Photos are posted on the Up North Excursions Facebook page.
Gallery and Trip Reports
In 2022
A Local trip was held in April to Canosia Farm with Icelandic sheep, apple trees /hard cider press intro, and chickens.
The first bus trip this year was to the Minnesota State Fair on opening day.
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In 2021
The only trip that was held was to the Chanhassen Dinner Theater to see The Music Man. This trip had originally been scheduled for the spring of 2020.
It's been a challenge to bring the trips back since covid. Several trips in the fall of 2021 didn't make - MN State Fair, Cranberry Fest, WI Wine & Cheese. Each trip needs a minimum for a trip to go, especially with the higher bus rental costs. I wish we could have gone. I had to do the announcement of cancelling the trips that only had 12 or 16 or so people interested. It just doesn't cover the expenses of a trip and I'm trying to keep the trips affordable.
Since covid I've added local trips where every met there separately and the groups were limited to under 10 people were to
Woman-owned farm - Shubats' Fruit
Alpaca Farm
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In 2020 - covid takes a hit on the trips
A January trip was held to see Swans that overwinter in Monticello and a visit to the native museum by Mille Lacs was held. And out to a local restaurant.
The rest of the trips were cancelled due to covid.
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2019 trips - 10 trips were held
A holiday season special time at Rittenhouse was held in December. Old time singing, lessons about the olden days, delicious meal in an historic setting - a time to experience holiday spirit and company.
We had 2 October trips - an outdoor one to view migrating sandhill cranes at a staging area refuge at Crex Meadows and also did a trip to Bayfield Apple Fest with a farm visit. This was the 2nd trip to Bayfield Apple Fest with a farm tour. November trips were to the
Bemidji Community Theater to see their production of Annie
and to the Phantom of the Opera at the Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis.
This year was the first year to the Minnesota State Fair. The trip filled and had a waiting list. We went on opening day and had 5 hours at the fair. On the ride back up to Duluth I asked people to write down a food item they tried at the fair. It was quite a list of a mix of items. We didn't put the calorie count to the items.
In June 2019 we went on 3 day trips:
Bayfield in Bloom - touring over 15 beautiful gardens and enjoying apple blossoms
Hayward to the Lumberjack Show
Land of the Loon Arts Festival in Virginia
By request - winter trips were offered. We went to the Wassail Rittenhouse concert
Chanhassen Dinner Theater to see Holiday Inn. That trip was the 20th trip!
In 2018 11 trips were held
We went to Ely to the Dorothy Molter Museum and North American Bear Center and to Chanhassen to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and the applehouse - birthplace of HoneyCrisp (and other kinds of ) apples. We saw the Origami exhibit. October trips were to the Stone Lake Cranberry Festival with an optional Marsh tour and finally to the Minnesota Zoo. Wow - that zoo has aquariums, large areas for animal outdoors, large multi-exhibit indoor area and even a bird show.
Wisconin bakery hop in WI and Delta Diner stop,
Festival of Nations trip 88 cultures represented with dance, food, cultural items
Scandinavian folk music festival trip to Nisswa with dinner,
Big Top Chautauqua trip, Superior!
West Side Story at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis.
Rittenhouse Wassail
Minneapolis Institute of Art - Egypts Sunken Cities/Como Park Conservatory
In 2017 - 3 trips were held
Church Basement Ladies, Rise Up O Men at the Plymouth Theater
Minnesota Irish Faire, Harriet Island, St. Paul
Little Falls Arts & Craft Fest
Held in 2016
*** Bayfield and Big Top Chautauqua, Keepers of the Light and White Winter Winery *** First trip.
Hayward main street, Outdoor Jazz music in Siren, Shell Lake Woodcarving Museum
MN Rennaissance Fest, Shakopee
Charles Lindbergh's boyhood home, Gardens along the Mississippi and St. John's Abbey tour
Bayfield Apple Fest
How to let more people know about the trips?
More trips were offered but were not able to be held due to low signups. Summer is a busy time. Maybe people are all at cabins? I'm continuing to work on how to let people know about the trips.
I'm building an email list.
I put up posters at Grocery stores, gas stations, and other places
I announce trips on the website www.wendyupnorth.com
I announce trips at the local art and gift fairs are put on - see www.wendyupnorth.com for upcoming datesI
I've done multiple mailings to people not on email and to senior apartment complexes.
I list the trips as events on facebook.
I run ads in the classifieds and boost on Facebook.
I talk to people about the trips whenever I can, to groups and individuals.
Past attendees can share the trip announcements with others.
On every trip some people have come on their own. Some have come with groups as big as a count of 10. I welcome bigger groups, like co-workers, family gathering, club, etc.
Thank you to those who have come on the trips. I don't own the bus and the bus is another cost in having the trips be held. The trips also support the talent and local businesses and local people - from actors to local food places to shops to conservation areas to artists.
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Irish Faire at Harriet Island - music, dance, booths, tradition, culture 
See the Up North Excursion Facebook page for photos and new announcements.
July 2017
The trip to the Ely Blueberry Festival did not make. I really do wish these trips would make with a full bus or at least reach the minimum of 12.
The August 11, 2016 trip was a fine time learning about the American hero, Charles Lindbergh and visting the home in Little Falls where he lived during his boyhood. The site is a Minnesota Historic Site. He helped his mom with the chores of chopping wood or bringing ice blocks in for the ice box and they enjoyed time with her playing the piano. He had a special hiding spot in the wall that he made for his toys. He wasn't a fan of school and with the war was able to stop high school and do farming full time to help supply food. The visitor center had exhibits including a mockup of the cockpit of the Spirit of St. Louis, more items from his life, and news articles, such as the tragic kidknapping of his son. This trip went south after that stop and out to the St. John's Abbey church. It was a massive space made of concrete and granite with interesting windows and doors. The bells and the light coming through the windows were almost spiritual. A brother monk came over and answered questions and then we visited their gift shop with items made by the monks - candles, statues, wood items, candles, music, and bread. We then went on to the Munsinger Gardens in St. Cloud. The shady gardens along the Mississippi were peaceful and comforting with the tall pines and flowers below. The upper formal gardens were pleasant and had a variety of plants and shrubs, and fountains - and bunnies. It was an enjoyable day with all 13 of us exploring the Northland.
On July 28, 2016 we had great weather to shop on the main street of Hayward. People visited the old-time candy store where chocolates were being made and they had fresh peanut brittle, old-fashioned candies, and taffy in many flavors. We then drove through the country roads to the Museum of Woodcarving in Shell Lake. The carvings were full human-size carvings with many being biblical scenes. The evening concluded with dinner in Siren and then the outdoor concert in the park by Crooked Lake. No mosquitoes. Nice music. The group size was only 5 but we had a fine time making it to all the places.
On July 14 , 2016 - the first Up North Excursion - 8 people were on the trip and we went to beautiful Bayfield. On the way we stopped at White Winter Winery and tasted their flavor of the day. In Bayfield, flowers were abundant, cute houses surround the main streets, boats are parked and some are out on the water, and we can view some of the Apostle Island. People shopped in the stores and grabbed a bite to eat - white fish was a specialty. We headed over to the Big Top Chautauqua show for their evening performance of Keeper of the Light filled with stories and songs of the lighthouse keepers of the Apostle Islands. The show received a standing ovation at the end. Thank you to those who attended this first trip! For over half the people it was their first time to the big canvas tent where so many nice programs and concerts are held. It's the 20th anniversary of the Big Top and it's relatively close to Duluth. Glad we could go there together.
