A Lighthouse, a Mansion, and a Vikre

 Best sunrise yet!!  We looked out of our window this morning and saw the sunrise.  We found a way to go outside to be able to take better pictures.

They had a little snack bar in the lobby to get some coffee, fruit, or granola type bars.  Not a big selection.  Jeanne and I ate breakfast in the room.  I still had some oatmeal packets left.  

Sharon and Kris picked up a few things in the lobby on our way out to our 9 am tour of the Splitrock Lighthouse.  Google said that it was about an hour away but it was listed as being in Two Harbors.  We got to Two Harbors and thought that we had plenty of time to get to the tour. So we stopped at the Cedar Coffee Company for some coffee.

Looking out back.

I decided to look at the directions.  Yikes!! It was another 27 minutes away and it was 8:30 am.  We found out that it was actually 20 miles past Two Harbors.  We stepped on it. Grabbed our lattes and ran.

Jeanne put the pedal to the metal and we made it there at 8:57 am.  Whew!! 

Jennifer was a fabulous guide

The lighthouse

1905 construction of the lighthouse started.  It was designed by Ralph Russell Tinkham. He designed many lighthouses in the USA

1910 the lighthouse was opened. 

1961 the foghorn was discontinued.

1969 the lighthouse was decommissioned.

1976 the Minnesota Historical Society got it.

1975 Edmond Fitzgerald was lost at sea.  Inspired Gordon Lightfoot's ballad

1986 the visitor's center was opened.

A portable airhorn if the big horns were not working.  We got to take turns sounding the horn.  It was quite loud.

When the tour was over we walked down to the lake shore to get a different view of the lighthouse.   

We drove back to Two Harbors.

By then it was time for lunch.  We stopped at the Vanilla Bean in Two Harbors.  

We each had the 1/2 sandwich of their famous cranberry club and chicken wild rice soup. It was delicious

Next stop was the Glensheen Mansion.  

This is an aerial shot of the property.  Another of my drone shots.  

Follow the blue line for the self-guided tour

The entry

How would you like to wear this fox around your neck?

This was a great shower where the water came out from multiple sources.  For those of you Portlanders, it is like the shower at the Pittock Mansion.  

Nice tile work

Helen was a very interesting character.

Not a very portable coffee bean grinder

Fancy stove.

Clark the shark, art work to help keep Superior shark free. 

After our time at the mansion we headed straight back to Fitger's Inn.  We got there around 3 pm.  Nap time.  

I went around out back for a little walk on the lake path.  I had Jeanne stand in the window so thaat I could figure out which room we were in.

Our room, 420, is the furthest to the right on the top floor.  Sharon and Kris are in 414, which is the 4th from the left of ours.

Follow the cones to the Crank & Dasher ice cream place.

We had a 5:30 pm distillery tour scheduled at Vikre's Distillery.  Jeanne drove us there and we parked close.  

Vikre's is a small local distillery.  They make gin, vodka, aquavit and whiskey.  The whiskey takes the longest because of the aging process. Vikre's Distillery

These are the owners (Emily and Joel Vikre) and they started the company.

Gerry (or Jerry) was our guide.  He was very informative and interesting.

They start with bags of different grains

They make a rough grind and then soak it to extract the sugars

Adding yeast and aging

The copper is for the gin, vodka and aquavit and the silver on the left is for the whiskey.  This is where they remove the impurities and add whatever flavor they want.

A lot of pipes going hither and yon

The whiskey is put in oak barrels which have been slightly burned on the inside.  Then they age the whiskey.  It is the barrel that gives it the flavor. 

We got tastings of 2 types of aquavit and a whiskey.

They changed their label.  The new one is on the right.

This shows how to pronounce Vikre.

While we were waiting for a table we went to walk on the aerial lift bridge

They texted us when our table was ready.

After the tour we could stay and order a cocktail.  

We ordered the Perfect Bar Mix to go with our cocktails.

  Jeanne had the Hot Toddy, I had the Apricot Last Word (with vodka instead of gin) , Sharon had the Holy Hand Grenade, and Kris had The Machine That Goes Ping.

My apricot drink was tasty.  I was trying an arty shot with the light on the table.

You can buy their spirits as well.  

We called both Bellisio's Italian and Va Bene about getting a table for dinner.  Both said that they were booked.  It was a Friday night after all.  We picked 301 Restaurant for dinner. They had plenty of tables available.  

I had the chicken parmesan

I took this picture the next day.

Sharon and Kris walked home.  Jeanne and I went to get the car to park it at Fitger's parking structure.

  It was full moon but it also was a little cloudy.  

We headed back to the room for a night cap.  Our wine consumption was down in Duluth.

I think that it made a difference that we were in separate rooms.  We had more of our drinking out and about.

We did not finish the Baileys or the Key Lime Rum Cream.  They were just for tasting.