St. Cloud

We left Garfield nine days ago and drove a whopping 60 miles to St. Cloud. We already need work done on the coach.  One job was installing tire sensors on the towed pickup truck that will be monitored in the RV, this we knew would happen. The other was checking the alignment and balancing the front wheels.  This need was discovered on our 60 mile drive.

Due to some medical issues, Amazon deliveries and mail delivery we stayed in St. Cloud longer than anticipated.  But we made good use of the time by riding our bikes on a couple of Rails-to-Trails (one was the Lake Wobegone Trail) and some nice walks along the river and in a prairie. We also found some nice places to dine including an authentic Irish pub.

Garfield and Alexandria

For the past week we have been moving into our new coach while also trying to learn how everything works.  The really hard part of the move is trying to figure out where to put everything as the drawers, cabinets and compartments are all so different from our old rig. John had to puzzle out how to load the storage compartments and I am trying to organize my kitchen.

But we are also struggling to learn how to run the control panel which  turns everything off and on and I mean EVERYTHING!  Not only is there a main panel, each ‘room’ has its own panel too.

There must be a hundred lights to turn off and on, day and night shades for all the windows, water systems, heating and A/C, power from solar to generator, floor heat, vent fans, and  TV. I have to relearn how to use the microwave & dishwasher, John has to relearn how to use the coach’s driving and computer system.

But it wasn’t all work.  We also checked out the museum in Alexandria and a winery and brewery. A Mendards trip was necessary several times and of course stocking up the frig and pantry.

Summer Travels Begin

We are off on a new adventure but first we will pick up our new RV in Garfield, MN.

On June 1st John opted to take US Hwy 65 as far north as we could then we joined up with I-35.  We spent one night on the road in a small campground near the Iowa border then drove on into Garfield which is north and west of the Twin Cities, near Alexandria. We ordered our new coach through Steinbring Motorcoach and that is a story for another day.

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This is the first time we have personally seen our new RV, a Newmar New Aire.  Isn’t she pretty?

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Willard Munger State Trail

Monday September 6

Today was a biking day.  We drove up to near Carlton and rode 25 miles, sometimes along the railroad, sometimes along the St. Louis River and through lots of quiet forest .  We were on a popular part of the trail so we met lots of different families and individuals biking and walking.

Beautiful day!

Tomorrow (the day after Labor Day) we’ll head back to MO.  It’s been an interesting and pleasant short get away.

Skyline Parkway

Sunday September 5

Yesterday we loaded the bikes onto the car and drove into Duluth to ark. We then biked over the Aerial Lift Bridge and out to the end of Minnesota Point, the narrow, almost island that protects the Superior Bay.  It was a nice ride. We lunched at the park after riding thru part of the old growth pine forest at the end of the road.

Today we drove north up the North Shore Dr. then jogged over on the Seven Bridges Road to the Skyline Parkway and headed back south. The 25 mile parkway rises 700 feet above the city and offers spectacular views of Duluth, Lake Superior and the St. Louis River.

Once we got to the top of the ridge we drove thru Hawks Ridge Nature Reserve where we ran into a group of people counting migratory birds, specifically raptors.  They had seen several varieties of hawks and about a dozen eagles which the lady said were headed to Missouri!  It was fun visiting with several of the people there.

On down the parkway we came to Enger Tower. This 80 foot tower was built in 1939 as a tribute to Bert Enger, a Norwegian philanthropist who bequeathed his enormous estate to the city. 

Towards the end of our drive we came to the ski area on Spirit Mountain.  And then back to the RV..

Railroads Haul It All

Friday September  3 

It was a dreary day so we headed indoors to explore the Lake Superior Railroad Museum located in the basement and outdoors of the Duluth Union Depot.  The Depot was built in 1892.  The train shed was built over the original wooden depot and that is where the old engines and cars were located, sitting on some of the old rails.

The first locomotive in Minnesota was built in 1861 and ran between St. Paul and Minneapolis and was named William Crooks engine.  The second oldest was built in 1870 and named the Minnetonka and was the first for the Northern Pacific RR.

