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hello from my formative years

hello from my formative years

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i had semi-intentions of doing travelblog while i was out in denver, but the nights got away from me.

let me tell you a story about formative moments.

i think most of us have odd stories about our early years that stick with us, how something that happened in kindergarten or second grade affect our reaction to something in our adult lives.

i was super shy as a kid. at some points, it was debilitating – at a babysitter’s, i wouldn’t eat lunch if anyone else was in the room. i had no really close friends in gradeschool. some were almost there, but no one was really super close to me. was i too much of an academic nerd? was i too quiet and recluse-like? did my last-name curse to be last in line somehow also make me last on the social ladder? i felt out of place for most of gradeschool.

so this past week, i was in denver for a conference. i’d been to this same conference a couple times, but this was the first time i’d be able to go and actually know several other people; my leadership institute peeps were a built-in social group. and like i said, my nights got away from me because each night i was out with these people, talking about our jobs, our colleges, the different parts of the country we were from, how i had an endearing MN accent (i even brought out my two-syllable boat) (but refused to say bag), having some drinks, and just being with each other.

the first full day, we did our presentations to each other, some of which were extremely personal and poignant. few were about our colleges specifically and more out personal journeys. after i finished mine, the guy who i’d been randomly thrown into a zoom room with for our first “get-to-know-you” meeting said some of the kindest words – that i was truly someone who walked the talk. if i hadn’t been full of adrenaline post-presentation, i might’ve just cried at that moment.

and as i was sitting there in the evenings, laughing with these people and getting to know them better, i’d have the occasional flitting thought enter my brain, as insecurities normally do:

“do these people really like me? are they actually my friends?”

and i’d pause and look around and think, well, yes, they do. they are. and the thought would leave.

my shyness was something i worked really hard at to get over. it wasn’t easy, and of course it got easier as i got older in school, and it’s easier as an adult who’s more comfortable in her own skin, but those formative years are formative for a reason. i’m still shy and uncomfortable in new situations. i still cringe and prepare myself when meeting people for the first time. it’s still terrifying being thrown into a random zoom room with a stranger you know nothing about. it’s still terrifying trying something new.

but if you never try something new, well, then you never get on top of the elk statue in the conference hotel center and prompt quite the online conversation.

TREASURE CITY: it’s about time.

TREASURE CITY: it’s about time.

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As any Minnesotan who lives in the southern half of the state and has traveled “up north” along highway 10, Treasure City is a temptress of the greatest sort, especially for any child.

I can’t count how many times I’ve passed TC, a run-down, paint-peeling red building right next to the only stoplight in Royalton, a bump in the road between St. Cloud and Little Falls (the run up to Brainerd and lake country). As a child sitting in the family van, your dad harumphing at the time it would take out of driving to stop and resolutely whizzing past, nothing is as alluring as the giant pirate sign outside and the glimpse of treasures galore in the open windows and large doorway. It always made perfect sense to me to stop: it’s a hot day, we’ve been in the van too long, we could use a break. Treasure City, to me, was an oasis on a hot day at the beginning or end of a vacation.

But we never stopped.

As an adult, I’ve whizzed past TC more times than I can count; many more than I ever had as a child. Royalton is only about 20 minutes from my house, and I’ve been past it on my way to Brainerd, to Walker, and any place in a northerly direction. Every single time I hit the stoplight among the throng of cars heading north, I glance wistfully at the distressed pirate mocking me to stop, see what he had for me. It always seemed like a frivolous thing to do – to take a moment to stop.

Well, today I stopped.

I was on my way back from checking out a cabin in Hackensack, about two hours north of me. On the way back, I thought, why the heck not. Seize the moment. Let’s see what the pirate has to offer after all.

And it’s everything you’d imagine and more.

Of course, it was inordinately un-PC, with Native paraphernalia for sale alongside bumper stickers declaring that the government is to blame for everything and John Deere hat/can coozie sets and glittery unicorns and windchimes that caught in my hair as I whisked past them.

There were knick knacks that hadn’t been moved for 20 years and postcards and dusty shelves of agates and jewelry cases and mild fireworks and tshirts strewn with profanity. Then a shelf of Trump glorification next to hand-harvested Minnesota wild rice and Minnetonka moccasins right by bobble-headed moose and birdhouses hanging from the ceiling above felted horse figurines packed onto a shelf.

It was the worst tourist trap you’ve been to, but on crack. The weather was warm, and the doors to the building were open with the unscreened windows flung open to let in the humid air. Box fans set up in the corners blew noisily over the country music that played over a cheap sound system. It smelled of dust and old stuff, and all I could think of was the smell of minidonuts and grease. It was a feast for the senses.

