Minnesota…..

Having spent the majority of my life in America’s bread basket, it was easy for me to be lulled into the premise that we had the market cornered with our grain production. Not so. The corn fields in Minnesota are magnificent, thousands of acres of beautiful crops in the southern half of the state, each sporting a neat copse of trees and equally neat farmsteads. It is a shame this state has slid into political oblivion, led by a moronic, deceitful Governor, and is the home of riotous folks in their urban areas.

We are currently encamped in Duluth, an interesting old town on the shores of Lake Superior. The old architecture, narrow streets and wonderful table fare make it a great place to visit. We found an Italian eatery, on the waterfront, operated by a second generation Italian fellow who manned the kitchen, bar and dining area while assuming the duties of the maitre’d and reservation host. For you that might be interested, it’s name VaBene. It was small and rustic with the prep kitchen downstairs and the finish kitchen close to the bar. The food was authentic Italian fare, not lathered in the thick tomato sauces we have come to expect. It was as good as any we have EVER eaten. The area, downtown, is replete with any number of taverns and ethnic eateries with a strong Irish emphasis. I would love to say we enjoyed the mild temperatures, however they were eclipsed by incessant fog and rain, making strolling less than pleasant.

The area is also home to Duluth Trading, my official clothier these days. The store spawned a retail empire, with stores around the country and perhaps the most efficient mail order business going. I was in my equivalent of Sax 5th Avenue or Nieman Marcus. One of the perks of age is the freedom to wear functional, durable and practical clothing and they are as good as it is in that line.

Duluth is also home to old but terrific harbors where the rich(er) and famous folks berth their sailboats and motor yachts. Mind you, it is not the Riveria or some exotic Caribbean harbor, rather an entirely practical place smelling of oil with off colored water typical of a place designed to protect your equipment from the sometimes harsh winds and constant fog. No pretense here, believe me. Duluth is about the size of our Springfield, with half the city close to the waterfront and the other half “on the hill” overlooking old town. In talking to the locals, we learned that soon, the boatyard owner will be pulling all of these boats out and storing them on the parking lots. As is usual, some folks are a little sloppy in covering this expense, so he now demands full payment up front, in and out, before he moves your boat.

Our travels have taken us to many interesting places with Duluth being extraordinarily so. We love the Great Lakes and are moving on tomorrow with a short term goal of Leelenau (Mackinac) Michigan. It is easy to see why so many folks RV full time, eschewing their stick, brick and mortars for the open road. I am far too traditional (old school) to do that, but, health willing, plan to keep on keeping on as much as possible. The treasure that is Duluth, where we are ensconced in a boat yard and can easily walk downtown is the reward. Not an RV park, but a parking lot with stubbed in plumbing and hookups, that becomes a giant dry dock in the winter months. We have barely scratched the surface of new and interesting places. A last point, the roads in Duluth are abominable….and I am being kind.

Have a great week!

SR