Phase XXX : Minnesota

Our bi-phase trip through Minnesota gave us the opportunity to catch some really fantastic parts of the state. 

Our first trip, through the lower portion of the state, took us to Quarry Hill Nature Center, because we felt like hiking, and I liked their style.

Quarry Hill has many, many miles of intersecting and looping trails, so with the help of a map and GPS, you can choose your own adventure through the woods, the quarry, the pond, the meadows, and the adjacent bike path.  We had a 4 mile meander that took in all of the available scenery.

I really enjoyed the facility, for being a random internet find. 

Speaking of which, my Yelp has been growing ever more sentient, and quickly recommended a brewery to us once we left the park. 

Forager was a lovely little facility, with a very, very tasty beer called Pudding Goggles, and a generous charcuterie.  Honestly, we pretty much lived on charcuterie this leg of the trip, because the Midwest has a knack for meats and cheeses and jams.  We also tried a garlic/potato mash up known as Skordalia, which I highly recommend.

That night, we camped at a fairly crowded park, ate pasta made with leftover fondue (which you'll read about in the Wisconsin phase), and I bought a horse.  That's its own long story, but it bears mentioning, because I was in a FANTASTIC mood.

The next morning, we headed in the direction of Pipestone National Monument, but first, breakfast at the local greasy spoon!

We met a nice fellow in the parking lot of Lange's, who restored VWs for resale.  He was very interested in Vincent, so we traded stories and pictures while we waited for our pancakes and stuffed hashbrowns to arrive.  The food did not disappoint, and since Lange's is famous for their pie, we managed to cram in a slice of banana cream before we took off for hiking.

Pipestone National Monument is a really neat place.  In ancient times, Native Americans quarried rock from this sacred space, and used it specifically to make pipes for tobacco ceremonies.  Though time has changed the space, it is still used as such to this day.  I was pleased to see that tourists are NOT permitted off the trail into the active quarry spaces, and there are multiple signs emphasizing how critically sacred this location is, and to be respectful. 

The trail was short, but really fun.  There were many interesting views along the trail, and some fun upward hikes to see the sights.

After this particular hike, we were still full from breakfast, so there was no follow up brewery.  Instead, we headed to North Dakota, which you can read about in the previous entry.

After North Dakota, we hit upper Minnesota.  In fact, we went full rugged.  This required a full day of driving, conserving Vincent's delicate motor.  Our goal was Voyageurs National Park, but we had to take in some interesting road views along the way. 

For example, in Bemidji, they've got a Paul Bunyan.

I wasn't feeling particularly well on this day of driving, so my enthusiasm was measured in grunts and naps.  Eventually, well after nightfall, we pulled into a camping spot in Voyageurs National Park.

We decided to mix things up a bit.  Most of Voyageurs is water, so we explored via canoe.

It was here that I was most grateful for my GPS.  We were in an enormous body of water, littered with tiny islands, and once we got to the closest island, the shore was no longer visible.  I discovered that my hiking app has a canoeing feature, which allowed us to keep track of distance and location.  Miraculously, there was also full cell phone signal the whole time. 

We hopped from island to island, pausing to figure out our route, in the company of far, far more experienced boaters and fishermen.  A few folks waved as we paddled around being Obvious Tourists.  I have only canoed a handful of times in my life, and Ryan tends to lose focus on the water, so we are a pretty intense spectacle, I reckon.

After about six miles of rowing, we found ourselves in a good position to head back to shore, as the weather was looking a bit dubious.  We returned our rented canoe, hopped in Vincent, and headed to a local dive bar, in search of some cold beer and local flavor.

Unfortunately, we were the only patrons in the bar in the middle of the afternoon.  Fortunately, they served delicious local beer and pierogi.

We ended up heading back to the campsite early and taking a nap.  Having a flat and lumpy excuse of a mattress had not been conducive to good sleep, or really any sleep, so we were battling a case of the afternoon blahs.  We had a delicious supper of hot dogs and beans later that night, and mostly read and caught up on journaling.

The next day, we were back at the hiking.  We took three separate trails so we could see as much of the park as possible. 

The first trail was the longest, and offered spectacular views.  Autumn is arriving in Minnesota NOW, so the trails were slick with fallen leaves.  I slipped a few times, but all of this recent hiking has improved my footwork and balance.  And I was really lucky.

After getting a handful of miles in, we hopped back into Vincent for a lengthy drive to Duluth.  Breweries again.

Our first stop, Fitger's, was a brain teaser.  The brewery is located in its own warehouse complex, but you have to travel up and down and around to find the actual pub within the building.  We wandered quite a bit trying to find it, and thankfully, it did not disappoint.  I had a local whitefish wrap and a blood orange IPA that was very, very satisfying.

Our second stop was Bent Paddle.  This was much easier to find, and we sipped a delicious Brut IPA collab while chatting with the pub manager.  We learned a great deal about how Lake Superior water influences the taste of their beer.  We also learned about Minnesota winters, and the local art scene. 

I really dug the vibe in Duluth, but alas, it was time to drive.  To cross another bridge, and to enter Wisconsin!