On My Own for the First Time

I’m somewhere in Minnesota.  I’ve been working quite hard at avoiding Storm Achilles.  I seem to be mostly staying just a few hours ahead of it – literally.  Tried a scenic route today.  It was pretty for about the first hour.  The next 6 were tedious for me and Scottie and Maddie.

I spent my first night at a hotel two nights ago.  Motel 6 in Duluth.  It looked pretty rough – but the price was right ($43.99 a night before taxes)  and the dogs weren’t a problem.  Signed myself up for two nights.  But after the first night I had to get out of there.  My next door neighbors had at least two kids in there, two of the men got super drunk – maybe the woman too.  I called the front desk, they said they’d call the room.  The fighting spilled out into the hallway.  I called the front desk – Call the cops!  Already called.  10 minutes later – no cops and they drunk guy was trying to break into my room via the connecting door.  I called 911 – they weren’t that concerned.  I was!

Long story short, the cops finally came – they were nice and very gentle with the woman, the only adult left.  (“Do you know you have blood on your shirt?”).  And sweet and rather tragic to the kid(s).  (“Do you remember me?”  and “You didn’t finish your burger.”)

I checked out the next day.

Last night’s hotel was my favorite.  The Cliffdweller in Tofte, MN on the North Shore.  Right on Lake Superior and rate was $49 a night, plus an extra $10 for each dog.  That was fine.  It was a nice hotel and they had just replaced the carpet.  I slept to the sound of Lake Superior washing up against the shore.  Tonight’s is pricier than I wanted – but it came down from $99 a night to $74.  If it weren’t so friggin’ cold, I would camp.  But on my way here I saw three men ice fishing on a frozen lake!  Ack, where is spring?!

Tomorrow I should hit North Dakota.  But first I'm going to see the headwaters of the Mississippi River and then a native grass prairie.