Monthly Archives: August 2016

Parks, Sights, Travel

Caribou Rock Trail, MN

Caribou Rock Trail, Hungry Jack Lake Road, MN

This trail is off of the Gunflint Trail in Superior National Forest.  We headed out of our cabin and down the road to the trail head.  I starts with a climb.  When you get to the first lookout point you can see Hungry Jack Lake and it is big and beautiful.

June 2016 118 Caribou Rock Trail

As you walk further on the trail you have the choice to go left onto Moss Lake Trail or right on Caribou Trail.  Stay to the right.

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There was this weird moss growing on a lot of the trees.  It was somewhere between really pretty and highly concerning.

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The trail itself was a little thick.  It isn’t a road well traveled for sure, but there were some neat nature sights along the way.

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This tree fell over during a storm and ripped its roots right out of the ground.

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I saw a toad.

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There were lots of pretty wild flowers.

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This particular trail was pretty great.  There is a lot of up hill and you need to watch your footing.  It isn’t an easy trail for everyone, but it isn’t really dangerous either.  Most of the best parts are at the beginning although we didn’t do the whole trail.  It is pretty far to the next trail and then you still need to get back.

Basically, if you want a one day trip go as far as you want and then turn around.  We enjoyed Caribou Rock Trail.

 

Parks, Sights, Travel

Moss Lake Trail, MN

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Moss Lake Trail, Superior National Forest

Standing at the corner of Caribou Rock Trail and Moss Lake Trail we head down Moss Lake Trail.  I storm is coming and the wind is making the trees creek pretty loudly.

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Between looking out for falling trees and hoping that the rain would hold off until we returned, which it just barely did, we managed to see some pretty parts of nature.

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Probably halfway on the trail you hit another crossroads with a portage road.  The trail heads up and right into the most ferns I have ever seen.

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The trail was overgrown and between the mosquitoes, ticks, and ferns we finally gave up and turned around.  We kept thinking it was just a little further to what, the lake maybe.  I do not know what is at the end of the trail.  I do know it started to pour the second we returned to the cabin so turning back was the right call.

If you only have time to take either Caribou Rock Trail or Moss Lake Trail I suggest Caribou Rock Trail.  If you make it to the end of Moss Lake Trail let me know what you find.

Wine

Calamity Jane Berry Wine

Calamity Jane – Prairie Berry winery

Calamity Jane is a strawberry wine made in South Dakota at the Prairie Berry winery.  The people at this winery know how to make a good wine.

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This particular wine is delicious.  Truly it is probably the second best wine that Prairie Berry makes in their berry wine selection.

You can actually order this wine directly from the winery if your state allows and it is the right time of year.

If you have a chance try this wine, buy a case, drink it with friends.

I give this one a 5/5.

Restaurant, Travel

Urbana Craeft Kitchen & Market, Bloomington, MN

Urbana Craeft Kitchen & Market, 3200 W 81st St, Bloomington, MN 55425

Urbana is a trendy urban restaurant located in the new Hyatt Regency hotel.  There is an outdoor dining area, a little market area, and tons of tables.

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I have eaten there twice.  Once for lunch and once for dinner.  The meals are all a bit strange so pay attention to what going into your food.  Some of the people I ate with ordered an item they love only to find out that it had an ingredient that they did not.

The market offers snacks, juice, and Star Bucks coffee.  You can pop in, get what you need and go back to your hotel or head out into the city for the day.

I had a pita for lunch.  The one I chose was pretty good.  It had turkey and other items in it.  Overall I was pleased with this selection.  Those in the party that ordered a burger seemed happy for the most part.  One of their burgers has fontina cheese which is one of my favorite cheeses.  The sauce they give you for your fries is homemade and is a bit like sriracha, but not quite.  It seemed a bit bold for Minnesota and frankly I think most people would have preferred a normal ketchup.

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The dinner meal I ordered a crusted filet with baby potatoes and asparagus.  It was the perfect amount of food for me.  If you were hungry, well, if you want a lot of food don’t order a filet.  It wasn’t the best filet that I have ever had.  It was just okay.  The potatoes were perfect with a great seasoning.  The asparagus wasn’t too big.

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Overall the prices are high, but no higher than I would expect in a hotel.  If you are staying at the Hyatt then by all means take a meal here.

I wasn’t impressed, but it isn’t bad.  It just isn’t great and I was expecting more.  Most food out there is worse, but if I am going out to dinner this restaurant isn’t on my list.  I wouldn’t say no if someone suggested it.

It is a place with different flavors.  If you are looking for a change try it and perhaps with luck you will find a flavor you enjoy.

Restaurant, Travel

The Mason Jar, Eagan, MN

The Mason Jar, 1565 Cliff Rd #1, Eagan, MN 55122

Connected to the cupcake factory is The Mason Jar.  There are mason jars everywhere.  It is a theme.

The hummus and vegetable tray is pretty good.

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The item on the menu that interested me was the different pot pies that they offer.  I chose the chicken and vegetable.  The topping is not a super tasty pie crust.  It has its own good qualities.  Overall I hoped for more.  It was pretty good, but not great.

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It is something different.  Give it a try, perhaps your pallet will love it more than mine.  It was cooked properly.  the ingredients were of good quality.  Beyond that it is just person preference.

