Making Winter Plans

     It seems I always have something to look forward to. I guess that’s what makes the normal days go by so quickly.  I don’t know how many times I’ve told people, "We should really get together for lunch."  If I don’t set a date and put it onto my calendar then the chance of it happening is almost nil.  It’s kind of the same thing with a New Year’s Resolution or a specific goal one might have.  If you don’t revisit it daily and have an end date with specific results set then you most likely won’t achieve it.  That’s why I’m trying to make a winter bucket list with specific events on specific days of the calendar.

     It is a bit challenging to make winter plans since Josh is in hockey.  He plays in Silver Bay this year which is a 2 hour drive from our house at the end of the Gunflint Trail.  It’s the nearest indoor rink and the kids join the Silver Bay team for High School too.  There aren’t enough Squirts in either area to support a full team so it works well for both Grand Marais and Silver Bay to combine.  As if Silver Bay wasn’t a long enough drive his league games and tournaments take us to Cloquet, Moose Lake, Ely, Duluth and more. 

     Back to the bucket list for the winter.  There are a number of places I want to snowshoe, lots of cross-country ski trails I need to re-visit, some trout I’d like to catch and a snowmobile trip I want to go on.  But first up on my bucket list is skiing into the Yurt on the Banadad Trail.

     I’ve skied the trail and stayed at the Yurt one time already but have wanted to go back ever since.  That was before kids so it’s been at least 11 years.  It’s 8 miles in to the Yurt where we’ll spend the night and 12 miles out to the other trail head.  Accompanying me will be Mike’s cousin Sheri and Chelsea if she says,  "Yes." to the adventure. 

     What’s on your winter bucket list?  If you haven’t made one yet then when you do make sure you include a visit to Voyageur on it.  It’s my favorite place to be during winter.