It’s pronounced, “EEE-lee.” The good news is that Rob found a fabulous restaurant in Ely that serves walleye! So we prepared to go there. Then, he read the fine print on the map. The restaurant is in Ely, Minnesota. That is quite a drive for lunch or dinner so maybe not.
The KOA where we are camped in Ely has an unusual feature. They have always featured cabins for folks who like to camp but are not rv-inclined. Now they have more unique accommodations: covered wagons. They’re equipped with a/c, a frig, microwave and king size bed. The original one that was parked here was a shepherd’s wagon and now they have renovated it into living quarters and have added a second one. (Bring money.)
We had errands to run: The post office, hardware store, grocery mart and to investigate restaurants for dinner. (No walleye in sight.) Afterwards, in the pleasant breeze and sunshine, we took a drive out into the foothills. Comins Lake is a natural lake just a little south of Ely fed by the Steptoe and Cave Creeks. It is a warm, shallow lake with a maximum depth of 14 feet. The fishermen love this lake but there is a problem. An unknown culprit seeded the lake with northern pike, a vicious predator of the indigenous fish. It has been a headache for wildlife managers because the pike prey upon the trout and bass and are slowly eliminating them. Theoretically, when those fish are completely gone, the pike begin preying upon each other. Down the line, the lake would be occupied by just a few small pike. The signs around the lake read that if you catch a pike, do not throw it back. Kill it, make sure it’s dead and notify the Department of Wildlife which is intent upon eliminating the pike to save the indigenous fish.
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| Comins Lake |
Cave Lake is a few miles further down the road and 7,300 feet up from sea level. It is really a reservoir that was created for water conservation but in 1932, a serious dam was constructed to create a recreation lake. It was seeded with German brown trout, rainbow trout and a few other species of sporting fish. About five years ago, the lake was drained to perform repairs on the dam. At the bottom of the dry lake, they found small, “caves.” It is supposed that these were occupied by the fish. Well, the conservation, “engineers,” in their wisdom, decided they shouldn’t be there so before they opened the dam to refill the lake, they filled the little fishes’ caves with concrete. Why they did this remains a mystery. This is, as the lib media says, the story from our, “reliable sources.” It is a beautiful lake surrounded by tall mountains. The campground sites at this lake are tiny and steep, though, so our beast is not a candidate. The average temperature of the water is in the sixties. Not paddleboard-friendly for these old bags so a sightseeing visit was all that was left to us.
No trip to Ely is complete without stopping in at the Hotel Nevada and Gambling Hall, built in 1929 at a cost of $400,000. It was considered tall, six stories, and had 100 guest rooms. Many celebrities, including politicians, have gone out of their way to spend a day or two at the Hotel Nevada, including the world-famous DeLaMares from Pahrump! We do not qualify for one of the stars on the sidewalk in front of this wonderful establishment, however. A cold brew at the bar and then it was time to head for camp. Tomorrow will be a lazy day in the breeze and sunshine and a nice dinner somewhere. That’s all from Ely, friends.
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| Today's sign. Hmmmm...... |
