An old farmstead in the mining ghost town of Mansfield

June 11, 2018 - Monday

44 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Mansfield is located about twenty miles away and is where the Michigamme River broke through a mine wall, trapped, and killed many iron miners over a hundred years ago. If that wasn't bad enough, a forest fire wiped out the rest of the town shortly after. All that's left are two or three permanent residents, some old, derelict, log buildings, and the church which has been rebuilt.



We really wanted to go fishing Sunday, but the wind would have made holding the boat very difficult. Instead, we decided to go for a nice, long, drive, and simply enjoy the day.

We weren't the only ones taking advantage of the warm 75 degree temperatures and clear skies.

There weren't many boats on the lakes, but there was no lack of people swimming and basking in the sunshine.

Just past Mansfield is a large hydro electric dam.



We enjoyed getting out and simply walking around.

Even the butterflies were in abundance.



Closer to home, we were watching a party boat with a few too many passengers aboard when Sargie noticed how low it was in the water. The pontoons were almost completely submerged.



Hopefully no one ended up in the water before their cruise ended.

We drove to town last night for another load of shavings from Yooper Brother Mark's plant. After, we stopped by Sheri and Mark's to tell Mark goodbye. He's driving down to the company's plant in Kentucky for a visit this week.

Sargie works today and closes tonight. I've got a dying spruce tree that needs to be cut down. I think I'll chip the branches and cut the trunk into eight foot bolts and cover them should the day arrive that I purchase a portable sawmill. (More about that at a later date.)

Otherwise, there're a few weeds growing in the garden that need my attention, rutabagas to thin, and filters to change in the garden pond. The water is still soupy and I'm about ready to drain half or more and replace it with clean water, see if that helps.

Well, those weeds aren't going to pull themselves. Time to get a move on.

After all, a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...