Here's the story. Dad took the day off work to head out to Duluth with Mom and I. I was so excited because you know how I love a good adventure! We turned on the television in the morning to check the weather and they were talking about tons of rain and flooding in Duluth and even some animals missing at the zoo up there! We decided to go anyway and see how far we could get. As we got closer to Duluth, Highway 35 was getting wetter and wetter and there were spots along the side were we could see the rivers high and the water creeping up, but we kept going. We headed over the hill into Duluth and it was so foggy we couldn't see anything! Just over the hill, 35 was closed so they were rerouting everyone into the west part of the city. We probably should have turned around and gone home but our love of adventure kept us right on going. We ended up taking a back way on Superior Street through a pretty big "lake" and basically "floated" the car under a bridge. It was scary, but I trusted Dad to get us through. :)
We finally made it to Canal Park. Mom and Dad tromped through the rain with their giant umbrella and had some fun looking at the lake and going into a few shops. After hearing that the mayor had declared an emergency we decided we should probably head back south and just have our fun day out someplace else so we didn't get stuck. Too late. Here's where the story really gets good. We headed through downtown Duluth and up the hill. There was water EVERYWHERE! Rolling down the hills like crazy, buckling the roads...it was insane! We made it up the hill and went the back way around the mall, so we didn't see too much up there. We decided to try Hwy 53 to make it back to 35 that way and try to get out. It was flooded. So we tried Skyline Parkway. Nope...flooded. We tried several back roads to make it out...all flooded. Then we decided to try US 2 and headed to 33 South to Cloquet. We figured we'd pick up Hwy 35 out of Cloquet. But 33 South was flooded. Back to US 2 and heading to 73 South....nope...US 2 was flooded further down. Seriously? At every turn roads were closing due to the floods. Finally we gave up at around 1pm and decided to head back to Duluth and try to go out the same way we came in. As we tried to get around the mall again up on the hill, we came around the other side and the mall parking lot was flooded, Target was half under water, Grandma's restaurant was half under water - or the parking lots were anyway - insane! Even the hill was flooded. We were starting to feel trapped! :)
Finally, we made it down the hill and were on 35 feeling pretty good but it wasn't to be.....35 was blocked and we ended up back on Superior Street. We made it back to the spot in west Duluth where we first got on and were just getting back on 35 South there and so excited!!!! We were finally headed home! We got to Black Bear Casino and were direct by orange cones off the highway and greeted with a big orange sign that said "Ramp Closed". No detour signs, no explanation, no clue where to go. Sigh. So we ended up going west on Hwy 210...pull out the road map.......................I was starting to get pretty scared at this point, plus I was trying to be the comic relief to keep my Mom and Dad from losing their minds. :):) In looking at the map we decided that 210 would take us all the way to Hwy 65 and we could get home from there. It was 3:30 by now and we had not eaten all day and were so tired!!! We got within 3 or 4 miles of Hwy 65 after driving through some decent size "puddles" or "lakes" and they had the road blocked. ARGH!!! We asked a trooper how to get to 65 South and he chuckled a little. He re-routed us to Cty Rds 6, 40 and 14 and back to 65South but then told us that 65 South was closed soon after that point. So we took all of those roads, got back on 65 and then had to immediately get back on 210 West and all the way to 169 in Aitkin. So think about this. We went to Duluth at 10am this morning, spent one hour there and ended up heading home around 4pm through Aitkin on 169. Jeepers Creepers!!!!! 169 was clear, thank goodness but there was one point where we saw the water creeping towards the road behind us...I wouldn't be suprised if it ended up closing later at some point. I don't think there was a spot anywhere in Northern Minnesota unaffected.
We finally made it to Elk River and had some dinner at the Pizza Ranch - Well, I ate in the car since they don't really serve "my kind" in there. ;) Now that we are home we of course are thankful and realize that it could have been so much worse. It was a bummer to have what should have been a relaxing day off for Dad and a fun family day out turn into a mini nightmare, but at least we are safe. Our prayers and thoughts go out to the families and people who are hurting and facing loss and uncertain futures because of the floods. Those who live up there and are losing their homes. God sure showed us just how powerful He is and just how small we are. How much we need Him.
That was my adventure for this summer so far!!!! Not what I expected, but it sure was crazy!!! Hopefully my next trip will be a little less eventful and a little more light-hearted! :) Here are some pictures of the craziness:
Have a great week!!
Radcliffe
