Wednesday Weekly July 25: 2 Weeks 2 Music Festivals 2 Countries

In many ways, I tried to take my advice of not being able to see it all in one trip. Last July, I took the whole month off and I came to Thunder Bay and hit it hard. This year, I figured I'd take a more relaxed approach and hit up Thunder Bay Blues Festival and a few other things.

I had also planned on going to Rock Fest in Cadott, Wisconsin right after Bluesfest. From Bluesfest I'd start my early camping on Monday. I thought I'd have plenty of time over the two days to catch up on my blog before the festival itself started.

Early morning highway drive with pink and blue twilight sky and distant lights Sunrise over highway with dramatic orange and blue clouds illuminating the roadway Bright sun creating lens flare while driving on a divided highway with trees lining both sides Grassy park area with large trees framing a view of Lake Superior under blue sky Rocky shoreline of Lake Superior with forested hills in the background and sparkling water Expansive view of Lake Superior's calm blue waters extending to the horizon

To my surprise the border crossing into Canada was insanely easy. The border guard who grilled me a ton last time was working the window. He luckily remembered me and asked a few of the basic questions I get every border crossing. I told him I was going to Bluesfest. He asked if I was just there to work on this blog and I said yes. That was good enough and it was a very painless border crossing.

The first place I stopped in Thunder Bay was Prince Arthur's Landing. It was a nice day out.

Marina docks with numerous sailboats moored in calm water under partly cloudy sky Person sitting on waterfront bench overlooking Lake Superior with distant Sleeping Giant formation visible Modern waterfront apartment buildings and marina development along Thunder Bay harbor

I then went to the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium to pick up my tickets for Bluesfest. I was surprised to see an American flag flying at equal height of the Canadian flag. In many ways it felt like a symbol of equality between the countries and seemed very welcoming.

Four flags flying against blue sky: Canadian flag, Ontario flag, Pride flag, and American flag Sign requesting photo ID and credit card when picking up tickets at venue entrance Thunder Bay Blues Festival poster advertising July 6-8 weekend event at Marina Park Hand holding 2018 Thunder Bay Blues Fest weekend pass ticket priced at $169 over cobblestone pavement Exterior entrance of Thunder Bay Community Auditorium with distinctive angular canopy architecture

I then headed to Man vs. Meat. The food was pretty amazing there. The pulled chicken was perfectly juicy and it hit the spot.

Man vs Meat logo featuring cartoon characters with tagline

For dessert, I went to the Persian Man. This is a Thunder Bay delicacy and something that goes great after a good meal!

The Persian Man restaurant exterior with red and white striped awning and signage Pink frosted donut and black coffee on red table at The Persian Man coffee shop Hand holding half-eaten pink frosted donut showing custard filling with coffee in background

Bay Meats was the next place on the list. Their pepperettes don't require refrigeration, so I bought a case.

BayMeats Butcher Shop and Smokehouse storefront building on street corner BayMeats branded box from Lihakauppa (Finnish butcher shop) placed in vehicle

I had some more time to kill before my AirBnB would be ready so I headed to Marina Park and walked around.

Marina with numerous sailboats moored in calm blue water under partly cloudy sky Silver Ram pickup truck with large Canadian flag mounted in parking lot Large polished stainless steel abstract sculpture with curved flowing forms on public plaza Modern metal sculpture featuring stacked spherical and conical shapes on downtown plaza Thunder Bay Sister Cities welcome sign listing international partnerships including Little Canada USA, Duluth USA, Seinäjoki Finland, Giaozhou City China, and Gifu City Japan Multiple water fountains spraying in urban pond with modern buildings visible in background Festival setup with white event tents and truck parked along waterfront

I quickly peaked into Tim's Meats for some groceries.

Jim's Meat Deli & Grocery white clapboard building with vintage Coca-Cola sign and open neon sign

By then, my AirBnB was ready. This is the first time I had ever stayed at one. Technically it wasn't through AirBnB itself, but through Dan from Wolfhead Coffee. He bought a house close to his on Peter Street and was remodeling it. I got to be the first guest there.

The house was very much a work in progress, but great for what I needed. I had a place to sleep within walking distance of downtown. It was in a quiet and peaceful neighborhood so it was nice to get some rest. I know I'll be staying there again in the future.

Modest bedroom with single wooden bed, nightstands and hardwood flooring Window with brown plaid curtain pulled back revealing view of trees and shingled roof outside Aerial view from window looking down at residential street with parked cars and mature trees

I ate a little supper and washed it down with a beer. After that, I took my walk to downtown. I saw a lot of people with their old classic cars.

Residential street intersection during golden hour with water visible in distance between buildings Black vintage muscle car, likely early 1970s Dodge Charger, driving through intersection

I walked past Shoreline. I was happy that "adventure" was over.