October is slightly off season for Treasure City. People are still heading north for the fall colors, but that stretch of highway 10 has much more traffic during the summer months when the metro populace drives to their cabins for the weekends, hauling boats and campers and trailers of coolers. So I was happy that the narrow corridors between the shelves of alluring junk for sale were pretty sparsely populated, much like the road itself had been for the rest of my 4-hour drive that day.

I wasn’t at Treasure City for long, but I perused and shook my head at some items and smiled at others, probably both times at remnants of the 80s that resonated in different ways. Thank goodness for phones that double as a camera, as I surreptitiously took a couple pics.

I grabbed a bag of the wild rice while I turned my back on Trump, found a pair of fancy gloves for the fall weather that’s right around the corner, and a snagged a pair of moose socks (#moosewatch2021). On my way to the register, I thought briefly that they may take only cash or check, if their register is stuck as much in the past as their merchandise. But good news as I dropped my treasures on the counter: Visa and Mastercard stickers were displayed prominently, their edges peeling and dirty. I rang the bell for service, paid, stepped back outside into the current day.

I wasn’t expecting to buy anything at Treasure City. As a child, tourist traps were the worst: I never had money and wanted everything. As an adult, I have the money but realize I don’t need the junk. Do I really need a stash of snowglobes and commemorative spoons?

But today, finally stopping, the pirate had offered some treasures in my oasis moment after all, while I left the dreamweavers and Indian ashtrays to their moment in time.

BH2021: day 6 (last day boo)

BH2021: day 6 (last day boo)

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boo, vacay is over!

but, stopping for a night in chamberlain on the way home versus booking it 10 hours in one day is a much easier way to end a vacation. you can meander a bit. you can take your time and get lost in buffalo gap grassland. you can stop at some places you wouldn’t have stopped otherwise. or you could visit wall drug a second time or stop at al’s oasis a second time. (we did not.)

the final morning, we got outta dodge early after a late night of pizza and ice cream the day before. it’s pretty weird how suddenly the landscape goes from grassland dakota to cornfield dakota once you cross the missouri.

one note about SD: NO RECYCLE BINS??? come on! none at the rest stops, none at the national parks. what’s going on there. i’m writing a letter. at the first rest stop in MN, i unloaded 5 days’ worth of recyclables into the bins.

we met up in luvurne for lunch at a fancy pant place, then said our goodbyes. i then headed to the brandenburg art gallery in town (which is shared with the world war museum – a stark contrast).

jim brandenburg is a luvurne native and national geographic photographer. i remember desperately wanting to be a NG photographer but it never really was something even slightly attainable in my head. but brandenburg’s works are wonderful.

check out his photos!

he’s taken a lot of photos of MN – both of the southwest and of the north. you can tell he enjoys the prairie and wolves.

the gallery is free and you’re able to purchase prints while you’re there. i recommend that if you’re ever in the SW part of the state, check it out!

then i was inspired, so i headed to the touch the sky national wildlife refuge, which i learned was founded in the early 00s by the brandenburg foundation! huh! learn something new every day. anyway, i took some pics.

after that, i headed northeast, making a stop at the upper sioux agency state park, which i had skipped on my way down. the last time i was there, it was raining and i hadn’t really taken time to learn about the park or take a close look.

this park is the location of the buildings that housed the white people who were there to assimilate the native people before the dakota uprising. thoughts on this park: it’s right by a reservation. the information building was closed, and it’s definitely run down. there were no people there while i was there (it was a thursday afternoon but still). it makes me wonder if the state will return the land to the native americans who surround the park. in fact, i would very much support that. there is a grave of a well-known leader on the park grounds, and there is only one historical building (the first duplex built in the state, which is no real treat). that’s my two cents.

then booked it northeast. i’m glad the speed limit on 23 is 60, which means everyone drives at least 60. most drive 68 or so. several signs were posted along the 2-lane portion of the road: “4-lane for you!” we’ll see how long that takes.

and past willmar, the trees started to pop up and it was like a sigh of relief. i never realize how much i miss the trees until i’m back in them. how glorious to come up north of richmond, right outside of avon, with the hills covered in trees in deep summer green.

