I can share some of that krapola. Way back in my American History class the perfessor did a long segment on early traffic up the St Lawrence, portage over the falls, and loop west bound over the Great Lakes to the upper mid west. Evidence for that traffic goes way back. That class was probly before your Rune stone was discovered but another thing that has developed is that known Viking objects have been found to have metal from the Mesabi range area. And the Vikings had canoes way back. Nobody else could have done it any better. And there’s Viking settlement evidence in Newfoundland. Over a few hunnert years they easily could have sent out more scouts. One wouldn’t want to discount the possibility, at least? My biggest curiousity is why did they pull back? Happened a lot to early peoples. Happening in LA right now-——
The Vikings traded milk to the natives, the natives experienced lactose intolerance and decided they had been poisoned.
After that relations with the natives went downhill rapidly and the Vikings decided to leave rather than be in a permanent war.