July 22-July 26, 2016 Still in Minnesota!~Arriving at Town & Country~Farmer's Market~Minneapolis & Pizza!~Bike Ride

Friday 22, 2016- Today our departure is a little different than usual! We don't need to be in a hurry as our next destination Town & Country RV Park in Savage, Minnesota is so close we're not even going to connect, I'm going to follow behind Lennie!😩 Since we're not in a hurry, first we're going to walk up to the Casino!

                             Look at that.....no one's waiting for a ride, & yet we're walking!?!

                                            The Courtesy Bus is free, yet we're walking!?!

                                 There's the Casino, as you see it IS within walking distance!!!

         BUT.....it's a HOT WALK today, we're under a heat wave, & yet we're walking!?!

(Where's  that Ice Bucket challenge when you need it!?!)

                                                       Oh thank goodness....we made it!!!!

                                    Here we are walking around just like we belong there!

   I wasn't sure if photos were allowed on the Casino floor, so this picture was taken on the sly!?!

                                                                 Future Gamblers????

 This random stranger, just started talking to Lennie! Len's Veteran's hat is what initiated the conversation. Turns out today was this stranger's 83rd birthday, not the reason he was visiting, he was visiting for his grand daughter's wedding!

                                            Oh boy.....the pastries! We didn't buy anything!

         Let's go back in the heat & walk back to our site, it's time to head on down the road!

It's so hot out, I think even this Indian Chief is looking for water for his horse!?!

 Okay Otis, we're back, lucky dog you got to wait in the A/C while we walked to & from  the casino & for what? Just a little Looks See & a Free Lemonade & a Free Root Beer!!!! You have to do it while you're here!!!!

Notice we're not connected??? I can do this!!!

                                                                  Our Destination!!!

We're all checked in, I follow Len to our site. Lucky for me, someone else will pilot Len into the site!

We are set up & it's just too darn hot to do anything! Even the pool & playground was empty of kids & their parents!

Too hot outside......looks like Lennie & Otis had the same idea!?!

After dinner, it has cooled off, & we're tired of just sitting ! We decide to take a drive! We drive into Minneapolis, its' just a short distance. Tonight just a short walk & a quick look around but we will be back again. Minneota is routinely named the most bicycle-friendly state in the country with miles & miles of dedicated paved paths that wind along the Mississippi River & into neighboring parks & cities.The people in the Twin Cities LOVE their parks & definitely use them!!!!

                                             Catching a glimpse of Minneapolis' skyline....

                             Otis is happy, new smells! (He's finally walking on all 4 paws!)

    We're at Lake Nokomis, I almost want to jump in the lake with all the others cooling off!

                                                      Here's a stunt we both want to try!

                                                    Everyone is enjoying the lake!

Now that we've cooled off a bit we can go back to the RV Park!

Saturday July 23, 2016- It's a little overcast today, a good time to try & do "something" before it warms up! Minneapolis has a good size Farmer's Market & we're going to go check it out!

Hello Minneapolis

The clouds are great, keeping the temps down, as long as it doesn't rain!

YES!!!!! This is a BIG Farmer's Market!

There's the proof!

It was a combination Farmer's/Flea Market

 We went to the Farmer's Market in search of tomatoes, I'm still hoping for BLT's!!!! We tried to look around at all the different booths before making our tomato selection, we had to hurry. The clouds went from overcast to threatening!?! We got back to our car just in time!

 

Now back to Otis who will be a nervous pooch if the rain turns into thunder & lightening!

We're all home now, we can watch the rain together! I know what's for dinner!!!!! Yep....BLT'S

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Sunday July 24, 2016-Today is a busy day for us!!!! We are going to start our morning by having Donuts at Glam Doll Donuts! We have been here before. I'm not going to say it isn't good, because it is good, but.....we have been to Voo Doo Donuts in Denver & that place is the best!!!

a

I selected a raspberry filled donut!

This particular part of town is known as EAT STREET because it is lines with restaurants!
Now we are going to go visit some HISTORY!

We are walking is the historic area where in the 1800's the Twin Cities were prosperous & the people were truly enjoying the wealth!