BH2021: day 5

BH2021: day 5

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apparently i did not take the advice of “CONSTANT VIGILANCE” as well as i should have. because it applies to driving as well as running ragnar!

we broke camp this morning pretty quickly; we were packed up and on the road out by 10 a.m. liz and fam were on their way to go ziplining, and mom and i were going to check out the badlands. instead of hauling it on I90, i wanted to check out an alternative route. so first we headed up to check out pactola dam, then went into rapid city via hwy 44, which we were supposed to just stay on the entire time.

except i didn’t! i don’t know what happened, but somehow i ended up on 79 instead of 44, and we ended up going 20 miles (!) south before realizing it. i blame bad signage in rapid city. we were even checking out landmarks on the map to make sure we were going the right way! i’m sure i missed a sign or something.

so, by the time i realized i was going the wrong way, we sure weren’t going to turn around. instead we traveled maybe 30 miles on gravel roads to get up to the road we were supposed to be on to come into the badlands from the south.

the good news is that i saw the buffalo gap national grasslands and parts of the badlands that i’d never seen before. bad news? it probably ate up an extra hour or so of the day. oh well. at least i didn’t have to call in for a 2 p.m. meeting!

once we got into the main loop, the badlands were badlands-y like always! the highlight for me was seeing the vault toilet that was available right away after we entered the park. we’d planned on being able to stop at one the towns on the route we were supposed to take.

but the badlands were looking good!

we hit up the dining area and gift shop on the way out. i’d forgotten how great that gift shop was! and the food wasn’t bad (nate and i had not tried out the food the last time we were out).

it was SO HOT. it was close to 100º while we were driving across the prairie. after the badlands, i kicked it up to 85 and we made it to chamberlain after losing an hour crossing from mountain back into good ol’ central time. i don’t know that i’ve ever stopped at chamberlain on the way back – i’ve always just booked it across SD and MN in 10 hours to get back home. it’s not bad to meander sometimes.

BH2021: day 4

BH2021: day 4

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If I never drive the wildlife loop again, I may be ok! We headed out earlyish to catch breakfast at the hill city café before a day of driving several miles at slow speeds through the scenic black hills. The hill city café has moved to a buffet only style eatery! I’m not sure if this is due to covid, due to short-staffed-ness, or due to it’s just easier. Either way, it gives the people in front of me in line the opportunity to load up their plate with the remaining bacon. Nate is right on when it comes to buffets: people suck.

We headed out on needles highway, which is always a treat. Mom and I drove separately so I could find wi-fi for a work meeting I had to attend, so of course I was wasting brain power on keeping track of the time and where I could find at least a bar of service but better yet wifi so I can call in for this meeting at 2 p.m. with my dirty hair and sweaty clothes.

But until then, we checked out a couple of the custer state park lodges, which are just great. (we wanted to camp in custer but they were booked.) the air was cooler the higher we went (of course), and it was a nice reprieve from the hot we’d been experiencing. We stopped at a couple of overlooks, and I gotta say, wildlife bingo was pretty much a bust this year! I was about to give up because all we’d seen were a couple deer and a turkey, which I can see any old day wandering across my back yard. But, vindication when we drove past the prairie dog field! At least we say some p-dawgs. Then I managed to see some burros from afar, and then the coup de grace! A bison herd! That was pretty great despite the idiot drivers who couldn’t figure out how to move off the road to get their pics. And those who got out of the car! Good grief.

(as an aside, there were also bicyclists on the road, like riding in a race or something. So you had people driving 10 mph across a straight road with nothing happening on the wildlife front, bicyclists, people driving jeeps who didn’t know that a cattle grate wouldn’t hurt their giant tires, and in the middle of it all, mom and I just kept complaining about it to each other hahahahahahha.)

So, no more wildlife loop. At the end of the loop, I had to find wifi, and luckily, we stopped at the visitors center, and down the road was the game lodge, where I set up camp for an hour, eating dessert and zooming in to this meeting using their wifi. I left a $14 tip on a $22 bill.

We finished up the drive through iron mountain road, with the pigtail bridges and the tunnels that looked out on mount rushmore. The road back to camp took us through hill city, so we stopped for a bit to check out the shopping there, which was pretty mediocre for me, but mom found a couple things she was looking for.

Then I decided, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, and after seeing a bunch of junky trump paraphernalia, I broke down and bought a Sturgis hat. At least it looks pretty! And if nate had a bike, I’d probably go to Sturgis too. At least once.

Got back to camp and I decided that just 2 days in the hills is just not enough. You need at least one more day to just putz around. We smashed a lot of stuff into two days! We wrapped up the day by burning four bundles of firewood because why not. Then of course there were winds that night, and the fire we’d put out had popped back up. Luckily, my mom was up and around and saw it. (by up and around I mean we’re in a tent and if you have to use the bathroom in the night, well, it’s off to the vault toilet with you.)

