Minnesota North Shore BSG Social

Davydd · 05-02-2010, 08:17 PM

Announcing the Minnesota North Shore BEE Social Group Social to be held September 9, 10 and 11, 2010. The Minnesota North Shore BEE Social Group Social is open to all Class B conversion camper vanners and/or BSG members. This is an informal get together in a scenic area of Minnesota on the Lake Superior shore and town with many interests in arts, shopping and culinary delights as well as being the springboard to driving up the famed Gunflint Trail into the wilderness and the BWCAW. The campground is adjacent to the town making it easy to walk most anywhere. Also adjacent to the campground is the North House Folk School and a wilderness hiking park.

More information:

BEE Social Group

Only in Grand Marais - Dining, What to Do, The Lake, The Wilderness

Want to know more? My culinary tour last year

Campground Info

Campground Map

Blocked together sites 30W, 31W, 32W, 33W, 34W, 35W, 45WA, 45W, 46W, 47W are being held for BSG Social until May 18th. Many other sites are available at this time. These blocked together sites are closest to the covered picnic pavilion and beach. The BSG reserved sites have electric and water and the sites are fairly level gravel bed.

Reservations can be made at 1 (800) 998-0959. Mention BSG Social for the blocked together sites when making reservations. Each RV should make his/her own reservation directly with the campground. At this time there are lots of sites available. The ones mentioned were all they would agree to guarantee to hold until May 18. Most of those may be filled but look at the campsite map and plan accordingly.

PS. This is pretty much the same group that has gone to two B Out West Socials in Moab and Pagosa Springs and Socials in Louisiana (2009) and recently Kerrville, TX (2010). Gatherings are very informal with no rules. Quite a few members have moved to Class C (or B+s as they like to say). It is a no rules, no fees group. Just show up.

Davydd · 05-09-2010, 01:36 PM

Signed up to date according to the CG:

David & Nancy (MN) 29W,
Bob & Sharon (KS) 30W,
Tim & Yvette (TX) 31W,
Julie & Sandy (MN/AZ) 32W,
Tim & Pam (IL) 33W,
Juan & Jeanette (TX) 34W,
John & Avis (IN) 35W,
Radio Bob & Jane (IN) 45W, and
Anne & Dick (WI) 45WA.

Thus 9 of the initial 11 sites have been reserved at Grand Marais. Still open are sites are 46W and 47W. The CG agreed to hold four more sites for us, 69W, 70W, 71W and 72W for a total of 15. Those are contiguous sites but there will most likely be more available. We have the picnic pavilion reserved for Friday and Saturday evening and the rec hall for Saturday night.

One nice thing about the Grand Marais CG is you can park your RV and walk everywhere. There are 4 restaurants contiguous to the CG in Chez jude, Angry Trout, Birch Terrace Supper Club and Dockside Fish Market and at least another dozen eateries within a 10 minute walk. No rally or social I've attended ever had this gourmet luxury or variety.

For physical activity the Grand Marais CG has a 25 meter lane swimming pool with all day use for $3/day. There is a true wilderness 1 mile moderate to difficult hiking trail adjacent to the CG, or a hike to Artist Point, or along the beach. More strenuous is Pincushion Mountain 4 miles away with 15 miles of hiking trails. Golfers staying at the CG can get half off at the municipal golf course.

Wifi is available at the Grand Marais CG but there is a charge of $3.95/hr or $9.95/day. You could walk 5 minutes to the Java Moose coffee shop and access free or 10 minutes to the public library. There are probably other free wifi hotspots about town. I mostly used my iPhone and connected to the web that way on AT&T Edge this week.

WTIP community public radio, the only radio station on the North Shore, is sponsoring their 3rd Annual Radio Waves Live Music Festival in the Grand Marais Rec Park (our CG) that Saturday, September 11. Being public radio I suspect the live music will tend toward what you might typically hear on Prairie Home Companion. The station plays a lot of classical, swing, bluegrass, and cowboy.

Davydd · 05-21-2010, 10:03 PM

We are up to 13 RVs. I think all Class B with the exception of one Navion iQ.

Attendees

David & Nancy (MN) 29W,
Bob & Sharon (KS) 30W,
Tim & Yvette (TX) 31W,
Julie & Sandy (MN/AZ) 32W,
Tim & Pam (IL) 33W,
Juan & Jeanette (TX) 34W,
John & Avis (IN) 35W,
Radio Bob & Jane (IN) 45W, and
Anne & Dick (WI) 45WA.
Jim & Sue (MN) 46W
Pat & Paul (MN) 47W?
Open 69W holding
Harold & Kathie (MN) 70W
Open 71W holding
Roxie and Jack (MN/FL) 72W

The campground is a big campground with plenty of room for more. For get togethers the rec room will hold 50 people easily. It is all informal.

Davydd · 06-11-2010, 02:46 PM

We now have 16 known RVs signed up now but not a single Canadian even though the social is a mere 40 miles from the Canadian border. So close it scares a lot of those state side as being too remote and too far north even though we have promised a moose sighting.

ennajean · 06-12-2010, 02:41 AM

David maybe we'll have to head over the border when at the campout and check out some Canadian campsites. Have to check
and see whats interesting over the border.
Anne

Davydd · 08-07-2010, 04:30 PM

We are up to 23 known RVs planning to attend. I'm heading up to Grand Marais tomorrow to scout around some more in advance of next month's social. I'll check to see how the campground situation is for any late deciders. There will be a free live music festival sponsored by the local public radio station, WTIP, at the west end of the campground that weekend. That is kind of like an added bonus to the festivities.

Mike · 01-16-2011, 03:03 PM

Just wondering (well after the fact now) how this went? We were in the area prior to the
social, and had an itinerary to head west, so were unable to meet and greet. It was our
first trip through the upper MI peninsula and anywhere near the north shore of Superior,
and quite frankly, it was memorably spectacular scenery and wilderness in many places.

If there are any future events planned, we'll try to attend, if only for an overnighter.

Davydd · 01-16-2011, 05:44 PM

Mike,

We had a good time. I reported on some of it in this Roadfood.com running thread I had been maintaining about food and scenery on Minnesota's North Shore.

Minnesota North Shore, Grand Marais, the Gunflint Trail and Brick Ovens - a Culinary Odyssey

Davydd · 01-16-2011, 05:52 PM

BTW, the next BSG Social will be in Tombstone, AZ in late April.

Mike · 01-17-2011, 01:16 AM

TY. I'll have a read.

visionquest · 02-23-2011, 12:57 AM

I attended the Grand Marais B-Social and it was really a great time! David did a heck of a fine job getting it all set up and picking the spot! Heidi and I had so much fun meeting everyone and seeing the various rigs. The food at the potluck and the outdoor pizza party was all excellent! Love that area of the country! We had planned to go to the one in AZ but ended up leaving the area in January. I hope it goes as well as the last

Anyone who can get the free time to do it, I highly recommend hanging out with these folks! They are a fun crew! I had a hard time keeping up with em!

-Mike & Heidi
97 Roadtrek 170P "Taj Ma Trek"
http://WWW.VanTramps.Com

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