The past month has been a whirlwind of various freelance writing assignments—many of them highlighting why I live where I do. I’ve enjoyed learning about why South Shore Brewery in Ashland is expanding, the business model behind my favorite ice cream (Tetzner’s if you’re wondering) and talking to industry experts about the economic impact local parks and tourism have in both Minnesota and Wisconsin.
In case you’re wondering, the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (mere minutes from our land in Herbster) brings in $20.9 million per year to our local economy. Copper Falls State Park, which happens to be a nearby favorite of mine, brings in $8.8. You can read more in the June issue of Business North.
I hope to post more about some of my most recent adventures, including a guest blog post I’m working on for Girls from the Northwoods. In the meantime, I’m excited to see signs going up along Highway 13 featuring the state’s newest Scenic Byway. Before you hit the snooze button, this is an important designation for my stomping grounds. People often question why I live where I do. The answer is simple—northwest Wisconsin rocks. Each year, hundreds of thousands of folks vacation in a place I call home. They come to see the big lake and escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. But, they often don’t take a moment to venture off their itinerary to see all this area has to offer.
Sections of Highway 13 are a big part of that. It is just off Highway 13 that I wander some of the best (and emptiest) Lake Superior beaches around. It is here I buy my favorite ice cream, coffee and fish (when I’m not pregnant). It is where I hike and pick wild apples in the fall, blueberries in the summer (and no I won’t tell you my hidden spots) and photograph wild rivers and flowers in the spring. It is where I hike the Sea Caves in the dead of winter and watch ice formations crush up along the bay creating an intricate art display you have to see to believe.
The dedication of the new Lake Superior Scenic Byway was just last month. I did a quick update for last month’s Business North. That said, it doesn’t capture the heart of why it is the state’s latest and most likely last scenic designation. Today, I needed to make a quick trip to Bayfield which meant an opportunity to snap a few shots along the way. I hope to post more next time I’m out and about (and it isn’t raining). Enjoy!
