Last Five New Experiences, Minnesota Style

Number Six ...Living on Maui, I have seen a few celebrities. All you have to do is hang out at any beach fronting resorts like The Four Seasons, Kea Lani or The Grand Wailea and you're bound to see a celeb or two. I saw Jada Pinckett at Long's Drug Store one time, racing up and down the aisles hoping no one would notice her. She was so tiny yet stunning, you couldn't help but notice her. So, I have seen celebrities but I have never met one until Minneapolis. Aron Ralston, the young man whose life changing experience was captured in the book, Between a Rock and a Hard Place and then years later the movie, 127 Hours, was the keynote speaker at the 9-1-1 NENA Conference Fletch was attending. I told Fletch I had to get in to hear him speak ..... I did, I snuck into this huge ballroom filled with men and women all donning conference ID badges, everyone but me. Truthfully, I felt guilty for a short time and paranoid most of it. I kept thinking someone in this crowd of First Responders and Dispatch Operators.... like in the movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers, would suddenly turn and with a raised hand pointing at me, open their mouth to make a hideous noise exposing my fraud.

Aron spoke with charm, grace, humor, conviction and explaining to us his spiritual awakening. He spoke of his mother's fear for him while missing, the video tapes he recorded saying good bye to his family and the vision of his future son while on the brink of dying alone, deep in a mountain crevice. I wanted to cry, sob actually, the "snorting through your nose" cry. I had to stay composed, act like I was one of these brave men and women in the room whose job it is to protect our societies. After the talk, taking deep breaths to release the tension in my throat, I saw many wiping their eyes ... men and women alike. Now that I have tarnished my reputation, I must admit, I also snuck into the conference hall where Aron Ralston was signing books. I had to meet him, to have him sign our book and have a photo taken with him. Mission accomplished. Do I look a little nervous in the photo? I was. Fletch and I were the only "couple" who went up to Mr. Ralston's table holding hands. Do you think we gave ourselves away?

7. No snickering .... I saw my first beaver at Minnehaha Falls. I was high, near the top of the fall taking pictures when I got a call from Fletch. Yes, he called me on my cell phone as he was below me at a bridge. He said, "there's a beaver down here"? By the time I reached Fletch, the beaver was slipping into the river, frightened by a barking dog. We briskly ran down the path keeping an eye on the beaver while it body-surfed the bubbling water. Each time the beaver would tumble over rocks, Fletch would make a noise of distress, I knew he was getting attached to this oversized rodent with a flat tail. It did manage to make it to shore only to slide down in the water to float away. He did stay on shore long enough to eat and for us to take photos. Allow me to wander here .... in my travels, whenever I see someone with a dog, I instantly think "they're local". So, having this knowledge, imagine my embarrassment when my husband would warn or even scold Minnesotains with dogs, to keep they're canine at bay. With a voice like a cop he would exclaim "there's a beaver in the vicinity". Do you think they knew we were tourists? My husband, is so darn cute .... and so was that beaver.

8. While visiting Stillwater on Father's Day, we found ourselves in the middle of a professional bike race, the Nature Valley Pro Ride. The cyclists zoomed quickly past the crowds, creating a swoosh of breeze with their super human speed. We were so exhausted from the excitement of our first bicycle race (and going from one antique store to another), we had to stop for a pint of Harp Lager with a Guinness topper.

9. Almost to #10! On one of my solo excursions, I walked to Walker Sculpture Park and Art Gallery. To get there I had to cross the freeway on a wooden foot bridge. It was so exhilarating, to hear and feel the cars whizzing beneath your feet. A few days later, I took Fletch. I don't know if he appreciated this first time experience as much as I did....but it was cool!

He enjoyed "spooning" at the park.

Drum roll, please..... number 10! My first visit to a U.S. Fort. Built in 1820, Ft. Snelling was constructed to house the military who were there to secure the border from the British and French AND to wrest control over the lucrative fur trade happening in that region. Guides at the fort dress in garb from that time period and explain to the visitors how life was for the soldiers and the families that lived there.

I chatted with the soldiers who wore work clothing for gardening, cooking, cleaning, etc. They looked like dentist frocks to me.

Fletch like the ammunition room - of course.

and the round tower. See him waving?

A little fact about this round tower. Originally built to defend the fort, it has been a school and also a private residence in the 1900's. Weird, huh?