Along the Mississippi River with the Family

Last November in the Dominican Republic, we presented Mom and Dad with an anniversary gift. The gift was a weekend trip to the Mississippi River/Lake Pepin area. With the generosity of our friends Brett and Susan, we were able to stay in Lake City, travel along the Mississippi with their pontoon and, as a whole, make this trip a possibility for us. We all arrived Friday around noon and started our little vacation with a boat ride to the Pickle Factory for lunch. While there, Jess' boyfriend Casey played a few pull-tabs and won $100. We figured this was a sign our weekend was going to be a good one (and that Casey was buying lunch!). From there, we traveled down the Mississippi River making a stop at Slippery's in Wabasha for a drink (and bathroom break) and along a bank to get in the water. That evening we went to a local restaurant in Lake City for supper. When we got back, we were all pretty tired and called it an early night.

The next day, we traveled the area by car. We made our way north to Red Wing. We made the stop to the Red Wing Shoe Store and Museum. As I believe I've already mentioned, Dad's a loyal customer of Red Wing boots, so while there he was "sized up", which let him know exactly what size of shoe (since there are so many sizes) to order in the future. He didn't buy a pair while there since he had purchased his latest pair in June. While there, we of course, took a photo with "The World's Largest Boot".

From there, we ventured across the river to Stockholm for lunch and pie. Both were delicious and a hit with the family. While in Stockholm, a cardboard sign saying "Threshing Bee" caught Ryan and Dad's attention. So, we hit some back roads and ended upon a farm with numerous antique tractors, pick-up trucks and men in overalls. If you are like me, you're probably wondering what exactly is a Threshing Bee? Threshing is the process of loosening the edible part of cereal grain (or other crop) from the inedible chaff that surrounds it. In the past, threshing machines were used instead of combines. A Threshing Bee is a festival held to commemorate this process.

After the men got their farm fix, we headed to Pepin to continue our travel back in time. We arrived at the cabin re-creation of the "Little House in the Big Woods" on land that was once owned by Laura Ingalls Wilder's family. Although the cabin wasn't the original, you still got the idea of the structure, size and location of the original. I recently read Pioneer Girl so everything was pretty fresh in my mind about Laura's time in Pepin. On our way back to Lake City, we made a quick stop at Pepin Heights Orchard for apples.

Once we got back, we went on a late afternoon boat ride around the area. It was a windy day so we took it slow and stayed away from the big waves. We all still got a little wet from time to time, though. We enjoyed each other's company and some snacks and cocktails at the condo before a late supper. Once we got back from supper, we decided we were all ready for bed. It was another early night with all of us sleeping by 11 pm! I guess all the activities in the sun wore us out! The next morning we packed everything up and had a family-style breakfast at a local cafe on the way out of town. The place was unique in that it is an old Victorian home.

As it always happens, I was sad to see an anticipated, fun-filled weekend with the family come to an end. What made me even more upset was the cold weather that greeted us on Sunday. Summer is almost over, and I'm in my typical bitter mood that comes with it. Ryan gleefully announcing how much he loves this cooler weather isn't really helping either! I guess I'll just begin my countdown ... 9 months until my favorite season is here again! Hopefully see you next year, Lake City!