Duluth to Silver Bay was an opportunity for us to see more of Lake Superior. It looked like this out of my window. 

My sweetie wanted to be sure that we got a lake view BEFORE we got to our next stopping place. I had already booked our stay at the AmericInn on Hotwire, so I made the call. The young man I spoke with first was not very accommodating and he was convinced that the only room he could offer me was a parking lot view. Even telling him that the good folks at the AmericInn in Ontanogan were able to upgrade for $20 did not sway him in his decision. So what could I do?

I asked for the manager. 

When the manager come on, he kindly offered us his best rooms with a deck overlooking the lake and a jetted tub for two. No upgrade fee.

We arrived just before sunset although Superior was on the wrong side of the hotel for it to be spectacular like it was in Ontanogon, but that didn't stop it from being amazingly beautiful. At Silver Bay, it all appeared to be open water beyond the trees.

After we watched the sunset, we decided to take advantage of the facilities. The hotel had a large pool with a separate children's pool, a hot tub, and a waterslide. 

We lounged in the hot tub for half an hour before I just had to try that waterslide. My sweetie made a video, but I looked ridiculous. Suffice to say that I survived without too much damage.

The sunrise at Silver Bay was stunning! As we packed up, I kept slipping back out on the deck just to watch it change. 

Thank goodness for a great camera in my phone, otherwise it would have been too bright to see anything.

After saying goodbye to our new manager friend, we wandered off the main road. Lake Superior is too cold for swimming, but Black Beach is one of the few places where people venture in during the heat of the summer.

It was a breath-takingly beautiful spot with stones dyed black from the iron tailings of the Model-T era. In some places, the stones were tiny like sand, while others were larger and slippery to walk on. 

In the summer, I'm sure thrill-seekers would swim out the twenty feet or so to the tiny rock island. In all of our journeying, this was the first time I wanted to touch the icy waters of the lake. 

I waited for the tide to come up almost to my shoes and then I bent down and scooped up a handful. It was not as cold as I had expected and as it drained between my fingers, I let it slip into my sweetie's open palm. 

It was time to go. Our adventure was almost over.