Rachelle and I took the family to the Twin Cities this weekend for some much needed rest and relaxation. I know that Fisherman’s Picnic is a lot of fun, but we needed a change of scenery.
Our aunt and uncle were up at the cabin on Saganaga so we stayed at their house in St. Paul. My sister was gracious enough to watch both Bo and Sophia for one night so we could hit the town.
Uptown Minneapolis has never been my first choice to visit on a Saturday night, especially during an art fair. I enjoyed seeing the artwork, but I tend to get a little intimidated by large crowds of people. It took a little while for it to register, but without having to worry about our children I was able to tolerate (even enjoy) the busy scene.
It turns out that people watching is fun. The uniquely dressed people reminded me of strolling down Duval Street in Key West.
Rachelle and I had a wonderful dinner at a very hip place that served tacos and sushi, go figure. The food was excellent, a little pricey, but I am sure everything in uptown is a little inflated. We are certainly used to that. It was the first date we had been on in a couple of years so price did not really matter, as long as we were having fun.
After dinner we bought a couple of gigantic waffle cones, then fell into a “food coma” by 8 p.m. Party animals, I know. We are a little bit out of practice.
I had a hard time finishing my double-scoop waffle cone. I knew there was a malted milk ball buried at the bottom if I could just make it to the last bite. I tried cheating the natural progression by skipping to the middle of the cone—but the entire thing fell apart and landed on the sidewalk. I felt like a little kid, standing there confused with melted ice cream dripping from my fingers. I was not about to waste the milk ball, so I scooped it up and finished it off. Ten-second rule!
We were having a great time so far, but it was a strange feeling to be without our children for the first time. We knew they were in good hands, but little Bo had only been drinking from a bottle for a couple of days so we were a little worried that he might not eat. Bo has been an exceptionally well behaved child and that night would prove no different. My nieces loved watching their cousins and everything was fine.
This type of help from our families is something we miss while living on the Gunflint Trail, but the pros far outweigh the cons. The Cities are a fun place to visit but after a couple of days I have to get out of town. The traffic, pollution, noise etc… are simply too much for me to witness for long periods of time. Rachelle and I feel it is important for our children to be accustomed to city life. Social interaction and diversity are two things that the Gunflint Trail does not have a lot to offer children.
I had to return home for work, but Rachelle and the kids are still in St. Paul. She took them to Como Zoo today and I am sure that Sophia is having a blast. She loves animals and mimicking their noises. I am glad she gets to see the real animals instead of just a picture in a book. The Cities are not all bad.
Cory Christianson has worked as a fishing guide on the Gunflint Trail since 2000. If you have any fishing or wildlife reports or stories to share, send an email to: christiansoncory@hotmail.com or call 218-388-0315. You can also visit Cory’s website at Gunflintfishingguide.com.
Leave a Reply