Gunflint Trail Association

At Minnesota Bed and Breakfast Association (MBBA) annual meeting held in Duluth Barbara Young, Poplar Creek Guesthouse B&B innkeeper was elected to head the Association. Joining Young on the Association’s Board of Directors were Inn keepers from the Bingham Hall and Auf Deutschtrasse in New Ulm, Rivertown Inn in Stillwater, Soglimt, Mathew Burrows 1890 Inn and the Olcott House in Duluth, the Summit Inn in Center City, the Pillar Inn in Cold Springs, Cedar Rose in Alexandria, Candlelight Inn in Redwing. Outgoing President Suzanne Tweten will remain on the Board as past President. Pam Thorsen from Hasting’s Classic Rosewood Inn and Spa serves as the organization’s Executive Director.

This year’s Annual Meeting entitled “Its Inn to be Green” spotlighted developing green sustainable Inns. The meeting featured seminars offering green programs from “Using Renewable Energy,” “What B&B’s are doing to be Green,” to “worm Composting.” Meanwhile venders were hawking green and other useful innkeeper produces throughout the two-day meeting. One new program unveiled at the meeting was a State promoted farm and forest stays where guest would be able to visit and stay at working farms.

According to Young, “Duluth provide a great venue for this year’s annual meeting, the seminars were outstanding and the many venders in attendance offered us many useful products. But most importantly we had a great time!

The MBBA represents some one hundred and twenty B&B and Historic Inns from throughout Minnesota.

The forecast looks great for a fun-filled day on the Gunflint Trail. Temperatures are expected to be perfect for running with a high near 50 degrees. Partly sunny skies will shine on the Ham Run Race Participants this Sunday, May 3, 2009.

Last Chance to Participate in a Great Race at a Great Rate!
If you haven’t signed up for the 5k Fun Run then there is still time. Grab your family and your friends for a nice walk or run on the Gunflint Trail this Sunday, May 3, 2009. Last Chance participants will not receive a free pasta dinner, t-shirt or race bag but can walk or run for only $20.00 payable in cash or check. Stop by the Lake Superior Trading Post from 10am-4pm on Saturday, May 2nd for last chance registration. The forecast looks great so join in the Ham Run Fun and participate in the 5k Fun Run. For more details about the Ham Run visit the website.

Posted by the Boundary Waters Blog Lady from Voyageur Canoe Outfitters

Everyone is invited to join the fun and excitement on the Trail Less Traveled Sunday, May 3, 2009. The day’s events begin at 10:00am with the start of both the Ham Run Half-Marathon and 5k Fun Run. New this year will be races for children ages 3-10 years.

The Little Runts Run will be held immediately following the finish of the Half-Marathon, at approximately 1:00pm. Participants can register for free at the event and the first 50 children will receive a t-shirt donated by Threads of Grand Marais, MN.

The Little Runts Run is a way to promote exercise and fight childhood obesity. Kids ages 3-6 will do a short sprint through the parking lot at the Trail’s End Campground and the 7-10 year olds will run a half of a mile around the campground loop.

Participants and Spectators can make the Ham Run more fun by keeping it green and by taking advantage of the transportation provided. A bus will leave from the Municipal Parking Lot in Grand Marais at 7:30am. The bus will stop at Gunflint Pines (Half-Marathon Start), Seagull Creek Fishing Camp (5k Start) and the Trail’s End Campground (Race Finish).

Shuttle transportation will be provided throughout the event since only one lane will be open to traffic. People who choose to drive their own vehicle should plan to be parked by the 10AM race start. A spectator can choose to park at the Trail’s End Campground and be shuttled to watch the start of the Half-Marathon and then shuttle back to Trail’s End to see the finish. For the folks who can’t spend all day on the Trail they can park at Blankenburg Landing and be shuttled to the Trail’s End and then back to their vehicle after the race.

Cooperation of participants and spectators will help keep the day’s events fun. For the safety of all, bikes, inline skates, pets, strollers and non-registered runners will not be allowed on the road during the race.

The 2nd Annual Ham Run Half Marathon will be a ton of fun for everyone. For more information visit the website http://www.hamrunhalfmarathon.com and check out the Transportation link on the Race Details Page.

Posted by the Boundary Waters Blog Lady of Voyageur Canoe Outfitters

I returned to the lodge last week and had nice warm weather and watched quite a bit of snow melt. But April still brings us showers only in this case snow showers. We had 6 inches of snow last night and it is still snowing. A warm front is coming in tomorrow so this will melt quickly.

What do I get for participating in the 2nd Annual Ham Run Half Marathon or 5k Fun Run? Maybe it’s a nice T-shirt, a free bottle of water or perhaps the satisfaction of being physically active. We all have our reasons for doing the things we do and no matter what your reason is we want you!

The main reason you should participate in the Ham Run is for your health. Running is a great way to exercise and spend time in the great outdoors and there is no better place to do this than the Gunflint Trail. The course is beautiful, the hills will challenge you and you’ll get your run in for the day.

The Ham Run is what I am calling the “Greenest of Them All.” Like, Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who’s the Greenest of them all?” There are other races that are recognized for having some eco-practices but none have as many as the Ham Run. We use very little paper with our online registration and focus on web link advertising. Our racer bags are re-usable, our cups are compostable and even our bib numbers are re-used. We have bins for sorting all recycleable and compostable material and encourage participants to bring their own water bottle along for the run. We’re supplying transportation for spectators and participants from Grand Marais and giving each participant a tree seedling. Endurance Magazine has given us their seal of approval by including us as one of their Race Without a Trace events. We’re doing everything we can to keep our race the Greenest of them All.

At the Ham Run you’ll be treated like a VIP because you are. Each and every one of our participants is important to us and we want you to have a great experience. We’ll treat you to a pasta dinner the night before the race and a great lunch afterwards. There will be massages and music and fun all around. We want to make the Ham Run your favorite run.

Another benefit of participating in the Ham Run is you will be contributing to the success and health of Cook County Students. The Upper Shore Center for Fitness and Athletics is the recipient of profits from this year’s race. Located in the Cook County School the fitness center is used for physical education classes, training of athletic teams and exercise for faculty and community members. The Center provides students with numerous programs throughout the school year including the annual Fitness Fest and other wellness initiatives.

Our goal is to create a race you can feel good about participating in. We know how important your green is and you can be assured it is an investment you’ll be happy you made.

Please join us on Sunday, May 3rd, 2009 for the 2nd Annual Ham Run Half Marathon and 5k Fun Run.

Posted by the Boundary Waters Blog Lady from Voyageur Canoe Outfitters

It actually feels like spring on the Gunflint Trail today. The sun is shining, the sky is blue and the mercury on the thermometer is rising. It’s weather like this that makes me want to get out and paddle and camp in the BWCA. It won’t be long before the lakes are free of ice and the snow has melted off of the ground. Our canoes are ready are you?

Posted by the Boundary Waters Blog Lady from Voyageur Canoe Outfitters

Mike Prom of Voyageur Canoe Outfitters took a group of writers on a snowmobile trip during the North American Snowsports Journalists Association(NASJA) Conference. A couple of the writers have written articles about their experience. Dick Butler wrote one that can be found at this website. Dan Cassidy wrote about the trip on his blog.

Boundary Waters Blog Lady of Voyageur Canoe Outfitters