2017.07.17-Brainerd, MN

2017.07.17-Brainerd, MN

Brainerd is pretty much in the center of the Minnesota.  We stayed in one of their city parks, Lum Park, which had all the hookups we needed, except sewer.  So, we did a little ‘dry’ camping.

On Sunday, we visited the Northland Arboretum, which had some lovely flowers and, of course, many ever present BUGS.  These weren’t ordinary bugs, these bugs dive bomb your head. I had forgotten my hat.  Bummer.  ☹ We were able to take pictures of some of their flowers however.

That evening the Brainerd Loons Ski Club put on a nice water skiing exhibition just a few hundred yards from the coach.  They had various folks doing some bare footin’, then there were pyramids, sometimes with as many as 10 skiers across and they even did some ramp tricks.  The best was saved for last.  A paraglider (I think that is what it is called) was pulled around the lake by a boat until he was at the end of a very long rope.  Then they cut him loose and he just gently glided back down to the water to spot just where he was supposed to land, close to the pier.

Monday, we drove 100 miles north to see the source of the Mississippi River which is in Itasca State Park, near Bemidji.  Not sure what I was expecting, but this was just sort of, well, OK, it is what it is….  It is a gently running spring.  Some folks were walking in it and some kids wading in it.  Kind of a letdown, but interesting none the less.

This sculpture represents an Anishinabe (Ojibwe) Indian belief that women are the Caretakers of the water.  The plaque says:

“We are to respect this responsibility of the sacred work of women by keeping this precious resource pristine and renewable for all future generations to enjoy.  In this sculpture a woman is leaning over releasing a clutch of small turtles from a basket renewing the seasons and continuing the waters of life.  Her flowing hair is like that of flowing water.  The turtles, strong water symbols, also symbolize the universal cycle of life in Anishinabe belief.  The turtle’s round shell represents the earth, moon, sun and seasonal cycles.  The legs of the turtle point in the four directions, his head points up to honor Grandfather Sun and his tail points down towards Mother Earth.  Turtles show us all directions of life – they live in the water, walk on land and breath air.  Turtles are a strong symbol of the importance of this site, located here at the beginning of the Headwaters.”

This tree is known as The Big White Pine.  It is 112’ tall, has a 173” circumference, a crown spread of 48.75’, and is 300+ years old.  The life span of these trees is generally 200 years, but they can live as long as 450 years.  At the bottom of The Big White Pine is this quote:  “The future of this pine, as with all trees, is certain; the timetable is not.  This large white pine will someday return to the forest floor to enrich the soil and make room for others.”

On the way back to the coach, we stopped in a Dairy Queen for a Blizzard. 😊  The people at the next table said Dairy Queen offers a senior discount, but, you have to ask for it.  OK, we will certainly remember this!  Then they asked if we had our lifetime National Park Senior pass.  Jerry has his and it gets a car load entry into the National Parks.  I did not have one, but the Chippewa National Park headquarters was just a few blocks away.  I now have my own National Park Senior pass.  It costs only $10 and will get you into any National Park for free, for your lifetime; but the cost will be going up the end of August to $80!  For those of you 62 and over, I highly recommend that you get your pass NOW!  Even if you don’t use it now remember it’s good for life, and it’s a nice donation to the National Park system.  😊

We got back to the coach just as a storm was approaching.  Fortunately, the high winds and rain passed us by, again.  Yahoo!  Grateful for that.