Quiet downtown street at dusk with multi-story hotel building and clear blue sky

I made it to Waterhouse, where I had one of their famous Caesars.

Waterhouse bar exterior featuring weathered signage with rock and roll hand gesture logo Bloody Mary cocktail with bacon and pickle garnishes in tall glass on illuminated red bar

I switched over to beer and then my buddies Ryan and Neal dropped by. Ryan was staying sober for the night and acted as the designated driver.

Bottle of Pilsner beer on wooden bar counter with backlit liquor shelves in background Interior nighttime view of car showing steering wheel, dashboard and side mirror with building lights visible outside

We then headed to Fastlane to talk with another friend, Kal. He was bartending.

The Fast Lane Bar & Grill exterior at night with illuminated blue and white signage Beer bottle on bar counter at The Fast Lane with promotional materials visible in background Illuminated Tito's Handmade Vodka sign mounted on wood background in dimly lit bar

After a while, we headed to The Royalton. It was definitely starting to get cold.

Interior nighttime car view showing driver, illuminated dashboard, and rearview mirror Multi-story hotel building at night with lit windows along quiet urban street Phone weather app displaying Thunder Bay at 54°F with clear skies at 12:58 AM

Our last stop for the night was On Deck. We had another drink or two there and then Ryan dropped me off where I was staying.

Blurry nighttime street scene showing residential buildings with scattered lights Bar interior with Canadian beer branding, patrons seated at bar, and pool table in foreground

The next morning I was a bit hungover. Dan told me to drop by to get some coffee in the morning, so I did. It was still a bit chilly.

Phone weather app displaying Thunder Bay at 55°F sunny conditions at 8:45 AM Tree-lined residential street with mature trees and houses on sunny morning Brown coffee mug with black wolf head logo design on wooden table Large commercial coffee roaster drum filled with freshly roasted coffee beans

I decided to buy a bunch of coffee to bring back to Austin. Wolfhead Coffee is some of the best I've had!

Multiple bags of Wolfhead Coffee brand coffee arranged in vehicle cargo area

After coffee, I met up with one of my readers, Ken. I had a great tasting Pickerel burger at K&A Variety Restaurant & Gas Bar. We then we headed to see the amazing sights from Mount McKay.

Breakfast plate with breaded fish fillets, scrambled eggs, toast and fresh lettuce salad Elevated panoramic view of forested landscape with industrial facilities and Lake Superior in distance

I then went to Bluesfest for the first day and hit up the town afterwards.

Thunder Bay Blues Festival outdoor stage with band performing before seated audience Nighttime downtown street view with Scotiabank and illuminated storefronts Waterhouse bar exterior featuring weathered wooden signage at night Tall Bloody Caesar cocktail with bacon garnish on wooden bar surface Bar shot menu board decorated with colorful Christmas lights and television in background Pier 61 logo with nautical ship's wheel design on reflective window surface

On my way home, I stopped at a street vendor selling sausages. They really hit the spot.

Bestever hot dog cart with condiment station and warming compartments in dimly lit setting Hot dog with sausage in bun held in paper wrapper

When I was walking down Cumberland Street, there was a lot of flashing lights. It appears there was a bad motorcycle accident.

Police mobile command van with emergency lights illuminated on downtown street at night Damaged vehicle with crumpled front end in parking lot at night Dark residential street at night showing distant vehicle lights and sidewalk Dimly lit residential street at night with streetlamps illuminating pavement

The next morning Dan left some smoked fish. It made a good breakfast!

Quiet residential street at night with houses and bright streetlights

I headed over to Westfort to meet another one of my readers, Daniel. He and his mother Sue joined me for lunch at The Sal. This was a place highly acclaimed by Daniel. I got a mesh of Austin and Thunder Bay. I got a fish taco with some fries with gravy.

Two pieces of dark smoked meat with charred edges on white paper towel on decorative plate Small town downtown intersection with traffic, commercial buildings and construction sign Historical interpretive sign titled

After lunch, we headed to Bizarre & Novelty. This is a family business owned and run by Sue and Daniel.

Fish taco with cabbage slaw and lime wedge served with french fries covered in gravy

After seeing Bizarre & Novelty, it was time to go to Bluesfest. I went there a while and then met my friends at The Foundry. It was definitely a warm day for Canadian standards! Later that night we hit up Apollo and saw Bill Durst. Then we went to Pier 61 Bar.

