Dear Friend,
A few weeks ago I wrote about a great little boat ride that I took with my family, and about the old Cajun boat captain who regaled us with his own unique wit and accent.
At that time we were exploring the waters of the Mississippi delta, where the mighty Mississippi River flows into the Gulf of Mexico.
Today, the ladies took the day off to rent a car and visit the headwaters of that same Mississippi River.
Yes. By headwaters, I mean the beginning of the Mississippi River, here in Bemidji, Minnesota. In fact, my youngest got baptized in it (well, she fell in, anyway).
The idea that we have gone from Fort Worth, Texas, through the southeast US, up through the Mid-Atlantic, then over to the fields of the Mid-West, and finally to within a short hop of Winnipeg, Manitoba, is mind boggling.
But here we are. (Aren’t diesel engines great! ;-))
Today, my kids heard the name “Paul Bunyan,” apparently for the first time. When I was a kid, everyone knew who Paul Bunyan was. How have I failed my children?
Tomorrow, unless we lazily change our mind again (and the WiFi at this campground is pretty good), we shall head off to Winnipeg, and soak up its luscious wonders.
It felt good to take a long nap today. The boys stayed in, and I got to a bunch of email and other junk that I just had to catch up on.
Funny, except for the driving, I have found that I am much more productive on the road than I am “back home.” I like the simplicity of life here, without all of the schedules. Yes, there are definitely places that we want to see. And no, I will not be driving in the Rockies when the snow starts flying (I’m a Southern boy at heart). But other than those broad parameters, there is simply no agenda. We are home wherever we are. Moving. Or sitting still.
There are still things to do, of course. I think I might have screwed up the leveling pads on the Warrior when I put it in reverse and forgot they were still down. They finally went up, but all the lights are blinking like crazy and I can’t get them to stop. And I can’t seem to clean the last bit of fun stuff out of the “black” tank (where the toilet drains). Maybe a good bumpy ride will take care of that.
Anyway, if anyone has recommendations for us at this point, for places to visit or whatever, or if you have questions about how you can take your family life in a more carefree direction, just post a reply note to this post. I’d love to talk!
As always, all the best,
Hugh
