(original Post 1/29/08)
It's a fact. The temperature can drop below zero in a matter of minutes in these parts. When subjecting yourself to the vast frozen field of Lake Superior, the effects can be even more dramatic.
When I left to venture onto frozen Lake Superior today, the temperature read 20 degrees Fahrenheit. I always carry an extra jacket with me, a mountaineering coat, just in case. Up until today I have not had to use it. As I was riding along the shore the wind shifted and I nearly fell over while riding. Thinking it was just a pleasant gust I decided to keep going without adding any more layers. A few minutes later I was freezing cold, digging in my pannier for my spare coat, witch I immediately felt the effects of after putting it on. Had I not been carrying this extra coat, I still would have made it back home fine, but not without consequence. I stopped behind a large piece of fallen sandstone to block the prevailing winds while I warmed up.
The spot you see here is the shoreline of Chequamagon Bay in Lake Superior. A little north least lies the Apostle Islands. On the other side of the bay is Ashland, Wi. This bay only reaches about 30-40 feet deep, but once outside of it the lake reaches some impressive depths. The deepest point in Lake Superior is 406 m. (1,332 ft.) It is largest fresh water lake in the world based on surface area and contains about 10 percent of the worlds freshwater. Fresh water just might be the oil of the future.
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