Restaurant, Travel

Teresa’s Eagan, MN

Teresa’s 1020 Diffley Road, Eagan, MN

Teresa’s is a huge Mexican restaurant with a new location in Eagan.  The building is really big, which is nice because you will not need to worry about having to wait to eat.

They serve all of the standards.  You have to ask for hot sauce, but they have El Yucateco.  They also have a homemade hot sauce which is flavorful, but not hot.

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They start you out with chips and salsa.  It is only one kind of salsa, but it is very good.  The chips were very tasty as well.  They are not too thin or too think, but just right.

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This is on par with El Loro, not quite as good as El Parian, but very close and similar.

I highly suggest checking this place out especially if you live nearby.  You can even sit outside if you want or at the bar.

Travel

Wind River Canyon Scenic Byway, WY

Wind River Canyon Scenic Byway, Shoshoni, WY to Thermopolis, WY

This is truly a beautiful drive that takes maybe an hour and a half round trip.  What out for falling rocks, no joke, sometimes it is actually falling boulders.

The strangest part about this trip is that the river looks like it is travelling the wrong direction.  I do not know how it is possible, but that river seems very wrong.

You travel on one side of the river and there are train tracks on the other side of the river.  Talking about falling boulders, the one of the right in this picture actually fell onto the track and they had to push it into the river.

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While we were driving this they were working on taking out another boulder on the vehicle side of the river that was enormous and there were rocks that had recently fallen onto the road at the start of our trip.

That being said, if you have a sunroof and can look out the top of your car do it as you pass through here.  Not if you are driving of course.

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When you get to the Thermopolis part of the trip there is a dam called the Boysen Dam.  It is an amazing sight and there is a place to pull off and view the dam.

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Below is a picture above the dam.

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Wind River Canyon Scenic Byway is a very pretty drive.  If you have a moment I suggest taking it in, just be careful and pay attention.

Coffee Shop, Travel

The Fix, Buffalo, WY

The Fix, 323 E Hart St, Buffalo, WY 82834

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This is the most unassuming place I have ever stepped into.  From the outside you do not expect anything of note.  Step inside and walk into any great coffee shop.  Okay, there aren’t any lounge couches, but this place looks great.

Being from Minnesota the drinks are a bit weak.  You will only get one shot of espresso in a small so if you are expecting two be aware.  This is pretty normal, but like I said coming from Minnesota it is different to me.

I tried one of the desserts.  The two we bought were pretty good.  We took them to go because we were just passing through.

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They do not keep a car out front so if you want coffee just stop.  They have a sign and that is the only thing that will let you know that they are open even if they do not look open.

If you are looking for a coffee shop drink stop in and get your fix at The Fix.

 

Restaurant, Travel

Taco Time, Lyman, WY

Taco Time, 104 N Main St, Lyman, WY 82937

What time is it?  It’s Taco Time!

While passing through Wyoming and Utah we came across this other Mexican fast food chain restaurant Taco Time.  I was hesitant to try it at first, fearing it was just another Taco Bell, but hunger set in on our return trip so we veered off the interstate a few miles into Lyman, WY and tried Taco Time.

First, I want to say that Lyman is a sweet little town.  Don’t get to worked up about everyone checking out your vehicle, new people in small towns just draw attention.  This particular Taco Time is about 3 miles off the interstate.  They seem to really care about cleanliness, service, and quality, not sure if that is standard or just this particular Taco Time, but it was as good as can be expected from this kind of fast food Mexican food chain.

Their philosophy is fresh, real ingredients which puts them above some of the other chains like this one.

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I bought a platter to get a sampling of the different foods.  It was a lot of food, not very expensive, and looked amazing.  The beef is very lean, which I do not personally like.  The fat is where the taste is, but it makes it less greasy and healthier I suppose.  The chicken is clearly real chunks of chicken.  I prefer shredded chicken in my Mexican food, but it is a testament to the real food part of their philosophy.  The tots were good and the chips were okay.

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Overall it was worth the stop.  I think it was really worth picking this one a little off the road and in a small town.

Is it going to be the greatest Mexican food you ever ate, no.  Is it going to be the best fast food Mexican food you ever ate, depends on your tastes.  I still prefer Taco Johns, but I would try this chain again.

Lodging, Travel

Roadway Inn and Suites, Spearfish, SD

Roadway Inn and Suites, 2275 E Colorado Blvd, Spearfish, SD 57783

I really liked this hotel.  It isn’t super nice, but it is exactly what you need.   We stayed here on a trip to everywhere.  It was our first stop on a trip out west.  If you are looking for a place with a pool and hot tub this one is pretty nice.

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The rooms are fairly basic.  You get a bed and a seating area.  I believe the pillows were a normal size.  Something that I never thought would be a concern, but we have all encountered the tiny pillows some hotels have these days.

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The coffee in the room is Arabica coffee which is really important.  100% Arabica, I cannot stress how important this is in coffee.

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You get a free breakfast.  The eating area is extremely small, but you can always take it back to your room.  The gravy for the biscuits and gravy was really good.  The biscuits were a bit dense, but tasted okay.  They also had cereal.

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The best part about staying at this hotel was the Perkins across the street.  With your hotel key you can get a free desert.  Perkins deserts are really good so this was a great perk.  I am not sure if they have it all of the time, but if they do it might be the best reason to stay at this hotel.

It isn’t the Four Seasons, but it is clean, up to date, the food is okay, and it is a good area to stay in.  If you need a place in Spearfish, SD I suggest this one.