Minneapolis: Good days

Today I did the one-hour drive from Menomonie to Minneapolis and found a small miracle: my hotel room was ready though it was still morning. That made life easy: I dumped my bags and headed out to walk.

For the first two hours or so I followed the St. Anthony Falls Heritage Trail along the Mississippi riverfront, across the Stone Arch Bridge that is now reserved for foot and bike traffic (here's a view from the east bank back toward a ship lock and downtown Minneapolis), upriver to Hennepin Island and back down the west bank.

I took a zillion photos of a tour boat in the lock, the former waterfall that is now the dam spillway you can see at the right edge of the photo above, and assorted old or odd structures such as the former Pillsbury "A" flour mill.

I'll spare you most of the travelogue and show you just these two scenes from a side trail in Pillsbury Park, down old wooden stairs on the bank of the east channel of the Mississippi. In the one on the left a stationary heron is surrounded by busily feeding Canada geese (there was also a family of mallards just put of view to the left). In the other, a bit downstream, half-grown goslings still in their downy baby feathers graze under the guard of one parent while the other adult gives me the hairy eyeball. Despite my safe boardwalk perch I decided to move on quickly.

Then I walked up the famous Nicollet Mall, a shopping and nightlife street converted mostly to pedestrian use except a narrow roadway reserved for buses and taxis. I thought it looked less active than on previous visits - perhaps the recession is taking a toll?

Last of all I crossed Loring Park several blocks south of downtown and got directions to the Walker Art Center. Photos aren't allowed inside so here's a treat from the huge uncrowded sculpture garden across the street. "Spoonbridge and Cherry" by Claes Oldenburg & Coosje van Bruggen is one of the largest and most whimsical pieces in the collection.

By the time I straggled back to my hotel I'd been out about six hours, most of it on my feet. Then Abby picked me up for a delightful dinner at the Loring Pasta Bar; Patrick joined us for dessert. Another happy reunion and another wonderful new friend - I love to travel this way.

Tomorrow I may have a surprise addition to my itinerary, if I get out of here early enough to take a side trip my travelin' friend Shirley recommended. Stay tuned.