From Black Hills to Northern Minnesota

We have made it to our summer destination. Loon Lake in Pequot Lakes, Minnesota. It was quite an adventure with a new storm on our tail at each stint. I have heard of Storm Chasers, but what do you call people who are chased by storms? FREAKED OUT!

We left towns in the Black Hills under water in our wake but somehow we made it out, dried out and headed towards the Bad Lands. Before we arrived, I expected to see ugly, black, moon-like earth, but the Badlands are beautiful!

I was told the Bad Lands got their name from pioneers trying to cross them. Not only did they have the obvious problems with the terrain, but any water in the area was very alkaline. Plus, there are no porta-potties anywhere!

Our first Minnesota stop was at a resort called Schreier's. 

A little bumpy on the entry . . . but we were warned. lol

Inside it was huge and very well kept. Our site was tight in between two other seasonal rigs, up on a hill overlooking Lake Shetek .This is a picture of the main entrance and the putt-putt golf course.

Mark's oldest friend . . . stop, rewind . . . Mark's friend since they were in grade school. Pat's not old, he is Mark's age . . . wait, that IS old! lol Pat has a nice chunk of property in the nearby area so he came by, stayed with us and showed us around. 

His uncle's farm, now inhabited by his cousin, her family, a dog and a gazillion very tame and loving cats; was one of our stops. We took a walk down to the "crick" (instead of creek; it's a Minnesota thing). We had to literally walk through a herd of cows. I have never done that without a fence in between me and the cows. FUN! It was very hard for me not to reach out and hug a cow, but as soon as I noticed there was a bull in the bunch, I lost my courage.

On our way back to the farmhouse, I noticed the cows had begun gathering some furniture for their bonfire that night. Looked to me like somebody must have let the word "beef" slip out . . . I told Mark we should probably get a move on, so we gave Pat a nudge and we headed on out.

This was one of the smallest towns I have ever been in, yet they still had a JOHN DEERE dealership and a DAIRY QUEEN. Nobody uses a push mower in Minnesota. I think it is so they can move faster than the bugs when they mow their giant lawns.

Where Pat's property is located in Fulda is absolutely stunning. You can see forever. 

Fields and fields of corduroy and plush velvet land moving softly in the breeze.

An occasional farmhouse encased in trees for protection.

And the local pub food was delish!

PAT!

MARK

Yes I married him. He is a hand full, but I give him a good run for his money too.

It all works out in the end.

As we headed back in toward the city, there were just some things that left me wondering . . . 

WHY?

 

Maybe some things are best left a mystery.  Our first stay in the city was at Lebanon Hills where I was able to do some shopping with my fashion guru, Debi. Then we moved on to Ham Lake Resort RV Park and found a great little site right on a pond.

We had a lot of space to stretch out, have a bonfire, entertain and it was so private.

THINGS I SAW WHILE HERE:

Fireflies

Orioles

Blue Jays

Indigo Bunting (bird)

Yellow Finch

Cardinals

Wood Duck and her 1 to 2 day old babies

Merganser Duck (dives underwater)

Fluffy Geese babies

Goats

Mules

Emus

Chickens

THINGS I DIDN'T SEE BUT HEARD:

Frogs

Peacocks (their call sounds like, "help me")

THINGS I DIDN'T SEE BUT FELT:

No-see'em bugs! (Damn things bit right thru my thick sweat pants and my nickers!)

The humidity...(Ugh!)

Next time I pack for a summer in Minnesota I will bring only dry-wick sports clothing. I wonder if they make bras out of that stuff.

I think I figured out why they call this the Land of 10,000 Lakes. They aren't talking in the ground, they are referring to the lake in the middle of every buxom woman's boozies! (And I am sure there are more than 10,000!)  

Pat and his wife Dawn hosted a barbecue at their house with the whole group of guys (and their spouses) that have been friends since college, some since high school.

Mark, Pat, Ted, Tim, Mark and my Mark

The Whole gang, minus my Mark, who was taking the photo

I was sad to leave Ham Lake and our friends, but we were anxious to get set up for the summer. Packing up and unpacking every time you relocate is tiring after a bit, even though as time goes by we get faster and faster at our routine.

My observations so far of Minnesota? Dairy Queen and John Deere are the faces of Minnesota. Often a Dairy Queen on every corner. Houses, yards and power poles are giant in size and so are the hearts of every Minnesotan I have met.

I am blessed. I married my best friend (stop gagging; this is what married folk say), I love his family, AND I love all of his friends! Added bonus, his friends are all married to amazing women. 

Hard to put into words the uniqueness of a born and bred Minnesotan so I wont try, other than to say; if you find one, keep 'em. They make the best lifetime friends!