Dakota
Architecture1
One week…so much has happened, and so many new experiences!
Ran out of gas at 4 AM (AAA to the rescue).
I saw the aftermath of an accident where a semi had vertically dropped two stories, where the cab was accordioned to rubble by the landing, and by the impact of its own trailer behind it. The driver was extracted as we drove past.
I saw Mt. Rushmore for the first time.
I saw Mt. Rushmore for the last time.
I reached the halfway mark—The Mississippi River! I had never seen it.
Minneapolis is a beautiful, truly hospitable city—in the summer.
The back of a patrol car is uncomfortable, and would take some getting used to.
Minnesota State Troopers are very polite, and seem pretty laid back.
Duluth is the best city I never heard of.
I have seen the Great Lakes (Lake Superior, at least).
I am off to Northern Minnesota, then to Madison and Milwaukee Wisconsin. I should be in Chicago within two weeks.
Thanks to Scottt and Naomi for hooking me up with lodging in Minneapolis.
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Lake Superior
Mexican & Lebanese food? MexLeb ala Morgan?
Scientology IQ test?
Wisconsin and Chicago
Michigan:
I was picked up in Detroit by my friend Angie and her mother Donna and step-father Andy. For those who know Angie, the world’s worst driver, she was NOT driving. We went out for Polish food in a Polish neighborhood in Detroit. We took off for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where two of Angie’s friends are organic farmers. Also, my travel friend Ron, from the South America trip was in the region. Ron quit his job, sold all his possessions, and started biking across the United States, and was in the Upper Peninsula.
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Angie helped out with varying tasks on the struggling farm. She strained her back, hunching over to pick tomatoes, and digging potatoes. She dug holes, helped with canning, and watched the two little girls.
I met up with Ron, who found a place to stay on a cycling website. I met up with him, at this private residence…Gary and Jan are religious hippy retiree former peace corpse members, who own lakefront property way off the beaten path. Yes, while Angie was herniating a disk or two, I was lounging on a pontoon on the lake, swimming around and eating GREAT Japanese food (Gary’s parents were missionaries there…he grew up in Japan). Pretty sweet.
The ride home sucked. See below.
"I thought the ride home was exciting!"
--Angie B. Worlds Worse Driver (Certified)
I had a rare chance to go off-roading in Michigan. We were on a strait freeway, going 60 MPH, when we hydroplaned and started spinning. Our fearless driver Andy tried to counter-steer, but once we started launched, our wheels never touched down. We rocketed off the freeway at 60 MPH, in a spin. If we had hit the ground or the embankment sideways, we probably would have flipped, but luck was with us. The car somehow hit the grass backwards, and we continued backwards until a thicket of saplings pounded the car into submission. Everyone was fine--no whiplash or anything, but the car is SEVERELY damaged, with all the panels receiveing some damage.
My friend Angie*, closed her eyes the whole time, but was very calm once we landed. Her mom Donna was fine, but was understandably upset. Angie's step-dad Andy felt aweful for endangering us, and for destroying Donna's car, which she had purchased only 1 month ago.
A while later, after the ambulance released us, Donna told me "See? There is a G-d," and that we survived for a reason. I told her I was still agnostic, but that I appreciated all that she went through to convince me otherwise. Still, we were VERY lucky. I admit that, but I have to point out that Andy wasn't going very fast, and didn't seem to make a mistake. It might be considered bad luck that we just spun out for "no reason" in the first place. The debate continues, but the moral is quite clear:
NEVER GET INTO A CAR WITH ANGIE!
The first accident I was in with Angie was even worse, but that was many years ago! When I told my brother Josh about the accident, he was in disbelief..."You mean Angie wasn't driving?"
*Angie has been certified as the worlds worse driver with 9 accidents (only one of those resulted in a ticket, and two of them were in a golf cart)