Visiting Friends

17-05-24 to 23-05-24

After disembarking from the train and picking up our hire car we drove St Paul and into Minnesota continuing through farming country to Bird Island where we met Barbara for her first choice of stops for us. Lucky me it was a beautiful little quilt shop called Gathering Friends. (P:- Wow outnumbered from the very first minute and another set of alphabet letters! ABQS! QS for quilt shop but It was a very nice shop and keeping up with tradition a valuable source of information of what’s around the area, no doubt learned from gossiping at quilting sessions)! A very appropriate name as we meet up here. After making a purchase, which was for Philip, we drove to Olivia where Barbara and Brian reside. We settled in for some lunch and catching up, even though we had seen them in Tasmania 8 weeks previously. Barbara has a whole list of possibilities for us the explore while we are with them and the second one after the quilt shop is the Fagan Fighters WW11 Museum. This is Philips interest so he can share. I did enjoy it though. It was a very interesting and beautifully presented display of aircraft and associated memorabilia. (P:- No alphabet letters for this place! An immaculate collection of predominantly WW2 “War Birds” almost all in airworthy condition, housed in beautifully presented hangars. Some rare and very valuable planes and very much a privilege to see. I have to admit Barbara has excelled herself as a tour guide taking me to Fagan’s).

Next morning we are off touring with Brian and Philip as back seat passengers. First stop is New Ulm’s Glockenspiel. This is the first free standing glockenspiel tower in North America and was dedicated in 1980. The tower has a set of 37 bells which were cast in Holland and can be played electronically or by keyboard. It has 12 animated figures which illustrate the areas rich community heritage. Next stop was Schells Brewery. (P:- can’t believe Judith forgot to mention the delicious German lunch at a well hidden local restaurant). This was a gorgeous spot and the Brewery Tour was very interesting, with a history that goes back to 1860 and is the 2nd oldest family owned business in America. Besides beer they also have a wonderful root beer which was very enjoyable. After the tour we enjoyed a drink on the deck before wandering the gardens around the old homestead.

Returning home Barb cook up a delicious dinner, a “bucket of Trash” seafood meal. Potato, sausage, prawns and crab legs, dumped in the centre of the table. Much nicer than the one we had in Ketchican, Alaska earlier in our trip. It’s a great way to enjoy a messy seafood meal, some great laughs and a few drinks.

Sunday saw us just having a lazy day, catching up on washing, a walk round the farm yard, a trip into see a local church for Barb and myself and another great evening meal. After dinner we adjourned to the living room to watch the Timberwolves (basketball team) win a game, with much commentary from Brian and son Max.

Monday morning we were packed and on the road to Willmar for Barbs last tourist experience for us to see. Schwanke Tractor, Truck and Car Museum was very much a Philip museum with tractors he had never heard of and models he had never seen. Again Philip can have his input here.

(P:-Barbara and Brian pulled this one out of their hat! Situated in the rear of an active tractor parts shop tucked in beside a large hardware store this museum is again outstanding, I have seen a few Tractor museums but this one is up there with the best! Nicely restored, all makes, many models some rare plus many beautiful yesteryear automobiles to compliment this collection).

After saying goodbye to Barbara and Brian we headed north towards Park River North Dakota for our next stop with Randy and Nicole. (Barb and Nicole are sisters and the daughters of our very good friends Joel and Janet, who passed away a few years ago. We reached Park River late afternoon after a solid few hours drive. After a lovely dinner, a very pleasant walk and lots of catching up we turned in for the night.

Tuesday after a relaxing breakfast we head off for a drive with Randy and Nicole. (P:- looking forward to today as in our previous two destinations having locals to share their local area makes for great road trips! Randy tells us we will be close to the Canadian Boarder, we also will be in a popular Elk area so that will be exciting – we have binoculars and zoom lens camera at hand). Stopping in at a farm for Randy to make a delivery, Philip is out of the car to see some Potato Seed Cutting and to talk to Sam whom he has met previously on visits to North Dakota. Back on the road we stop to enjoy Zion Lutheran Church and it’s beautiful Stained Glass Windows. Nicole’s family has lived around this area for many years so was able to give us some family history. We continued through farming areas and small towns, stopping in Langdon for a delicious pizza lunch. (P:-Was great to see a Harriston Potato Planter based on our Dobmac Clamp mechanism we helped them develop. A Dobmac design proving popular in the USA – that made me smile)! On to Pembina Gorge and Walhalla area. We enjoyed a lovely walk at the Gorge, collecting a few wood ticks (bugs) on the way. Driving through Park River on our way home we stopped at ASCS Car Corner and talked to Harlan Larsen, checked out his car display and listened to his stories about his purchasing of each of the vehicles. Quite a character and most excited that we were from Australia.

(P:- I was hoping to have an awesome photo of a big ole Elk for you all to see- our fantastic host and guide Randy kinda failed in the Elk department, however I did get a photo of a Wood Tick and a Moose off a photo on a sign. I think Phil got the consolation wildlife prize today! But what a great day it was!

Wednesday Philip visited Harriston Industries, our business associates in this area. Nicole and I had a drive into town where we visited a couple of very nice gift shops/florists the. Continued on to Pisek to look at another church that has and it’s 124 year old painting by Alphonse Mucha. In 1976 this 6’ x 10’ painting was found hidden behind the organ. We then made a stop in Grafton for a drink and a stop in a couple of stores before heading home.

(P:- Randy took me up the street to his Barber so I could have a bit of a trim. Well the barber could spin as many stories as Harlan with his cars yesterday not sure there was anywhere near the complete truth in either of these guys stories! Mr “Clippers” had me laughing so much I almost feared I would get severely lacerated whilst he was shaving my neck with the Cutthroat Razor! I survived with aching ribs from laughing. Dinner at the “Alex” a restaurant I have eaten at many times before and a lovely evening enjoying a drink and chat on the rear deck).

Thursday morning it’s more goodbyes as we are on the road again heading south and on to our next adventure. See next blog in a couple of days.