Great River Road Vacation: Part 4 - The Big City

After five nights of camping (broken up by one night at a hotel), lots of farmland, rolling hills and tiny towns along the Great River Road we were excited to hit a big city.

We packed up all the camping stuff and got our stinky selves in the car. We stopped along at some scenic views and had a perfect lunch in Red Wing, Minnesota, in perfect weather. After Red Wing we were focused on getting to Minneapolis, showering and heading to the Twins game with my parents -- alas traffic tried to stop us! We were stuck in some kind of two-lane-road construction then this ridiculous traffic that is everyday Minneapolis-St. Paul life. It took way longer than we wished, especially since we were both stinky and sweaty, but finally -- we made it. We parked, got checked in and showered as quick as we could.

And then: play ball! Our hotel was in the North Loop neighborhood, an easy walk to the ballpark. The weather was perfect and we strolled to a pub (inside an office-type building, oddly enough) for some pre-game festivities. B and I tried some local beers and we all enjoyed some pub fare. Then we walked a
few more blocks to Target Field -- a pretty nice, new ballpark.

The ballpark was crowded at the entrance and there was a big setup for a sportscast being filmed there. My mom waved to We got some Target Field beers and B (of course) got the ballpark's signature fare: fried walleye, fried cheese curds and fresh donut holes. All delicious, of course! The White Sox lost to the Twins, but we still had a fantastic time at the ballpark. Note: My parents have been to all but five major league ballparks! Whoa!

The next day B and I biked around on Minneapolis' lovely Nice Ride bikes. I will write another post about the bikes -- these new bike shares are fantastic! We bike-toured the old riverside mills, University of Minnesota and its campustown, decided not to apply just yet.

We had a perfect lunch with my parents and their BFFs the Youngmarks in St. Anthony Falls at Pracna -- soup, sandwiches & salad! We ate outside, which is always a treat. It seems like people in Minneapolis love the outdoors -- with good reason. We saw bicycles everywhere and people running and walking all over the place. I suppose if you have a long winter you should squeeze every second out of your lovely summer.

B & I biked more, and then did more touring by car on the way to dinner with my cousin's family in Lake Harriet. We ate pizza and caught up with my cousin and his family, who are delightful.

On our last day of vacation we ate a luxurious breakfast at Hell's Kitchen then walked through downtown, past a Mary Tyler Moore statue! Then we packed up, hit the road and got home via interstate -- much speedier and much less gorgeous then the Great River Road.


Ballgame pics: fans, then feasts.
Minneapolis pics: Here's a flour factory/mill that blew up! Now it is a museum along the Mississippi River. 

Here's me and the Mary Tyler Moore statue -- we saw it pretty early on a Saturday morning before we left town, which is why there are not droves of people taking pictures in front of it. Who would not want their pic in front of this statue?!? 

You're gonna make it after all!