BH2021: day 3

BH2021: day 3

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Woof I don’t know why it’s either feast or famine when I’m sleeping in a tent, but last night was not a good sleeping night. But today had a lot of stuff happening and I managed to get roll out of the cot at 7 a.m. to have coffee. Lots of coffee.

We had reservations for the 1880 train at 10:15, so we headed to keystone to catch the train! That was fun. It was warm out, so we weren’t worried about freezing or getting rained on. It was an hour to hill city and an hour back. I haven’t been on the train since I was 9, so that was pretty fun!

We decided to forgo keystone because it was just a giant mass of people, so we headed back to camp for lunch and a nap, then to mount rushmore! You know, I think I could be done with seeing mount rushmore. We did get ice cream cones, so that was probably the highlight of the trip.

After that, we headed back to camp, again, where I made campfire pizza. Way too much campfire pizza, I might add. But it was pretty decent!

So now I sit in front of the campfire waiting for bedtime and hoping that I sleep like a log tonight. Tomorrow’s a nice driving tour and then I have to call in to a meeting at 2 p.m. eye roll.

BH2021: day 2

BH2021: day 2

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This morning we headed out after a reasonable continental breakfast and checked out the lewis and clark rest area and dignity statue before heading west across the prairie to tourist city (aka wall drug).

My mileage tanked on I90. I was doing 85 and had the AC on. I think I got 24 mpg on that stretch! After a stop for caribou coffee and then a pit stop at a rest area, we rolled into wall and it was like a wall of mouth breathing delta variant. And of course with a nice trump trailer to greet us. I mean, I knew to expect this but still!

Wall’s ambiance is pretty good, but man the food is just not that great. Not that I was expecting haute cuisine, but the past few times I’ve eaten there have been meh at best. (however, I am kind of salt deprived out here because it’s so dry, so I am wolfing everything down due to the salt content.) the thing about going to these touristy places is that I simultaneously want nothing and everything, which is really interesting. But this time, I spent some real money on black hills gold and got a nice ring. Then their tshirt game was on point this summer, and I got a cosmic jackalope tank top.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then we headed out to the hills! Usually I prefer a nice campsite at custer state park, but reserving spots is a nightmare this year, and we had to change dates due to my cousin’s ill planning for our family reunion, so we are at a primitive campground at Sheridan lake, where everyone with an RV has decided to show up and run their generators all night. *eye roll* get a tent losers.

Before rolling into Sheridan, mom and I stopped in hill city to get an ice cream sundae, which was good because we needed sustenance to set up camp. A front rolled through a little while later with some big winds and a piddling amount of rain, but it passed pretty quickly. Now I’m hanging by the fire listening to my mom rustle around in the tent and the hum of generators in the distance. Ah, the great outdoors.

Also, there are some nasty gross bugs out here that are like a cross between a giant beetle and a junebug and so far two have divebombed me and omg omg omg.

BH2021: day 1

BH2021: day 1

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Hello from SD! It was time to head out to the hills again. Last year, liz and I were going to go, but, well, pandemic, so we postponed. Who cares if I’ve already been on a week’s vacation this year? I have vacation up the wazoo, so why not use it.

I left on Saturday morning, heading down good ol’ 23 down to the SW corner of the state. Along the way, I decided to catch a few state parks, so I stopped at Camden state park, split rock creek, and blue mounds. Blue mounds was still excellent, as expected. I wanted to check out the touch the sky prairie, but I ran out of time. Good news is that I will be able to check it on my way home!

I hooked up with liz’s fam and my mom at the first rest stop in SD and mom hopped into my car to get to the corn palace. Always just a kitschy stop! Ah well. It was entertaining. Then we headed to chamberlain for the night and had al’s oasis for supper. My hot beef sandwich was excellent. I mean, you can’t beat a good old hot beef commercial. The hotel had a good looking pool and an after hours lounge. (I got a beer right before he closed up, so that was fortuitous.)

ah HSH

ah HSH

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a final wrap-up to the east coast trip! our flight left at 12:30 on saturday, so we headed out at 8 a.m., expecting not great traffic and a long bus ride to our terminal. turns out, the drive was ok (minus the rain – ugh driving in rain is the worst. except rain and dark), rental return was fast, and the bus to the terminal took no time at all. so we were 3 hours early for our flight. i was going to get coffee or breakfast or something, and all the eateries were closed til 11 a.m. bizarre, considering they all open up at 4 a.m. at MSP.

