Inkslinger

BYWAY AWARDED NATIONAL DESIGNATION
Official word received September 14, 2005

“Reviewers enjoyed reading the nomination and planning documents finding that they offered plenty of detail, constructive analysis of existing conditions and perceived opportunities, as well as some ‘Paul Bunyan lore slipped in for fun’. The Byway demonstrated that planning documents can creatively address needs - there is not just one way to do things.”

This endorsement of the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway’s bid for national designation is taken from the Reviewer Observations shared with PBSBA representatives at the celebration event in Washington DC on September 21 and 22, 2005.
National designation brings with it automatic inclusion in both national and international tourism marketing, and additional funding opportunities. Read more about it throughout this issue of Inkslinger!

News Index     > Group of 54     > Paul on Parade!     > Projects in Progress     > Site Highlight     > Join the Byway     > Byway Bylines     > Byway Members     > Inkslinger - July 2007     > Inkslinger - Spring 2007     > Inkslinger - January 2007     > Dollar Tales   < Send News ! >

Winter on the Byway

There are the stunning snow-laden pines and soft undulating landscapes draped in hues of blue and white The winter complexion of the Byway shines with a peaceful, almost magical beauty.

But, there’s a lot more to winter on the Byway than just a pretty face! Get active this season in one of the area’s compelling playgrounds, the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway. Below are some of the places to visit and things to do this winter along the 54 miles of this nationally designated scenic byway.

Cross country skiing
•Uppgaard Wildlife Management Area located 8 miles east of Highway 371 on CSAH 16.
• Breezy Point Ski Trail located off Ranchette Drive just north of CSAH 11.
• Veterans Walking Trail located 3 miles east of Highway 371 on CSAH 16. Turn on Pine Cone Rd. Enjoy the new Bog Walk trail just completed this fall.

Ice skating
• Outdoor skating at the City of Crosslake’s Community Center rinks located on the north side of Crosslake, east of CSAH 66.
• Indoor skating at Breezy Point’s Ice Arena located on CSAH 11 east of Highway 371 across from the new Eagle View Elementary School.

Snow Tubing
• Prime Time’s Tubing Hill located north of the Breezy Point City Hall on the west side of CSAH 11.

Ice Fishing
• Public accesses provide an easy way to reach favorite winter fishing spots on the lakes and rivers along the Byway. Quick to find accesses for Byway users are Trout Lake access on CSAH 66 in Manhattan Beach and Pelican Lake access off CSAH 11 in Breezy Point. A map of all public accesses is available from the DNR www.dnr.state.mn.us/water_access/index.html

Snowmobiling
• Grant-In-Aid trails run along the Byway’s CSAH 16 to Ideal Corners, and portions of CSAH 11, 3, 66 and 1.

Playing in the Snow
• Parks along the Byway are open four seasons. Visit them all:
- Jenkins Veterans Park on CSAH 15 and Hwy. 371
- Ideal Township Park on CSAH 16
- Breezy Point City Park on CSAH 11
- Pine River Damsite Park on CSAH 1
- Crosslake Corps of Engineers Recreation Park located on CSAH 66
- Pequot Lakes Trailside Park Area located on CSAH 11 and Highway 371

'Pea Soup Shorty' Competes For the Prize

They came to taste-test the split pea with ham soup served up by the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway Association’s (PBSBA) ‘Pea Soup Shorty’, artfully characterized by board member Wayne Chamberlain.

Over the course of the couple hours between noon and 2pm, the Byway’s soup stand at Crosslake’s Bait Box Marina served up nearly sixty bowls of burly lumberjack-sturdy pea soup with ham to Saturday’s Crosslake Winterfest visitors.

Between spoonfuls of soup the taste-testers chatted with PBSBA representatives about the Byway. Most knew Paul Bunyan as well as many of his cast of characters and some had to have the new deck of Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway playing cards featuring thirteen of the logging camp characters at various events along the Byway.

Some soup sippers had roots in the area as far back as the turn of the century and enjoyed every minute of telling their stories. Others recited heartfelt longings for ‘the little cabin we always went to when we were young’ as the reason for their retirement move to the lakes area. Several talked about places along the Byway route that are personal favorites, such as Uppgaard Wildlife Management Area and Veterans Walking Trail, both located on County Road #16.

Within that two hours around the soup kettle, the essence of the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway route came to life; rich stories from the people, the strong role of recreation and the lodging industry that supports it, the appeal of the charming winking whimsy of Paul Bunyan lore, and the fifty four mile route that serves as the necklace on which to hang these gems.

Did Pea Soup Shorty’s split pea with ham soup win the People’s Choice award? Well the official word released by Crosslake’s Winterfest committee says the People's Choice this year is awarded to Java Connection. Congratulations! Pea Soup Shorty’s soup may not have earned top billing, but we extend a Paul Bunyan-sized thanks to the people who shared their stories and took time to learn more about the Byway as they tasted soup. See you again next year!

