I’ve been back here a week now. Here are 50 distinctly Duluth things I have enjoyed since then, or plan to enjoy in the not-so-distant future.

1. Ridiculously perfect summer weather.
2. Topography. In Minneapolis, I would go out of my way to find hills when running because it was so damn flat.
3. Marvelously cheap real estate.
4. Rush “hours” in which the traffic doesn’t actually get any slower.
5. Not really caring about leaving ground floor windows or doors open or unlocked.
6. Bike/running paths that do not require constantly trying to dodge other people on said path.
7. That slightly wild edge to the green spaces. Which are everywhere.
8. Walking across the lift bridge, which is inevitably cold even when it is warm everywhere else.
9. Lake views. Everywhere.
10. A really big, sandy beach.
11. Lots of craft beer with no hint of pretension.
12. 75-cent bus fare.
13. Silence as I sleep.
14. Duluth Grill lunches.
15. Pacing the concourse at the Heritage Center.
16. Easy day trips to the North Shore, the Boundary Waters, or just the middle of nowhere in the woods.
17. The India Palace buffet.
18. The Thirsty Pagan. (Okay, I guess that’s Superior. But for as much fun as we Duluthians poke at Superior, it does have some very good food options, and I’m kinda curious to explore its bar scene in all its glory.)
19. Being entertained by tourists in Canal Park.
20. Having Duluth to ourselves again after all the tourists leave.
21. Grandma’s Sports Garden…eh, maybe not, I’m not 22 anymore.
22. Knowing the politicians who represent me. (Or, at least, being able to get to know them with relative ease.)
23. Not having Comcast in my life.
24. Basically any establishment on East Superior Street between Tycoons and Sir Ben’s.
25. Seeing stars at night.
26. Boat horns.
27. Neighborhood hockey rinks.
28. Parties in Bayfront.
29. A breeze off the lake. Well, sometimes.
30. The tap water.
31. The Breeze Inn.
32. Ice cream after a walk on the Lakewalk.
33. Refurbished turn-of-the-century downtown buildings.
34. Getting bridged.
35. Ski trails everywhere.
36. Congdon homes.
37. The Duluth arts community.
38. Enger Park.
39. The Red Herring.
40. Amsoil Arena.
41. The St. Louis River.
42. That Christmas parade we have in mid-November.
43. Smelt.
44. Huskies games.
45. Sidewalk Days.
46. The Rose Garden.
47. Cruising down Skyline Parkway.
48. Vikre.
49. Greyhounds.
50. Late nights on the lakeshore, or on the ridge up above.