America on a Runner's High Part IV

Cedar Rapids runner Chris Wolfe is off and running again on his "American on a Runner's High" series. After taking last year off, Wolfe is doing a tour of the Midwest in 2011. His trip started Sunday in Duluth, Minn.

The Gazette and TheGazette.com will run excerpts of Wolfe's trip through his latest journey. You can visit his blog for photos and videos.

This year's tour will includes stops in Green Bay, Lexington, Chattanooga, Oklahoma City, St. Louis and Chicago.

Check it all out at http://runnershighheartland.wordpress.com/

Here is an excerpt for Day 1:

Any thoughts of Duluth, Minnesota that I have ever had were usually paired with thoughts of cold … freezing … non-warmth. What would cause an individual to live in this manner? Take a trip to Duluth and you will discover why. There is a good reason why Outdoor Magazine listed it in their Top Ten of  “America's Greatest Outdoors Towns.”

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Naturally, I drove into Duluth a little later than I had expected – I have come to embrace my tardiness. I further delayed myself by needing to shop for tent stakes – I have also come to embrace my forgetfulness.

Saturday's plan was to check into the Buffalo Valley Campground, quickly set-up camp, and drive down to Canal Park for a “loosen up” run along Lake Superior. Just thinking about it got my adrenaline up.

Checking in at the campground was a little on the different side. Buffalo Valley CG is part of a complex that also has softball fields, sand volleyball, and a restaurant & bar. The campground office was closed (I guess) and a sign told me to check in at the bar. I thought, “At the bar? All right, if I must go to the bar, then to the bar I will go.” So, I headed up, walked in, and went up to the bar…