The largest engine, the DM&IR #227 (1941), was the most powerful steam locomotive ever built, weighing over 1 million pounds.  The have installed lights, motion and sound on it so one can get a feel for it’s power.

We saw ore cars, refrigerator cars, logging cars, a log loader and a huge snow blower/plow.  Of course they had a caboose and some luxury passenger /business cars.

Around the train display was a miniature Duluth with stores containing antiques of that era that might have been found in those stores.  

The upper levels of the Union Depot housed art galleries and was connected to a Performing Arts wing.

Willard Munger State Trail.

Thursday September 2

We had to hang around the RV this morning because we had to change sites but once that was done we had lunch, took naps and then got on our bikes.  The Willard Munger State Trail starts right outside of our campground.  It’s a rails to trail route that goes all the way to the Thompson Reservoir.  We only rode for 10 miles out and turned around 4 miles short of Carlton.  At one point we were riding next to a huge long train so John tried pacing it.  It was traveling 20 mph.

I enjoyed the parts of the ride where they had blasted thru black rock which towered over us, almost like a tunnel. 

Lighthouse, Waterfalls, Two Harbors, and the Lift Bridge

Wednesday September 1

The first place our neighbor said we had to visit was The Split Rock Lighthouse, the most photographed lighthouse in the Great Lakes area. 

It was completed in 1910 and sits168 feet above Lake Superior.  Because of its height it’s beacon can reach 22 miles.  The whole complex has 3 homes and 2 barns for the three light keepers who resided there plus an oil house.  Before the road was built in 1934 the keepers and their supplies used boats to reach the lighthouse and a system of hoists and derricks to lift them to the top. When a tramway was built in 1916, they had a safer way to get to the lighthouse complex.  Until the road was built, the lighthouse only operated from April to December or when the lake was frozen.  Once it was easier to get to the complex, the keepers stayed there year round.  The lighthouse was decommissioned in 1969.  In 2011 it was listed as a National Historic Landmark.

As we headed back to Duluth, we passed Goose Falls so we decided to check them out knowing that it has been fairly dry so there wouldn’t be a lot of water falling.  We enjoyed walking around the river and viewing the Upper, Middle and Lower falls, imagining what  it might look like in the spring runoff.

We also stopped in Two Harbors and drove down to their harbor, which was once almost as large as Duluth.  The huge ore distribution system is still in place but we aren’t sure if it’s used or not.  The town looks interesting but not much open on this day.

As we approached Duluth we realized we could stop and watch ships go under the Lift Bridge.  This unique bridge raises and lowers so that ships and barges can enter the harbor. 

And, what the heck, we may as well find a good place for dinner before going back to the RV.  Long day!

Duluth -City of Trails

Tuesday August 31

Just before we left Washburn, our neighbor came over to visit.  When he heard we were headed to Duluth he was delighted to give us lots of suggestions on things to see and do as he had grown up and spent his life in the area.

We arrived at Duluth Indian Point Campground with plenty of time left for exploring one of the many bike trails around the area.  This one took us towards the downtown area.  Most of the trail was along city streets with dedicated bike lanes.  We eventually rode on the Cross City Trail and stopped at the Festival Park.  We may drive our bike there another day and continue on.  As it was we rode over 16 miles.

Forestville Township

John went fishing and I went exploring.  The Minnesota Historical Society has recreated the town of Forestville which was platted in 1855 and grew to 150 residents until the railroad moved away from Forestville toward Spring Valley.  People stayed for awhile raising crops and cattle, brickworks and forestry but by 1910 the store closed and everyone had moved away.

Today there are a few building left that have been restored but mostly the sites that can be seen are just the foundations. There used to be two hotels, a general store, blacksmith shop, school, distillery, saw mill and grist mill.  At the top of the hill overlooking the town site is the cemetery where 30 graves have been found but they only have the names for 20 of them.