St Anthony Falls provided a wealth of opportunities for businesses! One of the stories from past history that I found interesting was that of Charles & Mary Christmas, rich farmers from Mississippi who vacationed at the prestigious  Winslow House, a 5 story 200 room hotel for the elite. With them was Mary Christmas' handservant Eliza Winston, as Mary Christmas was quite ill with yellow fever.....At this time, Minnesota was a slave-free state. Eliza Winston, tho she knew no other life but slavery was convinced to escape from the Christmas family & indeed did win her freedom. Facts are not clear if she took advantage of her new found freedom or if she returned to Charles & Mary Christmas.

Yes I took too many pictures !!!

We're heading back to the car, to reach our car we have to walk over this bridge!

Follow my Leader???

Almost there!

Back at our car I can see a Segway Tour forming. I think they're getting their driving instructions!

Just when I thought this day couldn't get any better, we stop for a late lunch!

At a PIZZA Joint, Fat Lorenzo's

Outside is Pet Friendly! Otis doesn't like being referred to as a pet!

 This pizza was really good & so big it last 3 meals for us!!!

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Monday July 25, 2016- Today we too are going to take advantage of Minneapolis park system. It's not our first time visiting this area so we already know where we plan to go for our picnic lunch!

We are at the top of Minnehaha  Falls. Of course I need a picture of the falls cascading!

From this bridge at the bottom of the falls I will get a great shot!

See!

I forgot to mention the steps you have to take down & then back up....to get that particular view of Minnehaha Falls! At this point I am about halfway to the top! 

We didn't want Otis to walk up & down the steps, he's doing so good on his hurt paw, we don't want him to have a set-back. Lennie & Otis wait for me to finish my photo shot!

AAAh.......Picnic time!

After our lunch a walk around the park. A different view of Minnehaha Falls, NO STEPS involved here!

Moving on, there are more parks to enjoy!

And more History!

View of Minneapolis skyline visible from Fort Snelling

Leaving Fort Snelling

We are in search of Hidden Falls here at Hidden Falls Park.

The river flowing here is the Mighty Mississippi!

The park here is beautiful but.....the walk back to Hidden Falls we decided was going to be too much for Otis.

We'll give Otis a break & drive over to Ford Dam just above Hidden Falls Park.

We could pretend "pretend" this was Hidden Falls!?!

After all this walking around enjoying nature, there's something else we want to enjoy!!!

Yumm!

One last stop for today!

We're still thinking about this.....!

Time to go home. We're having left over pizza for dinner!🍕😋

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Tuesday July 26, 2016-Tomorrow we leave Town & Country RV Park & move on to Duluth. Today is our last day to have fun here! Today Otis is staying home & we're going to go on a bike ride. Another one of the Park Perks here in Minneapolis! First we have a few errands to run, which is par for getting ready to leave....

NEXT......LUNCH at VICTOR' S !!!

We've been here before on a past visit, we liked it & we're back to have it again!!!

It was a little heavier lunch than I would have prefered considering we're going on a bike ride but....I'm not going to pass up a great lunch at Victor's!

Now the bike ride!

We chose to ride around Lake Calhoun. It's the largest of the 6 lakes here. Maybe that's why LEN chose this lake to ride around????

It's only a little over 3 miles around the lake. Piece of cake!!!!

Good view  of Minneapolis' skyline!

The bike paths around the lakes are great! They have a dual paved path system. One path strictly for people, the other for bikes & roller blades. The bike path is ONE WAY only! I don't know what happens if you change your mind halfway into the ride!?! 

Grand Rounds, miles & miles of parks & paths!

Stopping for a little refreshment!

I feel like a real tourist!

The BLACK SPOT in the water is a black lab that kept jumping into the water after a ball thrown by it's master! He just loved the game!

That was a fast 3 miles! I can't believe it's over! 

Tomorrow before we move on to Duluth, we first stop in Blaine, Minnesota, remember our Alternator problem???? We have a early appointment. We plan to take off at 6:00am! I guess early to bed early to rise!?!