Sun Shining Everywhere

     One thing you may not realize when you’re driving the Gunflint Trail in the summer is how many twists and turns there are on it.  In the summer the sun is high and only early in the morning when the sun is rising or late in the evening when it is setting is it noticeable.  In the winter you realize how curvy the Gunflint Trail is.

     On a recent trip to Grand Marais I was attempting to work on my laptop computer.  This time Mike was driving and I was in the passenger seat.  It didn’t take long for me to give up because either the sun was hitting me right in the eyes or it was shining on the computer screen.  After a few miles I gave up trying to shield the sun with the shade by moving it from front to side and back again.  I couldn’t seem to wiggle enough in any direction to escape it so I turned the computer off and enjoyed the ride.

     The Gunflint Trail doesn’t head just East and West or North and South, it’s a combination all of the above depending upon where you are.  The sun wasn’t annoying just because of all of the curves but also because of the angle of the sun.  It sits so low in the winter sky that it shines in different places than in the summer.  This is a good thing because the lack of direct sunlight keeps our snow and ice from heating up and melting away too quickly. 

     The next time you’re on the Gunflint Trail keep an eye on the sun and your compass.  And don’t forget to keep a lookout for the resident moose on our curvy Gunflint Trail both summer and winter.