(the more i fly, the more i realize how awesome MSP is and it totally deserves its best airport designation.)

lori tried her hardest to get on our flight, but it was full, so she had to fly into detroit, then MSP, then bismarck. and they lost her luggage. what a way to end the trip for her!

trip takeaways:

  1. lori, doug, and i would do well on an itineraried trip. liz and jane would do well on a sit-at-home and do-nothing trip.
  2. i dispelled wisdom to lori about helping liz and jane get out of the house to do stuff. (aka: make the plans yourself, then tell them when it’s time to get ready to go. but casually.)
  3. looking at my ancestors’ grave markers in the albany cemetery, with dates in the mid to late 1800s, is NOTHING. i have no concept of old.
  4. always expect to spend more on food than you plan or want to.
  5. 4 days is too short. 7 days almost too long. would the sweet spot be 6 days? 5 days? maybe it’d be different if i were with nate?
  6. crab>lobster

the flight was a flight. i read. i snoozed. i enjoyed my silent seatmates. i was happy with the shorter-than-expected flight time. as we descended, i popped up the window to check out what was going on. (oh yeah – totally got a window seat.)

i checked out the good ol’ midwest just as we were crossing the big river, then caught a glimpse of the lakes, and as much as i like checking out new places, and as much as i like looking at big water, i sure do like coming home where i have a lot of little water.

saturday after the drive home, i took a nap, then that evening i sat on my patio with the cats strolling outside, my outdoor light game top notch and lit up, the green the GREEN, frogs croaking, my irises in full bloom, peonies about to bust, and little neon shoots starting to poke their way up through the black dirt in my garden, and lo and behold a faraway loon call. welcome home.

so, of course, it’s time for my coming-home quote from michael perry:

“…to this day my two favorite things in the world are solitude and motion. I’ve found them in the next county, in a semi crossing the Nevada state line, on a Hungarian train, and on a bus approaching the Guatamalan border. In times of trouble, motion is my morphine. But as much as I love to run, I love even more to come home. At every latitude, my compass swivels to point back here, to little old New Auburn. This place is my true north. A stray dog running, as it turns out, is just circling the rug.”

finals days: vacay time is close to done

finals days: vacay time is close to done

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they died like they lived – dancing to lori’s playlist! (only bops and bangers on her playlists.)

since i failed to blog yesterday, here’s an update!

thursday

our list of things to do really dwindled down as the week wore on. the thought of sitting in a car for “norm wallace” hours was not too appealing, so we scrapped out state tour trip. while disappointing, it also meant that we weren’t driving around for 8 hours on thursday. instead, we opted for visiting connecticut for supper. but before that, i ended up going for two runs, and liz and doug and i drove into newport to check out the little shops while jane and lori lounged around the condo.

that evening, we drove – sans lori (who had a headache) – to stonington connecticut to the breakwater restaurant and had one the best meals of the trip! i have spent more on food this trip than i had ever expected. but while you’re on the east coast, you’ve gotta eat seafood. we were on the ocean and the sunset was fantastic.

had scallops with risotto, then a blueberry bread pudding for dessert. delish!

that dining experience was a 13 stars. decision to not go on a state tour that day? 11/13 stars. i would’ve liked to have been able to say i’d been to those states and to see salem, but it was a lot to do.

friday

oh no!! last day!

we briefly entertained driving up to salem, but that would’ve been a long day. in the morning, we headed to see the marble house, another gross display of opulence at the turn of the century. the gold room, below, was lined with 14karat gold leaf.

i appreciate visiting historical landmarks like these, but man it’s just a testament to excess and makes me wonder what people could accomplish if we were a little more socialist. marble house was a 10/13 historical experience, and a 2/13 life experience.

lori and i took a walk to down town jamestown. met a crossing guard who helped us across a couple streets to the post office to buy some postcard stamps. on the way back, we stopped at a graveyard that had gravemarkers from the 1700s. we checked out a couple shops where i FINALLY found a gift for nate. thank goodness! lori found a couple pups to pet. our place is in a really out of the way place on a dead end road, and somehow there was a traffic jam 300′ from the driveway! a landscaper was on parked, then an uber showed up, and the USPS truck decided to make an appearance. then lori and i were in the middle of it all! i’m giving that traffic jam a solid 13/13.

the last place we checked out for food was flo’s clam shack, a true seafood dive. we got so much food! but we ended up trying conch, and got some crab legs and tons of fried foods. plus two pitchers of beer, so it was a really good way to finish up the trip. 13/13.

now we’re packing! i had a much better packing experience this time than when jane and i were in CA. i only had to dig around for one shirt after i had packed it. that’s always the worst, but always bittersweet. as i was walking along the beach today, i thought about how i was missing the frogs croaking in my pond and backyard, the peonies about to pop open, my normal running route. my bed. sigh.

but i do think i’m going to find some zone 4 hardy azaleas 🙂 azaleas get 13/13.