Mammoth Lakes resides on the edge of the Long Valley Caldera, a large area that subsided after an enormous eruption 760,000 years ago. In fact the same magma chamber that was the source of the heat that eventually caused this great eruption. Mammoth Lakes enjoys unique opportunities as the Town is entirely surrounded by the Inyo National Forest and is home to the world renowned winter recreation facility of Mammoth Mountain Ski Area and the beauty of the Eastern Sierra. With so many great attractions such as biking, camping, skiing, hiking, swimming and lots more. Mammoth is a great place for a vacation.

Some interesting facts I found out is that the highest peak is 11,053 feet. The town is 24.8 square miles, with a population of 7,093 people. An average snow fall per year is around 395 feet.

The airfare from Vancouver to Calgary or Edmonton, then direct to Yellowknife is approximately $1,000 flight time less than three hours. I spent more time than that waiting at airports. The pilot on the second part of the flight was a woman and I looked forward to a female voice announcing “This is your Captain speaking” but it was not to be. On this flight the only announcement was a male voice letting passengers know they could buy a drink for $6.00 or be served complimentary coffee or tea.

Vancouver to Calgary was familiar scenery, but soon after leaving Calgary the landscape changed from quilted fields of green, yellow and brown, to rocks and hundreds of lakes. It seemed there was more water below than land.. The forests were replaced with scrub and small pines growing out of dusky pink patches of the Canadian Shield. I began to understand the feeling of isolation in the wilderness as there was no sign of human habitation until Yellowknife came into view. We flew over part of Great Slave Lake and there it was, a city in the wilderness. high rises, roads and houses.

It is a small but busy airport with regular airport trimmings, check in desks, baggage carrousels and lost luggage. I had checked in one large back pack and a bicycle. Previous enquiries had informed me that I could replace one of my suitcases with a bike as long as it was in a bag or box. Air Canada would supply one when I checked in. This turned out to be incorrect. as they no longer provide the bag or box. Fortunately I had sewn a cloth bag 6' x 4' with a draw string top from a piece of gold and brown large flowered print. You really couldn't miss it, or so I thought. Wrong.. It had been missed and did not arrive with me and my other baggage. Ten minutes later I had lost luggage file claim number.. It showed up next day, still in its hideous bold bag, wearing a tag that read ”Express delivery. Priority.”

Yellowknife is a small city and one of the best ways of getting around is by bicycle. It gives you the freedom to explore unpaved roads, parks, trails and the city centre. . It is built on the Great Canadian Shield and trails lead over great boulders not at all suitable for bikes. You end up pushing or carrying it when the boardwalks and blacktop surfaces just disappear. From the 9km Frame Lake trail you can get to the centre of town, the library, the legislature and the museum. It was at the museum where I learned some of the history that explained the development and location of Yellowknife. By 1937, with a boost from the brand new bush plane industry, Yellowknife became a boom town. As the “Old Town” community of shacks, tents and log cabins outgrew its Yellowknife Bay location, a new town site was established further up the hill. The city was named capital of the Northwest Territories in 1970,. The legislature building was opened in 1994 prior to that members met in the mall.

Several big box stores have arrived, including Extra foods enabling restaurants to offer a variety of meals from authentic Vietnamese dishes to a muskibou burger (musk ox and caribou) with brie cheese. French fires made from Yukon Gold potatoes have a lovely yellow centre and fine flavour. Fish is the one food item that does not need to be trucked or flown in. Trout, Northern Pike, Walleye and Whitefish are easily obtained from the nearby lakes. .

When leaving Yellowknife I was asked by security in a lilting Newfoundland accent, if I had any liquids or gels, I declared my 500grams of cream cheese. She smiled and agreed with me she didn't know if it was either and to ask at the next security check

It was in my hand luggage and raised no questions as it went through the scanner.. Not being one to volunteer information I also raised no questions. This cheese was the partner to the box of crackers that would be my lunch.. My window seat was beside the wing restricting my view of the lakes that sparkled in the early morning sun, rocks and small trees. Remote, wild and beautiful said it all.

I will go back to Yellowknife to discover stories of native residents and people passing through. There are many stories to be told, I would like to talk to the taxi drivers from Somali, the Australian female ramp worker at the airport, the Newfoundland bar tender, the Vietnamese chef, the English waitress and native artists. I only stayed a week, they have stayed for years. The north and Yellowknife have a lot to offer enquiring minds, people who enjoy adventure and the outdoors life. If you get the opportunity to visit., say Yes and go North.

