[Note: see my YouTube playlist for the latest videos, starting with July 28th]
As I indicated in the previous North Dakota post, I’m playing catch-up and trying to get a month’s worth of photos posted, so pardon the lack of text to accompany the pictures taken walking through the state of my birth. I had an outstanding time meeting up with family and friends and made a lot of great new memories while recalling old ones together. I hope the following pictures provide a small taste of hiking across the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.” Yours, Michael (Max)
Gotta be a midwesterner to appreciate this oneCanadian wildfires = hazy skies in Minnesota Church or not, that is one lame-ass punLooks tranquil, but once the sun went down, the bugs were gnarlyCrossing the U.S.’s longest National Scenic TrailHe filled my water bottles, and my imaginationFirst discarded Bombay Sapphire seen on the hikeNice tree tunnelWalking the Lake Wobegon trail near St. John’s University, one of my Alma Maters Another day, another grassy campsiteI have been so advisedSauk Center’s own Sinclair Lewis Wild storm aftermath, volume 1Wild storm aftermath, volume 2Wild storm aftermath, volume 3Showing off some old man wrinklesThe hat that replaced my trusty sun hat which ended up in a porta-potty. I lost this one too, a mere 2 weeks later. Do’oh!Guns before family, bold prioritizationA new spin on the old sticker: “I voted…for a felon.”Celebrating halfway complete with Bryce, my friend of 55 years, and a big slab of tiramisu Local Minnesota press in White Bear LakeMy mom and step-dad on the bottom row, more family and friends up topFriends and former IT colleagues- we hadn’t seen each other in yearsMy good friend and former colleague Jim Pavek, who hosted a get together in my honor and became the only person to hike with me so far!Downtown Stillwater, MinnesotaThe old lift bridge across the St. Croix river, marking the Minnesota/Wisconsin borderThanks Wisconsin!
Hey Mike, are you planning on going through the Sparta/Elroy area of Wisconsin? There is approx 60 miles of old “rails to trails” hiking you could do between Sparta, WI and Reedsburg, WI … would at least get you off the roads for a bit. I grew up right along that trail – very pretty country.
Jon: so great to hear from you! I’m walking right through LaCrosse, which as you said has a trail that connects to the Sparta-Elroy one so I checked it out just now. My intended trajectory is a bit south of there, through towns like Esofea, Viroqua, Richland Center, etc. but I’m gonna definitely consider your suggestion.
Mike, can’t go wrong either way. That driftless area of Wisconsin is absolutely beautiful – plenty of back-road scenery and probably a few characters along the way. Life is good! By the way, enjoy the “flat” once you get to Illinois 😉
Michael, hike on down to Florida and we can have that beverage. I moved down there once we were given the OK to go full remote at work – felt the need to never shovel snow again. Hikes down here are pretty, but you have to remember that occasionally you’re not at the top of the food chain. 😉
Hey Mike, are you planning on going through the Sparta/Elroy area of Wisconsin? There is approx 60 miles of old “rails to trails” hiking you could do between Sparta, WI and Reedsburg, WI … would at least get you off the roads for a bit. I grew up right along that trail – very pretty country.
Jon: so great to hear from you! I’m walking right through LaCrosse, which as you said has a trail that connects to the Sparta-Elroy one so I checked it out just now. My intended trajectory is a bit south of there, through towns like Esofea, Viroqua, Richland Center, etc. but I’m gonna definitely consider your suggestion.
Mike, can’t go wrong either way. That driftless area of Wisconsin is absolutely beautiful – plenty of back-road scenery and probably a few characters along the way. Life is good! By the way, enjoy the “flat” once you get to Illinois 😉
Thanks again Jon! I’ll return to Minnesota over Thanksgiving, let’s see about having a cold beverage while I’m there.
Michael, hike on down to Florida and we can have that beverage. I moved down there once we were given the OK to go full remote at work – felt the need to never shovel snow again. Hikes down here are pretty, but you have to remember that occasionally you’re not at the top of the food chain. 😉
Excellent Jon, hope you’re loving it down there!