New Timber Twister Alpine Coaster

Duluth will now be featuring the only alpine coaster ride in the midwest and the opening is July 1st. This exciting ride takes you 3,200 ft down Spirit Mtn and riders have complete control over the speed of their coaster car as it rounds hairpin curves on an elevated track. A big bonus is that it takes you for a nice scenic ride back up the mountain where you can do it all over again! Check it out at www.spiritmt.com or call (800)642-6377. Jim can't wait to try it, but I think I'll see how "exciting" his ride is first.

I don't really want to talk about our "roller coaster" weather as it has been totally unpredictable and you just have to be prepared for anything. At least we haven't had any tornadoes! Fortunately, there are a multitude of musical and cultural events planned for the summer which are not all weather dependent. A personal favorite of mine is the Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra concerts on Wednesday nights July 7 - August 4. They give delightful programs and feature exceptional local talent. Tickets are available at the door. If you prefer big band music in a fabulous outdoor setting (the beautiful grounds at Glensheen Mansion), free concerts are also given on Wednesday evenings. There must be something about Wednesday nights as there is also free "Blue Grass" music at Sir Benedicts Tavern on the Lake. And, if you're lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the weekly sailboat races which begin at 6:00pm every Wednesday. A better vantage point might be from the Fitger's Brewery complex across the street where you may dine outdoors or in. If you can't be here on a Wednesday, you might catch the free outdoor concerts at Chester Creek on Tuesday evenings or live Jazz featuring Billy Barnard at Dubh Linn Irish Pub downtown. Moving on to Thursday, Celtic music is playing at both Dubh Linn's and Sir Benedicts Tavern. I'll mention one other musical event happening on July 10th, as we still have openings at the Ellery House for that weekend. It is the largest Reggae Music Festival in Minnesota and features Caribbean food, beverages and artisans as well as music from 11am to 10pm. For more info go to their website at www.bayfrontreggae.com. If reggae isn't your thing but flowers are, there's a Rose Fest at the Leif Erickson Rose Garden where guided tours and mini-classes and demonstrations will be given. Their website is www.dgfs.us/lsr.

For a complete listing of events look at the Visit Duluth website. There's something for everyone!