We'll see what Susan & Bryant have up their sleeves for today. If nothing, we can take an auto trip down into the Mississippi Valley to Red Wing and maybe beyond.
Red Wing is a charming city nestled along the upper Mississippi River, known for its rich cultural heritage and scenic beauty. With roots tracing back to Indigenous history and 19th-century settlement, it flourished as a center for agriculture, pottery, and shoe manufacturing. The city blends historic architecture with a vibrant arts community and strong Scandinavian influences, reflecting its immigrant past. Surrounded by dramatic bluffs and natural landscapes, Red Wing offers a distinctive blend of Midwestern authenticity and cultural depth.
Our name for here is "Saugatuck on the Mississippi", Saugatuck being an artsy town in Michigan. We drove down the Wisconsin side and back up the Minnesota side of the river. Up onto the bluff, down into the valley, repeat.
Found a parking place and walked around a few blocks. We spotted the old St James Hotel landmark on Main, and a river cruise ship at the pier. Susan found a Duluth Trading store, which they use extensively, so we perused that. It's next door to the Red Wing Shoes store but we didn't do that.
We sat for a while in La Dolce Vita Art & Cafe enjoying muffins and coffee. Nice little interlude. A stroll through a consignment shop, then back to the car.
A drive along levee road showed us some of the river, but then we turned navigation over to Susan. She had us go onto local roads northward into the city, crossing the high bridge over the Mississippi.
We ascended to their apartment briefly, chatted with Bryant, saw the cats, and adjourned to the hotel until dinner.
This is the day Susan & Bryant have volunteered to work at the Historic Hill House Tour. We bought tickets so we can do the tour of some 15 historic homes with a thousand other curious people.
This is the link to the web site!
The house (L) is one of the houses on the 15-house tour. It's done by walking or shuttle bus. We'll need to see a map or otherwise understand the length of the walk.
This is the day to do whatever we haven't done. Buy tee-shirts. Play with cats. Eat. Whatever comes to mind.