Yellow concession van with large popcorn bucket graphics advertising frozen beverages and snacks Tree-lined residential street with houses and well-maintained lawns on sunny day Phone weather app displaying Thunder Bay at 81°F partly cloudy conditions at 2:54 PM Multi-lane highway with sparse traffic under clear blue sky Thunder Bay Blues Festival main stage with large crowd seated under sun and umbrellas Prince Arthur Hotel ornamental hanging sign with decorative scrollwork on downtown sidewalk Thunder Bay city flag and Canadian flag flying together on pole against blue sky Pier 61 nautical logo with ship's wheel design on illuminated sign Humorous purple sign reading Blurry nighttime exterior of building with red and purple lighting visible through windows Handwritten beer menu on pink paper listing Kronenbourg, Coors Light, Coors Banquet, MGD, Modelo, Brava, Pabst Blue Ribbon and Sultana Gold with prices Crowded bar interior with colorful Christmas lights, patrons seated at tables and standing Downtown street at night with parked cars along curb and pedestrians on sidewalk with illuminated storefronts Pedestrian crossing directional sign with walking figure and left-pointing arrow mounted on pole Illuminated white pedestrian crossing signal against black night sky Empty street at night with row of streetlights illuminating wet pavement

Rain was in the forecast the next morning. I fought the rain and went to Hodder Greeks.

Phone weather app displaying Thunder Bay at 68°F mostly cloudy conditions at 9:46 AM Weather radar map showing intense storm system with yellow and red precipitation zones over Lake Superior region Weather app alerts screen showing thunderstorm notification warning for high probability in next 3 hours Dark storm clouds forming over silhouetted treeline under overcast gray sky Residential street with houses and mature trees under gray overcast sky French fry wrap and hot dog with condiments on paper wrapper on red picnic table

It was another walk to Bluefest, this time trying to beat out the rain.

Residential street with wet pavement after rain under gray cloudy sky Urban street at dusk with wet pavement reflecting light after rainfall Large crowd of people gathered at downtown intersection at night with streetlights and traffic signals Pier 61 Lounge exterior sign at night featuring nautical ship's wheel logo design Hand holding Molson Canadian beer can in bar with green ambient lighting and pool tables in background Empty street at night with series of streetlights creating pools of light on wet pavement Weather app radar map showing Thunder Bay, Canada with precipitation systems across Great Lakes region, displaying rain and snow conditions at 1:00 AM on July 9, 2018

It did rain during Bluesfest, but I was able to stay dry for the most part. I hung out at the Pier a little bit and said goodbye to my friends. The next morning I would be heading to Cadott, Wisconsin for Rock Fest. I know I briefly mentioned Bluesfest in this blog entry, but I go more in detail about it in the following blog entry.

When I leave Canada, it's always bitter-sweet. I have such a great time up there that it would be nice to hang around another day or two. On the other end, my Wisconsin friends would be meeting me at Rock Fest later in the week. I made an early start to my day and stopped by Marina Park for a glance at the sunrise.

Car dashboard digital display showing Trip 1 at 0 km/h speed, 66°F temperature, and odometer reading of 055104 km with compass indicator pointing northeast Tranquil sunset view over Thunder Bay harbor with calm water reflecting pink and orange clouds, distant marina and cargo ships visible on the horizon Prince Arthur's Landing marina at golden hour with sailboats docked along the waterfront, dramatic clouds overhead and water reflections Blue and white sign reading Dramatic sunset at marina with distinctive anvil-shaped cloud formation over the water, sailboat masts silhouetted against the orange and purple sky Marina sunset scene with boat docks in foreground and striking mushroom-shaped cloud illuminated by the setting sun Wooden boat docks extending into calm water at sunset with marina and dramatic cloud formation in background Line of ducks swimming in marina water at sunset with floating docks, sailboats, and spectacular anvil cloud formation Paved waterfront walking path alongside Lake Superior with cargo ships visible on the distant horizon under cloudy skies Wide view of Lake Superior with large cargo ship and distant shoreline under dramatic cloudy sky, vegetation in foreground Golden hour view of Lake Superior with cargo ship on horizon, warm sunlight and wild grasses in foreground Serene lake view with cargo ship near breakwater or lighthouse, single bird on water, overcast sky Thunder Bay marina with modern multi-story residential buildings and luxury sailboats docked in foreground under clear blue sky

I stopped by Metro and stocked up on a few groceries.

Metro grocery store exterior at dusk with red signage and parking lot, located in Thunder Bay Two white Metro plastic shopping bags filled with groceries on red car seat Hand holding Schneiders Pepperettes On-The-Go pepperoni snack pack in car with steering wheel visible

I then made it to the border and got a lot more questions coming back into the US than I did in Canada. After telling my life story from the time I moved to Texas four years ago to now, I was welcomed back to my home country. I then headed to Silver Bay to see if I could find some potica at Zup's.

Empty divided highway through northern Ontario forest with yellow wildflowers along roadside and blue sky Highway driving through misty or smoky conditions with reduced visibility, guardrail and hillside development visible Zup's Food Market storefront with tan exterior and parking lot under clear blue sky

There wasn't any potica, but I did get a few other snacks. I then made my way to Henson's to load up on groceries for my upcoming week campout. Right before that, I made a detour at the Richard I. Bong Veterans' Historical Center.