The historic site is about a mile walk from our campsite and the cemetery is another mile from the town so I got a lot of exercise today as I walked to the town twice!  The first time I wondered around and disturbed the site manager who was delighted to give me all the history of the place and then I got a private tour of the store and the store owners home.  The store had the best selection and the most items I have ever seen in a late 1800’s store!  On weekends they have costumed interpreters who cook, sew, tend the garden and sometimes even blacksmiths working.

John worked hard to catch one fish in the morning but was a frustrated fisherman this afternoon so I let him watch television tonight.

Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park

Yesterday we packed up and moved a long 25 miles to the Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park. John found out a few days ago that this is supposed to be a great place to go trout fishing.  Since I’ve had about enough of John in the RV, I agreed that we should come here so I can have some time to myself while he fishes.

We discovered that this park is in a dead hole - no cell service, no internet!  So once we got settled in, we got in the Jeep and drove the 10 miles to Wykoff where we got at least a few bars of service and conducted some business like letting our families know we were incommunicado.  It rained lightly off and on during the evening but we have so much forest coverage that not much hit the ground so we were able to enjoy a nice time around the fire.

 

Today, John got going fairly early to fish and I hiked a couple of trails in the park logging about 5 miles.  One trail took me along the Canfield Creek which feeds into the South Branch of the Root River.  I found information that there used to be a beaver dam on this creek. Sure enough, there used to be a dam but even though it is mostly gone, the beavers are still there!  I saw two small ones swimming in the stream.  I also found a trout hole, so full of trout that it looked like a hatchery! Too bad John didn’t fish here, he might have caught more.  He caught two in the morning and two in the afternoon and lost at least 4 more.

To Rushford and Back

We have been working up to this bike ride all week, each day taking a longer and longer ride.  It is a 36 mile round trip plus whatever side trips we take to Rushford and back.  We put 39 miles on the bikes today!  This trail is paved the whole way with parts of it obviously older and rougher, but the scenery is beautiful.  This part of Minnesota is highly agricultural.  We rode past fields of corn, soy beans and clover and the milk cows were having a mooing conversation as we rode by.  We spotted several deer, chipmunks and squirrels scooted across our path and John saw an eagle soaring overhead.  As we paralleled the Root River most of the way I enjoyed the many varieties of wild flowers in full bloom.  This is a favorite river to canoe, kayak or tube.

We sped through Whalan without stopping for pie but we did stop in Peterson to visit their museum housed in the old railroad station. The docent was bored so she followed us all the way through the two buildings.  They had a nice collection of ‘stuff’.  Rushford also used their old railroad station for a visitor’s center and museum but their museum was closed. They did have a nice picnic area where we had lunch.  The ride back wasn’t as bad as we thought it might be although we did stop several times to give our bottoms a rest from the small bike seats!  We may not be able to walk very well tomorrow!

After dinner at the Old Village Hall we stopped at the Parkway Bar because they had this great sign hanging over the bar and I wanted a picture of John sitting under it.  

Fountain, MN

The Saturday Farmer’s Market was a small affair but they had some nice looking vegetables and the Amish baskets were pretty and sturdy.  Unfortunately I don’t have room in the RV to buy any to bring home!  We walked downtown and shopped some then had a leisurely lunch by the river before tackling the Root River Bike trail once again.  

This time we rode the almost 24 miles round trip to the village of Fountain.  With a populations of 374 we were lucky to find a place to get a glass of ice tea and a cookie!  The really bad part of this trip, though, was the uphill ride.  My RunKeeper App recorded an elevation change of 1260 feet and it was all up the last 6 miles into Fountain.  I was pooped!  The good part is that is was all downhill going back.  John loves going fast and I tried not to burn out my brakes.

Best Pie in the USA

After visiting with some of the other campers and scouting another campground we moved to the river view campground (a whole 4 blocks) on the Root River just above a small damn.  There are only about 12 spacious sites along the river and the city park where we were previously camped had about 50 very small sites and the other campers indicated that all of them would be full by Friday night.

After the move we rode our bikes around the small town of Lanesboro and up Church Hill to take in the view from the two largest buildings on the hill - a Catholic church and a Lutheran church.  The view was worth the uphill ride.

