TOM THREINEN SQUARED

June 23
Before driving to Duluth to see some Threinens, we visited with some other Threinens: uncle Jim, aunt Betty and cousin Kurt at their summer condo in Minneapolis.
We got a tour of the place, checked some web sites on Kurt's computer, looked at some of Betty's wonderful watercolor paintings, and told stories. And they finally got to meet Terry, after years of near misses in Phoenix, Laughlin, Las Vegas, and San Diego. They served us a healthful lunch to send us on our way. --Tom

June 23-24
You would think that if your name was Thomas William Michael Threinen, it would be next to impossible to find someone with your same name. But on Tuesday evening, we pulled into the long driveway of Thomas (no William) Michael Threinen and his wife Carol in Duluth, MN.

These Toms are some kind of cousins in an impossible-to-describe way but from the first time the four of us met each other in San Diego a few months ago, we have all felt closely related.
Two Toms in Ocean Beach, San Diego.


Duluth is, of course, famous for its unending winter and extremely cold, stormy, windy and generally inclement and terrible weather. But for the two days we were there looking around, it was come-on-down weather. Low 80’s, just a little muggier than a typical San Diego July day, and perfectly clear skies.

We saw rivers, hiked to waterfalls, lunched lake-side and then toured the Duluth Harbor.
Tom Threinen taking a photo of the other Tom Threinen taking a photo of Tom Threinen.


After waiting for and watching an enormous freighter travel under the lift-bridge and into the harbor from Lake Superior, it was time for a beer.

So we found a harbor view place and watched a sailboat race get underway. Then more touring, including great views of the vast amount of commerce that happens in this harbor. Duluth Harbor is the sorting out location and gateway for all the coal, gypsum, grains and some other things that I have forgotten that go to the Midwest.

Then back to the Threinen’s gorgeous home to learn a card game that I’m sure they were making up as we went along. A marvelous time was had by all and we made many plans to get together again. How about in a place with great weather. Such as San Diego!
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As a Waterman, I know about waves and surfing spots all over the world. Duluth has great surf sometimes, usually in the winter, as this photo I found on the internet proves. But THIS Waterman is going to pass on surfing Lake Superior--too much snow on the beach! --Tom