We vacationed in Park Rapids, MN this past August. For the most part Big Pines Campground is right in the town of Park Rapids, but far enough from major streets allowing only sirens to infiltrate the night. At first I thought we were staying in a Bad Boy town, but the frequency of sirens was a little too much. A combination of ambulance and police work is a better explanation. There are a lot of older retired people in the area. Early one morning an ambulance and several police vehicles were dispatched to Big Pines Campground. They attempted to revive a woman who was simply getting ready for work. I had never associated vacationing and camping with death. I never put the two events together, camping is fun right?
We did a lot of flat water kayaking. Wide slow rivers are about as close as we get to fast water. Every day was sunny and bug free. Big Sand, Little Sand, Blue, Lake Belle Taine, Fish Hook, were some of the lakes we paddled. Big Sand and Blue were our favorites. Their blue green color is what attracted us back for a second paddle. It is odd that one lake can have an eighteen-foot clarity and a connecting lake only be rated at ten feet. Each lake has its own DNA. I tried to winnow out 10 photos’ to exhibit the Park Rapids area lakes but failed. Photo’s below.
The Saturday before we left a car show was in town. Park Rapids down town is a little odd. Main Street is very wide allowing for two lanes of parallel parking in the center of the street. If you are not ready for it and you enter town from the south, it looks as if cars and trucks are heading right for you. This is a hold over from the late 1800’s when wagon loads of timber were hauled to town, and lots of room was needed for the horses and wagons to back up to a loading dock. Photo’s below.
The population of Dorset, MN is 22. There are 4 restaurants in town making it the self proclaimed restaurant capital of the world. It so happened we were passing through Dorset during a festival. Lots of action for a tiny town.
The The Logging Camp is a popular place to eat. I was lumberjack hungry. Historical memorabilia from old logging day’s was the hook. Maybe we went at the wrong time, or maybe people simply do not care about memorabilia these day’s. We did not have difficulty finding a place to sit.
Weather was good, eating was good, and paddling was fantastic. So many lakes, so little time, and to think Minnesota is one of fifty. Paddling, peddling, hiking, wandering about and seeing God’s creation and his children is a joy and wonderment. Working is good too. We need purpose. In a year or so our purpose will change, exactly how I don’t know, but we are looking forward to it.
Living In Eternity 