Maple Grove

On Tuesday morning we moved the Winnebago to the Minneapolis Northwest KOA in Maple Grove for a marathon of visiting with good friends.  Our first guests were Rodger Loberg, a friend from our early days in Floodwood, MN and his lady friend Linda on Tuesday evening.  Our campsite had zero afternoon shade so we requested a change in location.  The new campsite was perfect for entertaining even though it didn't have sewer and only had 30 amp electric.

Wednesday evening was an enjoyable meal of barbecued salmon and a long visit with Bob and Diane Reid from our days in St Peter.  Thursday we drove to Shakopee for lunch with Russ and Bev Swenson more old friends from our Alumacraft days in St Peter.

Russ & Bev with Mary

Russ & Jack

 Thursday evening Ron and Paula Teig, Bruce and Leila Hagen and Jennifer Emmerman joined us for dinner and great conversation.  Ron and Paula are friends from Riverside.  Bruce and Jennifer are Paula's brother and sister.

Yes, I know I should have taken photos of all of them but I am old and can't remember everything.


I did manage a couple of early morning bike rides in Elm Creek Preserve.

Foggy Morning in Elm Creek Preserve

Friday we went on a nostalgia adventure by visiting a few old homes we lived in during our time in the Minneapolis area along with a great lunch at Pracna on Main where we dined from time to time in the 1970s.

My Abode in Early Mpls Days

The Next Home

The 4-plex in Crystal Where We Lived When Jon Wa Born

Where We Lived When Karyn Was Born

Mary at Pracna on Main

Mpls from Nicolet Island

Mpls from St Anthony Falls

We finished our visiting marathon on Friday evening when my nephew Keith Kantola and his new bride Adrienne joined us for dinner at the Winnebago.

Today we depart for our eventual return to Riverside by heading west to Watertown South Dakota for a visit with brother Carl and his wife Rose.

Cottage Grove

On Monday we drove the CRV to Cottage Grove, MN near Hastings to visit friends Ted and Diane Fredrickson.  Diane, a Master Gardener, toured us through her beautiful gardens and then we went for a ride on the Mississippi River on their pontoon boat.  We finished the evening off with a great dinner of barbecued salmon and veggies from the garden.

Diane's Garden Shed

Hibiscus

Ted & Diane

Mississippi River

Hastings Bridge

Tug Entering Lock #2

Tuesday we will move to Maple Grove, MN for a few days before heading west.

Faribault

On Friday we moved to Camp Faribo in Faribault, MN anxious to visit with dear friends Ken and Kay Heiskari.  We visited, ate, played Canasta, walked in a nature preserve and had an all around good time.

Ken & Kay with Mary

Straight River

Prairie Tepee

Goldenrod

Pinch Berry

Forest Daisy

Shattuck School in Faribault

On Saturday we spent some quality time with Mary's cousin Bob Woodfill and his wife Sharon.  They live near by in Lakeville and joined us for dinner at the Winnebago.

Sharon, Bob & Mary Relaxing

St Croix State Park

On Tuesday we packed up the Winnebago and headed for St Croix State Park.  Old friends from Iowa, Neil and Leah Boyd, joined us for our time in the park.  We rode our bikes to Clayton Lake for a picnic, toured the park and visited the Northwest Fur Company post in Pine City.

Leah and Mary on Bike Trail

Neil on Bike Trail

Jack at CCC Camp Site

Picnic in Shelter at Clayton Lake

Kettle River Rapids

Thursday we drove to Pine City to visit the Northwest Fur Company a recreated wintering site on the Snake River.  This site has been recreated to resemble the site as it was in 1804.

Longhouse at the NWC Site

Bee on a Thistle

Baking Bannock Bread

Winnowing Wild Rice

Neil Modeling Hat

Neil & Leah at Wigwam

We left the park on Friday morning in the rain and moved home to Faribault, MN for a few days.

Final Days at Twin Lakes

We got back to Twin Lakes just after noon on Saturday and spent the afternoon getting settled in and relaxing.  After a fine dinner of NoName steaks and a nice bottle of Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon it was time for a hot sauna.

Sunday was very cool and windy.  Don and I went to the Iron Mining museum in Chisholm to purchase something Mary wanted.  While there we had a look around.  Iron mining sure has left its impact on this area.  We could also see the transitions that took place over the years in mining equipment.

One of the First Ore Trucks

Then they got Bigger

And Bigger - This one is from the 1970s

Tim Matvey, my sister's son, currently drives a ore hauler and he told us he could walk under his.  So, they are still getting bigger.

Duluth Mesabi & Iron Range RR Ore Car

We also saw one of the first buses used by the company that became Greyhound Bus Lines.

Early Greyhound Bus

Interior of Bus

It is only fitting that they also have a log Finnish Sauna on site.

Finnish Log Sauna

Now its time to pack the Winnebago for our journey home.

Grand Marais

We stayed the night at the municipal RV park in Grand Marais, MN.  They have over three hundred campsites with full hookups on most of them.  We were near the water on a nice roomy site.

Don and I drove to Judge CR Magney State Park and did a little brook trout fishing.  The hike in to the Brule river was difficult but we were rewarded with a half a dozen nice brook trout.

Don Fishing the Brule

Don with Brook Trout

The fog rolled in on Saturday morning providing some interesting photography.

Fishermen in Fog

Sailboat in Fog

Foggy Harbor

Rock Art in Fog

As we worked our way to the lighthouse the fog began to lift and was almost gone when we returned to the car.

Grand Marais Lighthouse

Sailboat and Lighthouse

Spider Web

We said goodbye to Grand Marais at 9:30 am and started working our way back to Twin Lakes.  Our adventure around Lake Superior came to an end when we turned west at Silver Bay and drove the Superior National Forest Scenic Byway back home.