Resting, Resting

We have safely arrived in Hastings, Minnesota, far exceeding the expectations of certain nephews, who thought we'd turn back in Spokane. HA!

Yesterday we drove thru endless cornfields interspersed with endless soybean fields. We didn't see much because the corn was so high. After a while endless fields of corn cease to be interesting, except as inspiration for dreams of eating endless cobs of wonderful midwestern corn! And I suppose even that would get old after a time, but I am not sure. I'll need to experiment with that. Beef Villa sandwiches and fresh corn on the cob! A dream dinner. I'm easy to please. lol

Minnesota is not as flat as South Dakota, although the central part is as flat as that. The roads were a bit curvier and we hit a good series of twisties, only to have the speed limit drop to 30 mph. Now, what fun are twisties at 30 mph??? Bah. It was a dumb idea to put a town right there.

We saw some nice looking little towns that looked like they might actually have enough "stuff" that a person might happily live there. Alas, the winters here are snowy and very cold, so that's not happening. Not for us.

The route was planned to avoid the Twin Cities and so we were on state highways and country roads all the day. Mostly the surfaces were fine, although a few were totally awful, rough and grooved and lumpy. You have not truly felt a lumpy road until you've ridden a 3 wheel vehicle on it.

At one intersection, we were supposed to continue on, but there was a big sign that said "Road Closed", and a barricade on half the road. Just past that, there was a sign that read "road closed to vehicles over" such and such a tonnage. So while I drove in circles in the roundabout (oh how I hate those things and they are springing up everywhere, even in the wilds of Minnesota) Ray decided that the signs did not apply to us. So on we went. The surface was new and lovely for a little while, until we toppped a hill and could see that on the other side, going back up a hill, the road was all dirt and gravel and large machinery. It really WAS closed. So back we went, took a look at the map and worked out a way past. We ended up miles out of our way and we were in and out of Dakota County 3 or 4 times.

But we got here in late afternoon, and it was a good day for riding, sunny and in the low to mid 70s. There was a cool north wind and so we wore our rain jackets for the better part of the day. Plus, we got to see more of the Minnesota countryside! Corn, corn, corn.

There are no broken down buildings in Minnesota. All the farms and farm buildings are beautiful and well maintained with the straightest rows of corn you ever saw. I think it must be a law. In several places between towns we came upon large old beautiful churches plunked down in the fields. We'd see a spire from way off and think there would be a town surrounding that church, but nope. Just corn. Often there were cemeteries next to the church and I could tell from the look of the headstones tha the cemeteries were old. But there was no time to stop and investigate. Too bad for the inner genealogist.

Sister Marcia and nephew Gordon came to the hotel to take us out to dinner. We went to a place in St. Paul (!) called Senor Wong. It was an interesting place, very hip and one of those places where if you didn't know it was there you'd never find it. Marcia, Gordon and I all had phad thai and Ray had a beef and green/red pepper dish. It was nice. Then we came back to Hastings and stopped by Marcia's house to see Kelly and Christian and meet Koda. Koda is a huuuuge Alaskan Malamute who is very playful. When he stands on his hind legs he's taller than I am. And he does that alot, as he likes to put his paws on people's shoulders. Marta had to squirt him with lemon juice to keep him off everyone. It was a beautiful night so we enjoyed hanging out in her yard.

Today we are going touring and washing more laundry. Not sure in which order. And tomorrow it's back on the road, aiming for Lancaster, Illinois. I know. I grew up in Illinois and never heard of Lancaster. But there is a tiny Best Western there and that's our destination.

Yesterday we went something over 250 miles, I can't remember the exact mileage and Ray is sleeping in the recliner. Since we don't have an extra blanket in the room, he's covered himself in pillows. He looks so cute!

Text and pictures by Susan and Ray Rathburn Copyright 2010