Seemingly for months we have followed along side the Great Mississippi River or one of its tributaries, especially the Missouri. Finally came the opportunity to see the beginnings when a 12 foot stream tumbles over a rock barrier -- leaving Lake Itasca, MN on its 2,552 miles journey to the Gulf of Mexico.
Lake Itasca (named by the combination of Latin for true (veritas) and head (caput) minus the first and last syllables) was named by Henry Schoolcraft in 1832. I can't say he actually FOUND the headwaters; white men had stumbled around for years looking for the source and finally he ASKED the Ojibwe Indians to help him. And so he gets some credit (maybe just for asking for help???)
The headwaters flow year round: about two thirds is groundwater and the remaining from the lake. Spruce forests ring the Lake. The Mississippi flows north; then east; then southwest in a long arc around the Itasca moraine before finding the St Paul area.
And of course, Paul Bunyan and Babe, the Blue Ox are everywhere up here. Doing all sorts of fun things!
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| Walking across the river! Lake Itasca is in the background -- the Mississippi heads to the right. |
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| Signs are about every 200 feet....suspense is building |
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| Lovely rolling hills (the moraine) interspersed with wetlands and lakes. |
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| Babe rides the tandem |
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| Babe the curler |
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