Projects in Progress

• The third deck of Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway playing cards now for sale. This deck features Paul Bunyan's tall tale characters at various events and sites along the Byway. This project is jointly funded by Grand Casino Mille Lacs and the Whitefish Area Tourism Association. Decks carry the logos of both organizations and the Byway logo. 1000 decks were printed in time for Christmas. Find out more.
• Funding through a DNR Environmental Partnership grant has been approved for the Rice Lake project at Lowell Wildlife Management Area and the Fire Tower interpretation. Work will start on this project in June, 2006.
• The Bog Walk construction and installation at Veterans Walking Trail was completed in October, 2005. Interpretive signage will be installed in the spring of 2006, completing this project.

NATIONAL DESIGNATION: The Local Advantage

Opportunities for the townships, cities, businesses, organizations and residents along and around the Byway route have been enhanced significantly by the recent national designation that the Byway received. Here is a partial list of some of those opportunities

• Adds to community pride and acts as an overt signal of community health
  
• Highlights stories of area history and recreational opportunities through the wit of Paul Bunyan; an approach unique to this byway
  
• Offers businesses a marketable advantage by identifying themselves as ‘on the Byway’ and/or creating a product or service name connected to the Byway
  

How can a scenic byway contribute to the tourism product of an area?

How should a scenic byway be incorporated into existing marketing pieces? How can individual business properties take full advantage of their location on or near a scenic byway?

These questions will be addressed at the Congress of Minnesota Resorts (CMR) spring workshop to be held at the Hampton Inn in Bemidji on Monday, March 20.

The CMR contacted Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway Association (PBSBA) chair, Lynn Scharenbroich, to speak at a morning session about the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway’s recently awarded national designation and how the byway’s new status will contribute to the tourism draw of the area.

Further, since Minnesota is home to 5 nationally designated byways and 17 state designated scenic byways, many parts of the state are poised to realize the tourism advantages from scenic byways. Quoted in the January/February 2002 edition of Home and away magazine, Dick Haskett, assistant director of the MN Office of Tourism stated, “Scenic byways are an attractive front door to the region’s towns, history, festivals and activities. We think of our byways as long, skinny natural tourism attractions.”

As the national and state byway programs grow and mature, the value of having an officially designated byway route in an area continues to carry greater and greater impact.

To learn more about byways in general, the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway and the impact of byways on bettering Minnesota’s tourism product, visit the following websites:

www.exploreminnesota.com

www.byways.org

!!SITE HIGHLIGHT!!

Nearly 100 resources and points of interest have been identified along the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway route. Some of the spots are well known such as the Uppgaard Wildlife Management Area or the Crosslake Historic Log Village. Others are not as commonly recognized.

Each of the quarterly issues of Inkslinger will highlight one of these lesser known Byway points of interest.

Breezy Point Cross Country Ski Trail

The land for the trail was dedicated by developers in 1978 and became a part of the original plats. The property on which the trails are located is still owned by the City of Breezy Point. Through a joint agreement, the City and Pelican Conservation Club care for the trail’s two miles of developed area. Additional undeveloped trail area promises more skiing opportunities in the future.

Grooming was done every year from the 1980’s until about 3 years ago when snow conditions precluded any chance of good skiing. Just last year the trail was brushed out in hopes that an old-fashioned snowy winter will grace the Lakes area again.

Those who were around when the ski trail was first completed recall use as high as 1000 skiers a season.

The ski trail can be accessed from Winter Trail off Ranchette Drive. Users can park on the roadside, or in the Ice Arena lot and walk over to the trail. Maps of the trail are available from the city clerk.

During other seasons, the Breezy Point Trail is used as a pleasant woods walk. The trail is available to the public at no charge. On your next Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway drive along CSAH #11, turn on Ranchette Drive and make a point to visit the Breezy Point Cross Country Ski Trail.

What’s THIS Story???

Calling all tale tellers!! The Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway website has a section showcasing tall tales written by you!

This picture, taken at the Pine River Chamber Information Center, may inspire you to submit the ‘true tall tale of why this man is wearing Paul’s baby boots’.

All tall tales can be submitted online through the Byway website.

Paul Bunyan-Sized Thanks to:

Dave Badger and his crew of volunteers from the American Legion (SAL) and Ideal Community Service Organization for their outstanding work constructing and installing the Bog Walk last fall.

Roger LaPointe for brokering an agreement with Central Minnesota Foundation to create the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway Foundation, officially born in July, 2005. Watch for more information about a celebration event this spring.

John and Mary Plein for handling the graphics work for the application for national designation. Their work made our application impressive and successful.

PBSB AROUND TOWN

• In July, ‘Paul Bunyan’ signed autographs at the Woodland Bank grand opening celebration in Jenkins. A table of Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway information was available during the week long event.
  
• Representatives of the PBSBA participated in Central Region Partnership’s annual meeting and exhibit at the Staples campus in August, 2005. The Byway Association exhibit highlighted the group’s progress since its beginnings in 1998 and displayed planning documents made possible through the Partnership’s support.
  
• ‘Paul Bunyan’ added his bold appeal to the annual Walk-N-Roll event on Sept. 24, 2005. He has been asked to participate every year.
  
• In October, 2005, WAPOA requested the PBSBA provide an article about the Byway’s recent national designation to include in the WAPOA newsletter. Chair, Lynn Scharenbroich, provided the article.