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Published: July 20th 2018
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We pulled out of camp at 9:30 (after posting last night’s blog up next to the office where they actually had a signal!!) into a gray and cool morning. Happily the longer the day went on, the more sunshine we had and we finally had a very nice afternoon with blue skies. The afternoon temps are starting to be a title warmer every day...REALLY looking forward to the heat and humidity at home??
Our first stop was to take on fuel and then we headed to downtown Minneapolis for our own planned tour of the city thanks to Steve B, Tim D, and Jane and Marv’s suggestions. Thank you, we think! We drove by the Target Center where the Minnesota Twins play. It is right in the downtown area. Parking must be a nightmare. From there we drove more into the city and saw the US Bank Stadium where the Minnesota Vikings play. It is a spectacular building. We were a little disappointed that we couldn’t find a place that would hold Mufasa as we would have loved to have toured the stadium. After we got back into camp we discovered that we could not have toured it anyway because
Target Field
Home of the Minnesota Twins baseball team the X Games are being held there this month and they were not offering tours.
From downtown we headed to Minnehaha Park to see Minnehaha Falls. It was a lovely, and very fast moving falls. The falls are located on Minnehaha Creek near the creek’s confluence with the Mississippi River. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow helped to spread the waterfall’s fame when he wrote his celebrated poem, “The Song of Hiawatha.”
We left the park at 12:00 heading to the Mall of America. We had a very nice visit and got several “steps” in while there. Now for a note to Steve B: We looked for the Twin City Model Railroad Museum at the Mall of America. We asked two people and they both said that it had never been at the Mall of America but was at the Bandana Center in St. Paul for several years. It is no longer at the Bandana Center but is in St. Paul. It has been there since 1934. We were told the sweetest story in reference to this museum which, by the way, is rated VERY highly. We stopped into a toy store to ask if any one knew anything about it.
The sales lady there reiterated that it was not at the MOA but that she had so many fond memories of the times she took her son to visit it. She said that the best Christmas her family had ever had was years ago when her son was around 4 years of age and they were in a bind financially. Her husband had lost his job and things were, as you would expect, pretty bleak. She and her husband spent all of Christmas Eve night preparing a layout for his old model train. Brother David, it sounded like the one you had that you put the pellets in the stack on the engine to make it smoke. (Also, don’t worry—I forgave you years ago for not “sharzying” with me...mostly) At any rate, come Christmas morning the little boy had his own model train to play with and she said this is one of her favorite memories. It is amazing what people will share with you if you just take the time to listen.
We left the mall at 2:35 heading south to our home away from home for the night, arriving at Camp Faribo in Faribault MN. Our site
Winter “walk overs” in downtown Minneapolis
We have seen these covered walkways in several other far north areas. It looks like a great idea! tonight isn’t level but we do have good power and good WiFi AND the sun is shining! All is well in the Smallman household. We drove a grand total of 96 miles today.
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Larry and Rhonda
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Might Want To Stay A While Longer....
I remember that we had lunch at the MOA when we came down from Canada after our Lewis and Clark Trail trip in 2001. Don’t know what the weather is like in Music City but here in Elvisville it is hotter than...well, it’s just HOT! Our heat index was 110 to 114 today. Hottest day of the summer to date. SOOO, you might want to stay north a while longer, like maybe till Thanksgiving! Love you both.