Gratitude: Scenic Byways

Last night I joined a couple of my friends in a very Wisconsinite activity.  We went Up North.  That's right.  For those of you not from the area, this term so often used here simply means going up to someone's cabin, usually situated on a a picturesque lake in northern WI.  The visit itself was all I could have asked for- good chats and laughs shared around a campfire with a beverage in hand.  Good times.

But today's thanks isn't dedicated to the actual time Up North, but rather the drive home.  My friends were staying at the cabin all weekend, and since I am only home for a few days, I drove home by myself on Saturday.  To leave the cabin on my own, the directions given to me were, "Take road Z to N and turn left, left, right, left, right."  What?!  Needless to say poor road markers and the left- right system added a few extra miles to my trip.  But I didn't mind too much as I was enjoying the gorgeous Wisconsin countryside, the sun was shining, and I was listening to my all-time favorite radio station, 89.3 The Current.

Upon reaching the MN/WI border, rather than take the Wisconsin side, as I had heading up, I decided to take another route, Hwy 95, along the Minnesota side.  Somehow, having lived 18 plus years of my life in this area, I have never driven 95 between St Croix Falls, WI and Stillwater, MN.  Oh my dear goodness, it was beautiful!  Again, as I had thought when I landed in MN, I was wishing I had someone new to the area with me to experience this and see just how beautiful this area is.  I was driving along, just as happy as could be.  I stopped a few times to take some pictures and I wandered through a sculpture park.  It reminded me of how much I love this place, and how I could possibly see myself living here again one day.  Some day, perhaps.

Once again, I marvel at the natural beauty the Midwest has to offer.  And I marvel at the way it makes me feel.  I couldn't have asked for a better day.  A fun road trip, good music, great sites.  Even though I am a huge advocate of RT's with friends, this short trip by myself was perfect.  Working and living on a boat doesn't afford me much alone time, so when I get it, I cherish it.  Thanks for the wonderful day!