Encounters in Dairyland

 

Well, this is just almost Wisconsin.
Actually, Taylor Falls.
A resort town on the St. Croix River
which separates Minnesota from Wisconsin.

I stopped at this 60s style drive-in
near the end of my walking day
and treated myself to a sweet and cold malt.
I forget the flavor.

The waitresses were colorful and obviously quite healthy.
They had the gleam of some of those Scandinavian Lutherans
that Garrison Keillor talks about on Prairie Home Companion.

The landscape and scenery of the nearby rock encased river was grand.
The river roared and rolled and rocked by.

This was my lucky day although it seemed otherwise
as I was trying to figure out where to land
as I hiked over the St. Croix Bridge into Wisconsin.

I was checking out Main Street, St. Croix,
when Dave Points arrested my advance
asking about my journey.
He and his son invited me for a ride
to check out campsites and motels.

Not much luck.
So, Dave took me home
and his wife, Debbie, invited me for dinner

My luck had already changed.
Dinner was delicious and the company was warm and friendly.

To top it off,
the Points put me up in the Holiday Inn Express for the night,
served me breakfast at their house the next morning,
and drove me down the road to Baldwin thereafter.

Thanks, Dave and Deb and Boys for your great kindnesses.

 

 

I passed through Amherst Junction late one afternoon
arriving there after walking a side route.

I hit the Main Street and found the only downtown cafe closed already.
I was a bit turned around trying to figure my way to the highway.

Fortunately, a woman named Mary yelled at me from her second story window.
She said she had seen me on the road that day and asked about my walk.

Mary soon made her way down to the street bringing treats for the road.
Shortly thereafter, Kristen from the Coffee Company next door appeared
with an offering of a cold bottle of spring water.
Finally, Mary's son, Justin, drove up on his bicycle in time for pictures.

I visited with all for a while, took photos and directions
and headed for the highway, a malt at the restaurant there,
and eventually to the River of Tomorrow Motel.

The next day on the road,
I walked through many miles of highway construction.

Passing landscapers who were readying the siding for grass,
Butch Van Shylden offered me some cold water
and started a conversation.

When I found out that his name was Butch,
like my own back in South Dakota,
I had to take his photo.

 

 

Another day on the road and a hot one at that.

I stopped at a convenience shop near Fremont,
bought a soda, and visited with the workers
while a Packers football game played
over the radio in the background.

Dick and Loni both worked at this shop
and also helped at dairy farms for extra income.

Great faces, great All Americans, I thought.


On to Michigan


Return to Dr. Bob's Walk

 

Return to The Portable School