Aug. 1: Bemidji

We started this morning at the logging camp and we watched these two hens have their breakfast before we headed in for ours. You'll notice that the one on the left is wearing her Ugg boots even though it was a very pleasant Minnesota morning.

We used to always have family photos taken on this pier but this year Bob took a photo of me and I took one of him. However, I'll show you this one of him instead.

Bob and I would have followed these rules except that we had a most pleasant young woman waiting our table and she kept asking us questions.

The meal is served family style. There is a container of "logger raisins" (prunes) to the left of Bob, but he ignored them. That was actually a very good thing as we headed over to Bemidji after that and went to their Rotary meeting. It was a picnic in their gazebo by the water and beans focused heavily in the menu. I wouldn't want him to have prunes and beans that same day - especially when we are in the confines of a tent!

I knew that the Bemidji Rotary had restored Paul Bunion and Babe when they fell into disrepair, but what I didn't realize was that it was Rotary who initially created them in 1937. Rob and Elizabeth, you will be ecstatic to know that the little museum in the tourist information building still has Paul's nail clippings ... and they are still gross.

The Bemidji Rotary's major fundraiser is dragon boat races which take place next weekend. They have 77 teams entered including three from Canada. I liked what they said: the dragon boat races are run as an "event" not as a "competition." Each team pays $700 to enter, but there are no prizes. I suspect, however, that there are a large number of free beer tickets in the participants' packages! All for the good of Rotary!

Park Rapids has been doing street improvements which include street corners with local lakes featured in them. I found our lake, Potato Lake, way down by the thrift store.

A 25 year King rule is that we have to go to the Minne Soda Shop at least once. This place has been around since Bob was a kid in the 50s and possibly long before that. I had my usual turtle sundae while Bob opted for Rob's usual, the Minnesota twin.