The Great River Road 2026
  
 

Day 04

May 28

  
     
     
   
  I get SweetTreat ready to roll before I stroll over to breakfast. I am hoping to get away before the morning rush hour in the Twin Cities.  
   
  Breakfast is an easy choice with Perkins next door. I arrive just as they are opening up for the morning.  
   
 

And I order my usual traveling breakfast - an omelet and some taters to go along with it. There are three young men in a nearby both and we strike up a conversation. They live in South Dakota but one of their childhood friends is graduating so they've come over for that. One of the young men's father owns an HVAC company and they all three are learning the trade. I tell them -

"One things for sure, AI ain't gonna fix Mrs. Jones' HVAC when it breaks. You are leaning a trade that is invaluable and you will do well in it. Nothing wrong with college but then there's nothing wrong with a trade. I figure folks like you will be the new 'millionaires' because you will be able to fix stuff that folks can do themselves".

Our food comes and I wish them well and hope they have pleasant travels and a prosperous future. It is encouraging to me to see young people who have a plan and are doing something besides fuss with their cell phones.

  
   
  After breakfast, I am after it and see one of the familiar signs that lets me know I am on the right route again.  
   
  I get another a glimpse of the river ...  
   
  then I'm back out into the farmland where it seems the river is a hundred miles away from here.  
   
  I come across the historic Dunning School in Champlin, Minnesota in 1876..  
   
  It is a classic one room school house from the era. It served as the only place where residents of the rural portions of Champlin Township could receive a formal education. It was used as a school until 1947  
   
  As I make my way toward the Twin Cities I see a familiar sign and have hope I can stay on the route.  
   
  But the road gets lost as I enter the Twin Cities so I have no choice but to get on the slab and try to get south of the metro area and pick it up again.  
   
  Finally I get off and I am able to locate the route again and be on my way.  
   
 

Back out the country I see this old church set on a hill. It reminds me of the words of My Lord when He told His Disciples -

Matt 5:14 - Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

And as it is with a city, so it is with a church and with those who claim the name of Christ.

  
   
  I see some really interesting buildings along the route, when building a public building was as much an art as it was a skill.  
   
  Then I see the river again after its long absence from my view.  
   
  As I pass through Lake City, I learn that it was the birthplace of water skiing. On July 2, 1922, 19-year-old local resident Ralph Samuelson invented the sport on Lake Pepin. Using homemade pine skis, he became the first person to stand on water.  
   
  Then I pass by some interesting ridges and such that rise up beside the river.  
   
  When I pass by beautiful purple thrift I always think of my beloved maternal grandmother. I would spend many summer weeks at her place to get away from the city where my parents had moved into a subdivision. She loved flowers and had plenty of them scatter all over her place. I would go up into the hills and pick blackberries in season and she would make me blackberry pie and 'dishrag' soup. The soup was named that because it was whatever was leftover from supper and maybe a dishrag or two (not really) pitched into a pot and seasoned up. And all was always served up with large helpings of love.  
   
  I get one more glimpse of the river then ...  
   
  I cross over into Iowa. It will be interesting to see how well this state 'documents' the Great River Road.  
   
  Soon I find out that they seem to do a pretty good job of it also.  
   
  The river is starting to take on some width along its natural path.  
   
  But then the road takes me to where the river is nowhere to be seen. This old church with its surrounding graveyard reminds me of just how short life can be. If you walk around a graveyard and calculate the age off many tombstones, you will discover that death has no prejudice toward any age - young or old. So it is best to be prepared eternally for when that day will come upon you with or without any warning.  
   
  Again I am happy that Iowa seems to do as good a job of marking the route as Minnesota does.  
   
  I have to give Harper's Ferry a chuckle at their welcome sign - a good combination of information and entertainment.  
   
  Soon I leave Iowa and cross over into Wisconsin.  
   
 

It's been another hot day so I am again glad to see this sign and know some cool air is in my future.

  
   
  A Taco Bell is about my only dining option, but there is an Aldi grocery store across the road. I decide I venture over there and see what I can come up with.  
   
  I have never been in a such a poorly supplied and horrible organized place in my life. They have very little to chose from and you have to hunt and search to find what you need. I'm just after some chips and sandwich stuff and that takes a while to find. When I go to check out, I have to buy a tote bag so I have something to tote my purchase. Then the cashier, who really looks like he'd rather be somewhere else, rings up my measly tomatoes as avocados. I don't know pricewise who came out on top of that one but at this point I don't really care. It's food and I'm able to cobble together some sandwiches and that works for me.  
   
  I do some mental gymnastics and realize if I wash my dirty clothes tonight I should have enough to carry me through til I get home. On long trips I always carry a roll of quarters and some clothes detergent. This motel has a working washer and dryer so I'm in dandy good shape.  
   
With my laundry done and some grub down the old pie chute, it does not take me long to go where tote bags are not necessary to carry your load.