I’ve been to Duluth about a half-dozen times, but usually it’s a spot to stop on a drive farther north. Or a spot to stop on the way home. Grab some sandwiches at Northern Waters or grab a beer, maybe spend the night. But I can’t say that I’ve ever really visited Duluth until this trip.
This was also my first time visiting solo – a weekend vacation/escape from a frighteningly empty house. To keep it cheap, and to force me to talk to other humans, I stayed at the newly-opened Hostel du Nord, which offers a fantastic comibnation of low cost, central location, shared social spaces, and a counter-culture vibe. When I wasn’t out exploring the city, I holed up at the hostel where I made friends, read, sat in the sauna, and meditated.
Duluth is a weird city. A mix of at least 3 different strands. It’s got the touristy, vacation-town stores in Canal Park. It’s got the Up North outdoorsman thing going on. And it’s still a kinda-sketchy port town, where half the businesess in downtown seem like fronts for some much more profitable, and much less legal, operation that runs in their basement.
Weirdly mixed up cities like Duluth are fun to explore on foot. On day one I walked about 9 miles, ending up walking up to the top of Chester Park and then back down to the lake, accidentally fulfilling my goal of walking part of the Superior Hiking Trail this year. (note: I don’t think this actually counts). I wrapped up the day with a screening of High Life at Zeitgeist, which is a nice indie theater. Though judging by the crowd, Duluth audiences were not excited about a Claire Denis psycho-sexual sci-fi freakout. I can empathize. I’m not sure how I feel about it either.
Day two was more walking, this time taking the Superior Hiking Trail the other way in to Lincoln Park. This part of the trail is not scenic, to put it mildly. Most of the time you’re on a bike path underneath an overpass. I bailed on this walk and headed in to Duluth’s hills, exploring the residential area near the Emerson School
As I adjust to my new life and schedule, I can see Duluth becoming a regular getaway for me. Close enough that it’s easy to get to, yet far enough away that I can feel like I’ve escaped.
