Days 2-5 (Ohio to Minneapolis, MN)

We left Columbus, Ohio (home of the Ohio State Buckeyes) at about 9:00 a.m. and drive for 12 hours through Indiana, into Illinois and finally into Wisconsin.

On Wednesday night we stayed in Western Wisconsin at the Wyalusing State Park (the most organized camping park I have ever been to) at the junction of the Mississippi and Wisconsin rivers. The campground was gorgeous, with a terrific view of the rivers. It was our first test camp on Wednesday night, and it was UNCOMFORTABLE as all get out. My back is still killing me so we have decided to go get some new sleeping pads.

Thankfully, the MALL OF AMERICA is right here in Minneapolis, MN and there is an REI there, so we plan to stop and go get new pads for sleeping and a few other things we don't have anymore(camp stove) on our way out of town on Saturday. (Sadly we missed the Donny Osmond Autograph signing which was July 12.)I will admit that I can’t believe we're actually going to this crazy mall, but of course I am also strangely fascinated with the idea and totally excited too…and wishing my mom were here to share this special shopping moment. We may also invest in a new tent, since the one we have (left over from my Ohio State days) is rather short for us – or maybe it is that we have found that we are rather tall -- and both our heads and feet touch the sides of the tent when we are lying down (for those of you who have never camped before, this basically means that you just get completely soaking wet with morning dew when you touch the tent sides in the morning.) Not fun.

So back to Thursday -- We packed up and then stopped at the Effigy Mounds National Monument and took a short hike to look at the mounds. Then we headed through Iowa and into Minnesota, and at about 3 pm arrived in Minneapolis Marriott Hotel to a pack of eager fans waiting outside (oh no, wait, they were looking for the SF Giants who were also staying at the hotel).

While walking around on Thursday afternoon in Minneapolis, we happened upon an outdoor event called “alive after five” in downtown Minneapolis where we had beers, sat in the sun and watched people for 3 hours while listening to a Simon & Garfunkel cover band (who played very very slowly) followed by a Neil Diamond cover band (that’s when we left).

So we're having fun. We're in Minneapolis today and going to the Walker Sculpture Garden in a little while. And tonight we are going to see this concert/ last taping for our friend Chris Butler's movie/documentary about this band Walt Mink. Here is the listing that the local city paper gave the show. Should be fun!

Karin