North Shore - June 18-20, 2025

 

We packed up the new Equinox with clothes and provisions for several weeks and headed north on I35. Why not test the vehicle in one of our favorite Mnnesota destinations.

Getting Ready. As usual, I try to do too much and, after starting my day in the usual way with Duolingo Spanish and NY Times Wordle, I decided to water the trees, other flora, and planters. It was still nice and cool and 7:00 a.m., but it's still quite a job when one is in something of a hurry. We have three hoses, stationed at the front and sides of the house, so it's easy to get to all the plantings. Two of the hoses are "traditional" and quite heavy. The third (my choice) is a 50-foot "pocket" hose that allows access to all the trees planted three years ago, as well as everything at the back of the house. Still, the whole job takes me about an hour unless I cut corners, but my personality doesn't easily tolerate shortcuts or "the easy way out". Anyway, by the time I finished I was ready for a break , which wasn't forthcoming.

Stuff Everything In. Time to make sandwiches, pack snacks, and fill a cooler. Half-way through this job, I started muttering that I was "done" with this kind of preparation for two days in an area with a lot of restaurants and watering holes. A little later, I was "done" with travel to any destination.

Now, I'm the kind of person who can't leave for a couple of days with dishes in the dishwasher (can't stand the smell when I return) or trash/recycling. Moreover, it was trash day, so evberything had to go out before our departure (breaking the 4:00 p.m. rule for trash placement.

Bob was already packed, looking fresh and ready to go after his shower. He was grabbing items that might be useful for our trip as I packed up the electronics. Still the "day cooler" to go, with our beverages. I threw the rest of my rags into an overnight case. I couldn't bear to leave the house without earrings. Finally we were on our way.

Nothing Superior Except the View.Our first night at Superior Shores might have been our last. We couldn't get into our room until the promised check-in time of 4:00 p.m. The place was even dingier that it had been a year ago, and our fourth-floor suite was at the very end of a long, dark hallway. It was too hot to sit outside on one of our two balconies, both of which had a truly lovely view of Lake Superior. Breathtaking, except that the suite itself was so dated and uncomfortable, with its oversized sofa and chair, and hard wooden chairs at the table. The AC was noisy. A King bed was so unpleasant, with cheap sheets and a heavy comforter, that I really could not get any rest at all.

Fortunately, 5:00 a.m. came quickly and sunrise was truly spectacular. A doe and her fawn drinking at the little pond not far from the lake. The experience almost made up for the lack of sleep and jumpiness I felt after a weak cup of coffee. The rest of the morning was spent driving to Gooseberry Falls, where we broke the rules again and drove around the "campers only" site. Nice but just too much wilderness for me. A long ago trip to Barker Lake Lodge came to mind.By then, it was too late for breakfast but we had a delicious sausage and egg burrito at McDonald's in Two Harbors.

Pier B Doesn't Disappoint. Our room at Pier B in Duluth wasn't ready, so we spent a little time across the bridge at Park Point. When we finally checked in, we were really pleased with the familiar attractive property. Our Harbor Vies room on the 4th Floor was beautiful, though the pricey view was obscured by fog for mor of our stay. No matter. Dinner at Silo's was pretty good, although the steak bites we had as an appetizer were chewy. We split a good Caesar salad with grilled salmon. The next morning, we had breakfast there too: just great. Bob had the "northern breakfast" -- two eggs, sausage, hashbrown, and cranberry toast. My breakfast tacos were a good choice too.

With Grandma's Marathon planned for the next day, Duluth was already filling up and we decided to head home, pleased with the maiden voyage of the Equinox and feeling refreshed and happy with our mini-vacation. Our friend and neighbor Amy had put the trash and recycling  barrels back in the garage and all was well with our comfortable home.

Flag Day 2025. Assassination in Minnesota.

June 14 was a shocking, miserable day. Vance Luther Boelter is the prime suspect in the very early morning shooting of State Senator John Hoffman (DFL SD 34 - Champlin) and his wife Yvette, as well as the assassination of former State House speaker and 11-term Representative Melissa Hortman (DFL HD 34B-Brooklyn Park) and her husband Mark.

Yesterday was to be a day of protest in Minnesota, like other "No Kings" protests against the Trump administration taking place across the United States. Instead, Minnesotans were advised to stay away and.organizers canceled formal events.

I thought I would feel better today, but I don't. Instead, my heart is heavy on this dreary Father's Day morning. The suspect is still at large and the shootings dominate local and national news media. In my sadness, I've been reflecting on changes in my beloved Minnesota since I first visited in 1982. I fell in love with the state on my first walk in the Highland neighborhood of St. Paul: beautiful streets, green trees, clean air, a city full of birds and other wildlife. Many residents didn't lock their doors, even at night. I wandered through empty streets in safety, even after dark. I had the immediate feeling that I belonged in this pastoral place.

Fast forward to 1990.  I had been a US citizen for just over three years when I was hired as a "session only" staffer for the House Independent Republican Caucus. I knew little about Minnesota politics at the time, and even less about government. My session-only appointment turned into four years of insider education in the political process and understanding of the art of creating and implementing legislation. It was the beginning a 23-year career in state government. One of my favorite assignments in every job I had was a presentation to new employees entitled "How a Bill Becomes Law".

The years I spent at "the Caucus" were characterized by kindness from fellow IR staffers and representatives, and by staff and legislators I met on "the other side of the aisle". We were always crazy busy, but sometimes had long hours between meetings and floor sessions, especially at the end of the legislative session when we we spent nights at the Capitol. If we had no urgent work to do, we discussed and argued about "the issues" and bills we  were responsible for supporting. Every day was a master class in politics, government, diplomacy, and  public policy. The implications of budget "tails" -- the longer term financial impact of spending decisions made today, continue to influence my evaluation of legislation at all levels.. It was all very civil, and I once said that DFL and IR legislators were more united by shared values than divided by their differences.

Over my four years, the atmosphere at the Capitol became a little more contentious and less collegial. A fellow IR staffer criticized my attendance at an address given at the Capitol by former US Senator and  one-time presidential hopeful Eugene McCarthy. One well-known legislative leader was frequently back-stabbed by a fellow representative. Abortion became a litmus test issue for both parties in many political campaigns. Some legislators were pressured into extreme positions when they and many of their constituents would have preferred a more centrist approach. I moved on to non-partisan state service, with more job security. In 1995 Independent Republicans became "Republicans", aligning the state party more closely with other Republicans in the country and party polarization became more intensive for the next three decades.

During my career with the State of Minnesota, I developed a fierce appreciation for the beautiful land, water, resources, and people of Minnesota. However, over the decades the Twin Cities and even rural Minnesota became more like other American cities. Minnesotans witness urban violence every day, and our downtowns no longer feel safe, at any time of day. People all over the world know Minnesota for the George Floyd tragedy, and now for the violence of yesterday. The headline of today's Pioneer Press is 'Unspeakable'.

I feel depleted and heartbroken. Minnesotans are closely related to one another, by blood, friendship or mutual interest. The Minnesota State Capitol is only a few miles from our home and those suburbs of Minneapolis are a short drive away. Moreover, although I never met either Senator Hoffman or Representative Hortman, I knew them as fellow Minnesotans and dedicated public servants. 

This time of grief is an opportunity to re-examine and change the conditions that got us to this awful place. And, to state the obvious, guns do kill people.