Travels With Connie #74 Grand Rapids Minnesota
Sometimes I know exactly where I am going. In that case it’s easy, pick a route and go.
More often I have an idea where I’d like to end up, and generally speaking a direction to go.
Once in a while I just follow the front wheel and see where it takes me.
Sometimes it's like you rode into the twilight zone, you know? I spent 2 pretty long days after I left Glacier National Park riding across the very northern part of the Great Plains. I didn't take many pictures, because the scenery didn't vary much, and it was pretty wet. Yep, I rode in and around and through thunder showers. I had a couple hours of dry out and could see a huge thundershower in front of me. I pulled into a place just as it started to rain again.
Turns out, that place was Forest Lake Motel in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. It was right on main street (which was also Highway US2), was a Mom and Pop place and looked right. Besides, it was starting to rain.
I always say I'd rather be lucky than good. Worked out for me again. The guy in the office couldn't have been nicer. I asked about wi-fi and he introduced me to his IT guy. She was his daughter just home from High School :) Wi-fi was good, I got a stand alone unit down by the lake, far away from the Highway as you could get on the property.
It's a beautiful little burg, about 10,000. A really good looking steak house (I didn't try it, I may have been slightly underdressed) and a perogy joint right across the highway. Perfect. The motel even had a private fishing dock on the lake. Wi-fi worked perfect until about 0300 when a huge thunderstorm took out the power. Power was back in maybe 5 minutes but Wi-fi never returned. I'm guessing the IT guy was sleeping.
Oh, yeah. Twilight zone. I did a little research on the place and it seems to have an inordinate number of famous people. Judy Garland was born here. Hugh Beaumont retired from Leave It To Beaver to raise christmas trees. 7 NHL players grew up here. The first non city Public Radio Station was founded here and is still in business.
All in all, Grand Rapids, Minnesota was a pleasant stop on the trip east. That huge overnight thunderstorm was the last one I'd see for a long time, I headed east in bright sun and pleasant temps.
Thanks for coming along for the ride.
All words and photographs in this post are mine. For better or worse
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I saw Grand Rapids and I thought this was going to be in Michigan. Then I saw Minnesota. Oh well, it was still a great read. That is pretty funny about the WiFi. Also very cool about the fishing dock. Probably kind of hard to carry a pole around with you on your motorcycle though!
I was thinking about Kelloggs when I made that title :) It was just a cool little town, I stopped early and walked around quite a little. Then I saw that Judy Garland was born there and did some more research. The number of famous people seems way out of line.
I have fished off a motorcycle, but it was always directed. I watched two guys fishing early when I was packing up to go. Looked like they were doing pretty well. And there is just water everyplace you look up there in Minnesota.
I saw my first 'bait vending machine' there. I stopped for gas at a Cenex and they had a vending machine for worms and grubs and stuff for the hours they were closed. Unbelievable.
Ah yes, we have those vending machines all over the place here too. The one state park that we camp at every year has them by the bathrooms. It is pretty crazy!
such a beautiful area to take a break you see some real nice areas on your travels
You know what? I'm just lucky that way. Maybe, like you are 'lucky' with your camera. I see something I like and I stop.
yes your right we are both lucky in our own ways :)
All the places are beautiful and attractive, specially the bike is so much amazing.
Thank you. I can't really express how much I love riding in new places.
Beautiful photos! I liked Minnesota and its landscape. Last year I spent close to two weeks in Minneapolis.
It's just gorgeous, isn't it? Water and trees and green every place you look. I really enjoyed the ride through this year, I was further north than normal.
I love that green! It took me strolling through the marshes in Minnetonka trails.
OR the poor IT guy got hit by a lightning... I hope he did not :D I am glad that at least power got back soon but even if it didn't it would still be worth to see the place and enjoy the ride there, right? ;)
Nah, I'm guessing she was 17. They had a BBQ on their back deck the night I was there, and there were several young people around. I'm guessing she slept through til her normal 'wake up' call. I left early and it was back before I was gone. It was just a wonderful place to spend the night, and another of those 'lucky breaks' that I seem to get all the time. :)
Do you just pitch your tent in the wilderness on these travels of yours or is permission required?
Yes.
In the MC touring community it's called 'Stealth Camping'. Stop late, set up quick and be gone with the sun. Permission rarely obtained. I've been caught a couple of times, explained what I was doing and left alone.
I also make use of National Forest Service 'dispersal camping'. For the most part you can stay anyplace in a National Forest that suits you. Long as you follow the simple rules. You can stay there up to 14 days.
LOL, thats great...!
Nice, green grass!
/FF
Green is definitely the dominant color in that part of the world :)
the green green grass of home...
/FF
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