It's Wednesday, the 9th of June. We had to leave the Twin Cities area today. It's always so exciting to visit with family members we haven't seen in two years, and sad to leave them, knowing that it probably will be another year before we see them again. We have been treated like royalty during our visit and, well, kinda got to liking it....
Yesterday, we spent most of the afternoon with Donna's brother, Bill, and his wife, Linda. Needing to get out and explore a bit after a year of lockdown, BnL took us to downtown Stillwater, MN. Still-H2O is an old logging town, and the first substantial settlement in the state of Minnesota, but has been transformed into a destination. The St Croix River is a big draw, with pleasure boats cruising upstream from the Mississippi and docking in Stillwater for a bit of family fun. It's said that one can walk across the river on the Fourth of July without getting wet. That's a lot of boats!
The old Liftbridge across the St Croix to Wisconsin has been taken out of vehicular service, refurbished, and made part of a trail system that accommodates pedestrians, skateboarders, and bicyclers.
Huge weights counterbalance the lift section in the center of the bridge. Looking up at one of the weights was a bit scary, but when these weights are released, they lift the center section of the bridge. That's how they do it!
In the center of the span, a medallion marks the border between Minnesota and Wisconsin.
The lift operates every 30 minutes to accommodate tall boats, and we were fortunate to be on the Wisconsin side as it operated. Almost all the way up!
And almost all the way down!
The temp was near 100 degrees F, and probably much higher on the concrete and asphalt around the bridge, so we elected to slip into Leo's Ice Cream for a bit of air-conditioned comfort. Leo's is part of the downtown scene, and was perfectly placed for a sweet drink.
Aunt Linda's rosy cheeks were a good measure of the temp outside! We enjoyed peanut malts, Orange Crush Floats, and sweet Iced Tea while we cooled off.
Back at CnB's house for dinner, Donna prepared a shrimp skillet with Feta in a tomato sauce over rice with a green salad. A fine ending to a fine day with the "kids".
Back at Dakotah Meadows RV Park, we walked around the lake with our faithful canine companion, Sasha, who discovered a turtle that appeared to be laying her eggs.
The sunset was fitting for our Minnesota visit. Both beautiful and emotional.
Leaving Prior Lake this morning on US 169 took us through Jordan, which is home to the Worlds Largest Candy Store! Also known as Jim's Apple Farm, is home for hard-to-find sweets, baked goods, the worlds largest selection of sodas, popcorn, pasta, and deli meats! If you need a theater box of candy, a yard of bubble gum, or a bottle of Route 66 Blu Razzberri soda, come to Jordan, Minnesota! The parking lot did not lend itself to motorhomes, so we had to pass it by, but the 97 degree temp made us long for a cool drink.
Passing on into the farmland of southwestern Minnesota, we found ourselves comparing it to the rolling hills of Central Minnesota. This area is more like Kansas!
Just before we crossed the state line into South Dakota, we noticed a huge wind turbine "farm". There were hundreds of the machines slowly turning in the prairie wind.
The first SD rest stop on Interstate 90 was very nice, and referenced the states relationship with the Sioux Nation.
Two hundred sixteen miles on the road got us to the WH Lyon Fairgrounds in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The fairgrounds has a couple of dozen full hookup rv sites along the west end of the grounds. There is an operating quarry around the site, with a once-a-day train that passes by and occasional earthquakes from the blasting, but the sites are fine. The grass is going to allow Sasha a bit of ball time, as soon as the temperatures get down to something reasonable! We're here for three nights (at $30 a night. A deal!) to explore a bit of the city and surrounding areas. We'll see what we can see!
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