If you squint you can see our Jeep & RV on the right.

A short bike ride (5 miles) from Lanesboro is the small town of Whalan, home to the Best Pie in the USA (according to a framed magazine article on their wall).  This town is geared towards the tourism trade with B&B’s and a walking tour of the buildings in the town from as far back as the late1800’s.  We had been advised to stop at the old gas station, built in 1923.  He has a neat collection of garage memorabilia such as can and oil cans, signs, gas pumps, tools and clocks.  

But the Aroma Pie Shop is the biggest draw so, of course, we had some pie.  I had a Raspberry cream pie and John had the cashew, chocolate chip pie.  I’m afraid the 10 mile round trip bike ride didn’t burn off all those calories!

Lanesboro and the Root River

We pulled out of Rochester today and drove a whopping 45 miles to this quaint town on the Root River.  The thing that drew us here is the Root River State Biking Trail.  It is one of the original Rails to Trails in the nation.  At 60 miles in length it may not be the longest but it is paved and level and scenic.

We walked around Lanesboro after arriving and decided to eat lunch at a restored 1926 diner built in Wellington OH. It’s the only remaining wooden wheel diner in use today. Lanesboro is near the middle of the trail so we rode about 12 miles one way to Preston this afternoon.  Preston is another small quaint town but did not have as many shops and attractions as Lanesboro.  Another small town we could have ridden to is Harmony, an Amish village.  Many tourists take a tour of the Amish community around Harmony but we probably won’t do that.

On our way back I stopped along the river to rest and to check out some pretty purple flowers.  As John pulled up next to me, we heard a splash and looked up to find a Bald Eagle flying nearby.  He landed on a tree branch directly across the river from us.  It would have been the perfect picture of the magnificent bird except that I took too long trying to get the perfect picture and he flew away!!  He watched us from a couple of other perches but none where we could get a good shot.

We Are Healthy!

We completed all of our tests on Tuesday and Wednesday and then visited with our doctors on Wednesday and we are both healthy.  I have a slightly elevated cholesterol  which can be handled with a diet (ugh!) but John came away with almost no changes in his lifestyle.  It’s just not fair that he can eat bacon and I can’t!

Tuesday afternoon we spent four hours looking at, measuring and comparing water faucets for the kitchen and bath in the RV.  I think we made the right choice.

Wednesday evening was a fun time at the Swiss Fest in Bern, MN.  My Aunt Shirley, Uncle Harold, John and I left Rochester at 4 PM to drive the 30 minutes to Bern and we still were not the earliest arrivals for oven fired pizza.  This little church, Swingli, in Bern started this Wednesday night event a 58 years ago and it has grown tremendously over the years.  They have two wood burning outdoor ovens that can cook only 4-6 pizza’s at a time.  People come to sit on the hill side surrounding the church, bringing their own tables and chairs, drinks and snacks.  The entertainment starts at 6 pm with a Swiss band, followed by yodelers and an Alpine horn concert and then flag throwing.  It was perfect weather and we enjoyed people watching and wondering how much longer we would have to wait for our pizza.  Our second pizza was 1-1/2 hours in the making.

Rochester's Mayo Clinic

We left Oshkosh on Saturday morning and plodded through the mud to get out of the field we were camped in.  It took us almost six hours to drive to Rochester, Minnesota where we will get physicals at the Mayo Clinic and visit my Aunt Shirley and Uncle Harold.  We are camped in a full hook-up campground for a change and I am loving the long showers I can take here.

We had a great dinner and visit with Shirley and Harold on Saturday then they came to the RV for a grand tour of our modest home on wheels and another nice visit.  They have found several things we can do in this area if we have time after seeing all the doctors.  We also got a nice tour of the city and they showed us the best route to take to Mayo Clinic and the best parking spots and the best places to eat down town.  

Today was our first day at the clinic.  I had a couple of tests and a visit with a doctor and dermatologist while John had about 4 tests and visits with 3 doctors.  We will be here until Wednesday to finish up all our exams, tests and doctor consultations.