Beans and more

Bernice & one of the other
volunteers adding the
"secret ingredients"

Spent a couple of relaxing days in the small town of Pequot Lakes in a beautiful lake-dotted part of Minnesota.  Our visit here coincided with the annual Bean Hole Days festival so how could we not go have a look-see.  We arrived at the park in time to watch the volunteers loading all the ingredients into 5 huge cauldrons ready for their initial cooking by propane.  Chatted with Bernice, one of the many volunteers, who was kind enough to give us the rundown on the proceedings as well as the history of the Bean Hole Days.

While the beans were cooking on the surface we went for a drive on the

Only 132 steps up to
the top and the view
was fantastic

Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway.  Our first stop was to an old Fire Tower overlooking the town of Pequot Lakes and surrounding forests.  Unfortunately Jean tripped up on a tree root on the way, damaging her hand and her knee but saving the camera.  Sue carried on to the fire tower while Jean recovered back in the pick up.

The tree root in the middle of the path that was the undoing of Jean

We also stopped at the Pine River Dam.  There was a bird at the base of the dam that didn’t move for over half an hour.  I had just decided that it was definitely a statue when it reached over and grabbed a fish, ate it, then resumed the statue position.  If I hadn’t have seen it I would have gone on thinking it was a pretty neat statue.  Instead I think it was a pretty neat bird.  Impressed … much.

The bird that doubled as a statue

We decided that Jean needed some medicine so stopped at the RV for a

Confirmation (as if any
was required) that Sue
is, indeed, a stirrer

beer before heading back into Pequot Lakes to watch the beans going into the ground.  Sue even got to stir one of the bean pots thanks to Bernice.  She felt so special.  After the beans were in the ground we joined Bernice, Jeff, Eric, Lance and Jenna for a beer.  So lovely to meet you all.  We love what you’re doing.

Jeff & Eric guide one of the
big pots into the fire pit - cover
and leave for 18 hours

Next morning we were up bright and early to check out the fair that accompanied Bean Hole Days and watch the beans come up out of the ground.  I was tempted to buy a heap of the crafts on sale but remembered my 23kg suitcase limit for the return trip to NZ in the nick of time and just brought a couple of books.  By the way, the beans were delicious.  Well done everyone.


Jean sampling the finished
product

Heaps of room for
the RV - it just
doesn't look it

On recommendation from a number of people we then made our way to Duluth.  Tried to get parking around the aerial lift bridge but found that impossible with the RV on tow.  Did cross over the bridge – only a tad nervous as it looked not too much higher than our 12’8.  Breezed under the support beams so not so nervous for the return trip.

Made our way up the coast to Split Rock.  Absolutely

Upper waterfall at
Gooseberry Falls State Park

gorgeous scenery.  Stopped on the water front of Lake Superior for lunch then headed up to Gooseberry Falls for a short walk to two of the waterfalls.  Spent the night in a scenic overlook overlooking (of course) Split Rock Lighthouse and Lake Superior.  Apart from the mosquitoes that seem to be synonymous with Minnesota you couldn’t beat it.

Split Rock Lighthouse on the shore of Lake Superior - beautiful overnight spot

Did a U-turn and headed south, staying a couple of nights in a town called Shafer just north of Minneapolis & St Paul.  Relaxed the rest of the

One of the many
rides at the
Mall of America

afternoon at the RV Park and spent most of the next day touring around and visiting the Mall of America in Bloomington.  The centre of this huge mall houses a Nickelodeon Fun park, complete with several roller coasters, a log flume ride and numerous other stomach-churning rides that these sensible Kiwis didn’t have a bar of.  We did have a bit of fun in the Mirror Maze though.

Jean practising being a tree-hugger

Bit of a later start than planned leaving Shafer due to visiting our neighbours Cheryl & Frankie and chatting, chatting, chatting.  It was great meeting the two of you and hope to meet up again down south during the winter (zip-lining over the alligator pits?).  We reluctantly left our new-found friends in Shafer and headed to New Ulm to visit the Schell’s German Brewery (how prophetic given the World Cup result).  Note to anyone travelling to this brewery – do not attempt to take an RV to the car park here – to start with, cars were parked on both sides of the narrow road leaving such a small gap to get through and the car park itself was full and has only 1 entry/exit with no turning area for RV’s.

After a lot of manoeuvring got the RV in a
good position under some shade

Fortunately we hadn’t taken the RV all the way into this car park but had a bit of a dilemma on where (and how) to turn at the front of the brewery with dozens of people milling around.  We were rescued by one of the workers who removed some barriers that blocked the loading bay and gave us permission to park up there.  We still had to back up amongst the throngs of people but did so expertly (if I say so myself) and parked up by a semi-trailer.  Even the turn up by the semi was a 6 pointer.  That first beer never tasted so good.

This one's about the 4th

Then it was on to the tour itself.  Nice, short tour where we were given a lot of the history – Schell’s has been operating by the same family for 5 generations now, then it was down to the tasting room where we got to sample 6 of their brews.  At the end of the tasting you could pick your favourite and get a large glass of that brew.  How good was that. 
We sat

Jean enjoying a Zommerfest

opposite a couple from Minnesota, Roger and Carla, and ended up chatting for ages after the tour.  Thanks for the dinner recommendation (and escort) – the schnitzel was delicious (keeping the German theme going).  We found the Walmart car park okay too.

Sue & Jean with the brews we sampled - Cheers!