Small dark-colored house or cabin on hillside beside road with Lake Superior visible through trees in background Two-lane highway running alongside Lake Superior with water visible on the left, guardrail, and forested areas under clear blue sky Canadian flag flying on tall flagpole with building entrance and walkway leading to facility under blue sky Rural highway view through windshield with guardrail on right, forest on both sides, and patch repair visible on road Henson's Country Foods store with tall sign and parking lot under bright blue sky with puffy white clouds Official Jack Link's Jerky & Clothing Outlet building with red corrugated metal exterior, wolf logo image, and Pepsi vending machine outside Shopping cart containing multiple white plastic water jugs, Hamm's beer case, colorful candy, and Worcestershire sauce bottle

After getting supplies, I put my car pass and wristbands on. I was now headed to Rock Fest! You can read more details about my Rock Fest experience here. I camped out for the next 5 days until Saturday when I went home to my parents' house.

Person's wrist wearing two paper wristbands in car - one red South Car Pass sticker affixed to windshield displaying Sportsmen's Headquarters log-style building with A&W restaurant sign, advertising guns, bait, tackle, and ammo with full bar Open highway through rural area with dramatic towering cumulus clouds against blue sky and dense forest on right Two-lane rural highway through countryside with white puffy clouds, power lines, and mixed forest and grassland Bridge crossing river or waterway with metal guardrail, power transmission tower visible, and fluffy clouds overhead Rural highway with tall green cornfield on right side and farm buildings in distance under partly cloudy sky Country road passing white farm buildings and green lawn with scattered trees under blue sky with white clouds

The next few days would be recovering at my parents' house. The trip that I took, along with being off in the grid in a tent in the elements, will take a lot out of you. I spent Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday cleaning my tent, doing laundry, and just trying to get caught up with everything.

White sedan parked on grassy lawn next to blue pop-up canopy tent with trees in background Large red letters spelling

In between this, I rode with my mom, dad, and brother to Wausau so my dad and brother could be fitted for tuxes for my wedding.

Electrolux front-load washing machine control panel displaying 103 minutes remaining on digital readout White PoPiFi portable power bank with four blue LED charge indicator lights illuminated Gray and green camping tent set up on lawn with fly open for airing, fire pit visible in background Camping equipment spread out on lawn to dry including blue sleeping bag, tarps, and gear beside stone fire pit border

The next day was my final day in Marshfield. I got my car washed at the Lava Wash. I then got something to eat at Taco John's and visited with both of my grandmas. After that, there was a mass being said for my grandpa. As soon as that mass ended, I hit the road for Austin.

It was hot for Wisconsin standards, but I was about to go to hot for Texas standards. In the course of my drive, I saw the hottest temperatures I've ever seen with it peaking at 111F (44C).

Straight rural highway through flat farmland with fluffy white clouds in bright blue sky and distant grain silos visible Best Buy and Menlo Warehouse retail buildings in parking lot under clear blue sky with few clouds

By the time I got to Austin, it cooled to 100F (38C) I did feel sorry for the UPS guy. My car even seemed to bog down a bit in the extreme heat, so I can't imagine carrying all those packages.

Sloping green lawn with small white lighthouse-style monument and mature trees under partly cloudy sky

On that Thursday, I just slept. I needed to catch up on sleep. On Friday, I woke up really early to beat the heat and change oil.

Fast food tray with three wrapped burritos or wraps and two small containers of dipping sauce

On Saturday, Victoria and I went to the dealership and she got a new Escape.

Lava Wash car wash entrance with vehicle entering tunnel, volcanic theme signage with orange and black colors Abstract view through magenta and purple car wash soap foam with water droplets Garmin GPS navigation device on dashboard showing route on Highway 80, traveling at 60 mph with upcoming turn instructions

We then celebrated at the Texican.

Tree-lined two-lane highway in shadow with dense forest on both sides Cranberry Wine store with Shell gas station at sunset, advertising softairy fresh cheese curds Collection of meat snack sticks and venison snack sticks packages arranged on red car seat

On Sunday we ran some errands in the hot weather and then enjoyed some Wing Stop. After the errands, we stayed in the AC.

Night driving view of highway illuminated by headlights with oncoming vehicle lights in distance Car side mirror reflecting vibrant orange and pink sunset glow on highway at dusk

That brings us to this week. I can tell you it's hot. Monday set a record for hottest day ever in July at 110F (43C). It seems like things are going to cool at bit to around 100F (38C), but that's still hot for a native Northerner like me.

The next couple weeks should hopefully be a much calmer in terms of travel. I know I want to rest up a bit and it's just nice to avoid the heat.

See more blog entries here