on the other hand...

there is also this Frank Lloyd Wright designed gas station in Cloquet, MN.

Fill with gas, win free meat

At a gas station called Pump "n" Munch

look closely at the board to see this

a northern MN wonder...

cranberry wild rice bread!

Good stuff.

because I can't make these things up...

Driving back from northern MN, in our neighboring Wisconsin, passed by the Bong Airport. It is in Superior, WI. Sometimes the jokes are just too easy...

Also visited the North American Bear Center, in lovely Ely, MN, which I would definitely recommend, if you ever find yourself in northern MN. Met some bears, as well as some very passionate and knowledgeable volunteers. I wouldn't go quite as far as wanting to be best friends with some black bears but apparently they are pretty gentle animals and won't attack you.
Yay bears.

parking on the ramp?

I've noticed a few times now that someone says there is a parking "ramp"-- ie. to mean there
is a parking garage you can park in. For some reason I don't think garage or lot when I hear
"ramp"- i think like a parkway entrance/exit. Is this a regional thing?
Like I went somewhere today & I had asked where I could park & the person said such-and-such
parking "ramp"- but it was a garage. I guess you drive up a ramp/incline to get through the garage.
It's okay, now I know what they mean and what to look for but I wonder where that comes from.
Is it a Midwest thing?

cool things

at the public library, you can get free passes to local museums!

burgers

or burghers I suppose. I saw a guy in Target wearing a Pitt shirt and a Pens cap.
I do see a surprising amount of Pittsburgh-related paraphernalia here.

copper thiefin'

Sooo... in our fancy-pants "upscale" living (as the complex bills itself)... someone broke in and
stole the 4" copper pipe that was the main line for the water for the whole bldg!
Um, what? We awoke to find no water in the apartment.
Fortunately was fixed within about 5-6 hours after this incident. But wow...