In winter Minnesota's temperature averages to be about zero degrees F. In the summer it averages to be seventy-four degrees F. Minnesota doesn't have any mountains only hills. All in all, Minnesota proves to have spectacular climate and history just as great.

Minnesota has intriguing history which starts way back in 6,000 B.C. these people evolved into Mound Builders. Later in about 1362 Vikings came. Sioux Indians later appeared and outgrew the Vikings and the Mound builders. Minnesota was found by French explorers named Pierre Esprit Raddison and his brother in law M'edard Chouart Sieur Du Luth (Duluth is now a large city by Lake Superior) in 1679. France had also claimed other states like Iowa and Illinois.

The French sold their land to Britain who had a war with the Americans called the revolutionary war. The Americans won that war and got the Louisiana Purchase which included all the states east of the Mississippi including Minnesota. Another fact is that Paul Bunion came from Minnesota. In conclusion, Minnesota's history is awesome, but wait until you hear about its wildlife.

In addition to small birds and animals common in the Midwest, Minnesota has many large animals as well. Back in 1990 black bears numbered 20,000. Also, a population of 1,750 timber wolves. Small fur barring animals such as raccoons, muskrats, striped skunks, gray and red foxes and weasels are present allover Minnesota. Bobcats are found in low densities.

Five species of squirrel and two species of flying squirrel are found in forests, while the gopher (the State animal) hangs out in open spaces. The state also has many fish to go in all of the lakes. Some of the fish are walleye, trout, salmon, muskellunge, largemouth bass and sunfish. The rare paddlefish and the long lived sturgeon are both found in St. Croix River. Those are just a few of the 153 species of fish found in Minnesota.

The main part of the economy in Minnesota is the cooperatives, which is a sponsor for buying and selling, mainly for the farmers. Most of the cooperatives where originally immigrants from Denmark or Finland, today many people are cooperatives. Agriculture is also an important part of Minnesota's economic activity. The agriculture to Minnesota is based on wheat, soybeans, hay and flaxseed. Minnesota ranks 5th in the number of farmland, nearly half of the state is farm. Minnesota has great economy and just as great entertainment and sports.

Minnesota has a ton of entertainment and excellent sports teams. Also, Minnesota is home to the NHL (National Hockey League) hall of fame. Minnesota has a baseball team named the Twins, a football team named the Vikings, a basketball team named the Timber Wolves and a hockey team named Wild. The Twins is named after the twin cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul); the Vikings are named after the Vikings that came in the 1300s. The Timber Wolves are named after the amazing population in the 1990s and Wild is named after al of the wildlife in Minnesota.

Some of the fun places you can go to are Mall of America, the Metro dome, the Wheat Mill or the Como Zoo. Those were just a few of the things you can do in Minnesota.

Minnesota is a great place to go to and has more then one interesting fact. To wrap things up, Minnesota has super climate, amazing history, massive wildlife, great economy, and excellent entertainment and sports, that is why I am proud to have Minnesota as my topic.

Statistics:

• Capitol - Saint Paul.
• Population - 4,919,279 people.
• State Hood - May, 11, 1858 32nd state.
• Motto - L'Etolie du Nord .
• Song - “Hail! Minnesota”.
• Tree - Norway Pine.
• Area - 84,068 sq miles.
• Total Water Area - 4,780 sq miles.
• Bird - Common Loon.
• Flower - Pink and White Lady's Slipper.
• Elevation - Eagle Mountain 2,301 feet above sea level.
• Nickname - Land of 10,000 lakes.
• Name means - “Cloudy Water” from the Sioux Indians.
• Rochester is home of the Mayo Clinic.
• The Hockey hall of fame is located in Minnesota as well as four pro sports teams.
• Paul Bunion came from Minnesota.
• Between the 1860s and theearly1900s Minnesota was the leading lumber producing state.
• Minneapolis and St. Paul became big cities because of a man named Edmond La Croix, he found out how to purify white flower in the early 1870's .
• Lake Itasca is the source of the Mississippi and was found by Henry L. Schoolcraft.
• Roger Maris came from Minnesota.