Look Back in Enger

Duluth, Minnesota Sunday, June 6, 2021

I woke up this morning with a start, I had slept till 9:30. I never do that. The Olk’s bed was so comfortable, and they were so quiet getting up, that I slept in. How luxurious. When I opened the door, there was a wonderful aroma is coming from downstairs. Mari was cooking Shakshuka. There was Duluth coffee, almond milk, OJ, and a great bowl of fruit. What is it with kids today, eating so healthy? It’s downright un-American!

I had another of my recurrent minor repairs to do, a broken tension bolt for my Brooks saddle. This broke last in Muncie, Indiana, so seems to be happening every thousand miles or so. This is the Achilles’ heel of the otherwise perfect English saddle, I will need to order more bolts from Simon Firth in Philadelphia, the sole North American distributor. In addition to the tools I’ve packed it requires a couple of large screwdrivers to repair, thankfully Harrison had these on hand.

So fun talking medicine, hiking and biking, music, and life changes with Harrison and Mari. I didn’t leave until 1:30, monopolizing another day of these trail angels. They live in a supercool house, with many features we are incorporating into our home renovation. Again, what’s wrong with kids today, to own such a nice place at the age of 31?

So where was I headed? My next stop is Hibbing, Minnesota, of the Mesabi Iron Range, but first I had to make a stop recommended by Brian, my PHIZ tour director in absentia. Enger Tower perches over Duluth on a 600 foot headland and offers a view to die for.

I almost did. Not really, but I felt funny grinding up the long hill in the 88° heat. As it happened, Harrison and Mari passed me on their way to a hardware store, and texted that I looked great. But I didn’t feel that way.

I’m 67, have hypertension (well-controlled on an angiotensin receptor blocker), borderline prediabetes, until recently was obese, and have lipids that put my 10-year risk of coronary artery disease in the mid-teens percentage. Never never actually had a heart problem, and had a negative stress echocardiogram a few years ago, but I’m concerned. Today’s feeling wasn’t really cardiac, I had no chest symptoms at all, kept checking my pulse and even my EKG on my Apple Watch and all seemed OK, but just felt disproportionately “whupped” even given the circumstances.

They say doctors make the worst patients. True to form, I stopped for an ice coffee, an ice cream bar, a cookie, and then later for a root beer float and a Coke. To all my former patients, please, do as I say, not as I do.

Anyway, I thought it was best to hang back a bit when I reached the Enger Tower. Certainly was easy to spend time there, the views are spectacular, really gave you a feel for Duluth’s unique geography and commercial prominence.

Situated at the head of Lake Superior, Duluth is the world’s farthest inland port accessible to oceangoing ships, and by far the largest and busiest port on the Great Lakes. It’s 2,300 miles via those lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway to the ocean.

With the three Great Lakes I have seen on this trip, Niagara Falls, and other bike trips to Montreal, Quebec City, and the mouth of the Saint Lawrence at the Gaspe Peninsula, I feel quite connected to this massive system. Maybe all this medical concern was just me reluctant to leave it behind. You may recall, I had trouble leaving Lake Erie.

While I was downing my root beer float I talked with a remarkable young man, Sam Henry, who had survived pneumococcal sepsis at age 7 that left him with partial amputation of his digits and the need for leg braces, but who had rallied to become a multi-talented musician. Such incredible people, responding to such adversity. He pointed the way to some isolated and unique spots in Enger Park, so I could look back at the Great Lakes one last time.

After cooling my heels in this remarkable place, I felt better, but by now it was almost 6. I had planned to cycle another 26 miles to a campground on the way to Hibbing, but it was still in the high 80s, there was a small craft advisory for high crosswinds, and I still felt it was prudent to remain in the vicinity of a major medical center until I was sure I was fine.

I knew Harrison and Mari would be happy to put me up another night, but they were 9 miles away and had to work in the morning. I was able to Priceline a fairly cheap room in the Radisson, the most prominent building in the city, with the revolving restaurant on top. It was only a mile and a half away. Descending the dramatically steep streets was harrowing in this heavy rig, heaven forbid I should snap a brake cable.

Was that 4th street I was on? Positively. Oh yeah, I had one more stop to make.

Could I sweet-talk the manager at the Radisson into upgrading my room?

Not this time. The revolving restaurant was fully booked also. I did get a view of the courthouse, one of many buildings with classical architecture in this cool town. Had great sushi for dinner that night.

And that’s Duluth, Ruth.

Distance 14 miles, 2,267 total. Time 5 hours with stops. Elevation gain 999 feet.

©️ 2021 Scott Luria