Checked into a motel in Ely, and headed down to the Chocolate Moose for a late lunch/early dinner. The quesadillas are great. Ethan liked his pizza, and made of for the lack of dessert on trail by ordering the Chocolate Moose Cake. He looked a bit resentful when his dad and I asked for forks, but he after he ate half the cake he was quite content to let us finish it off.

Souvenir shopping, Ethan got a T-shirt and he and his dad got BW hats, back to the motel to hit the hay in prep for an early rise in the morning. Ethan had been without TV, so he was watching Sponge Bob as I fell asleep. I woke up at 11:30 and he was asleep with the TV on an the remote in his hand. I tried to take the remote to turn off the TV, but I couldn't get it out of his hand. I pried open his fingers and shut it off.

Awoke with the clock reading 3:38 (Central), figured that was close enough to my planned get-up time, so arose and got coffee in the lobby. We showered and packed our stuff, got down to Britton's about 5:55 (4:55 Central), and Britton's opened the door about 10 minutes later, with a couple of their regulars waiting on them.

After a good breakfast, back to the motel for tooth-brushing, etc, and on the road for the Superior coast by 7:15. Nice drive over, pictures of Split Rock Lighthouse and a stop in Two Harbors to look at the lighthouse and harbor, and continued south.

Stopped in Tomah for Humbird cheese; next stop was Minonk IL; gas and and photo of the Motel 6 (story from last year's trip.)

Got to Effingham in time for bed and the tail end of the Tennessee-South Carolina game. Up again at 6 in the AM. Stop outside Nashville near Springfield for some of the best BBQ in the world at the Amoco on 431, then home by 2:30.