15 to 18 July 2021

How could we visit the Land of 10,000 Lakes without spending time on a lake?  The remainder of our time in the state was spent in Minnesota’s Lake District.  We made brief visits to popular spots such as Bermidji, Walker, Nisswa and Detroit Lakes.  Bermidji is the alleged birthplace of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox and the “Curling Capital of America”, an all-American small town with a peculiar name and an interesting claim to fame.  We spent most of our time near Brainerd at Madden’s Resort on Gull Lake.  Madden’s is an old school golf and lake resort.  It felt like we stepped into the Dirty Dancing movie.  We are not golfers but had a great time playing in the water and dominating the pickleball court.

Minnesota is not only famous for its lakes, it is also the start of the Mississippi River.  In Itasca State Park, about 20 miles north of Park Rapids, the outlet of Itasca Lake creates the headwaters of the Mighty Mississippi.