A Change of Scenery

Interstate State Park

As we went to bed last night, we decided a change of scenery would be a good idea. Let's get out of the house. Even though it was supposed to rain, we figured we could put on our rain jackets and rain boots and get a little fresh air at one of the closer MN State Parks. Maybe we could catch a short hike before the rain began.

First off, both boys (and Mommy and Daddy, too) slept in past 9 am! This was a much needed rest for everyone. We took our time getting ready, packed up snacks and gassed up the van on our way to Interstate State Park in Taylor's Falls, MN. Fortunately, N looked up the details of the Shelter in Place and found we couldn't park at the main parking lot where you can see the glacial potholes. We parked near the campground and decided to hike the 1.25 miles to the potholes.

There were a lot of stops along the way to climb rocks, view the St. Croix River, check for animals and splash in the mud/puddles. We saw a woodpecker, several chipmunks, geese, and lots of evidence of beavers. When we got to the glacial pothole area, we all explored and tried to find evidence of potholes that were not marked. There was even a bit of a science lesson as we learned about how the area was formed millions and billions of years ago. The largest potholes were all filled with ice and pools of water, so we couldn't see very far down to measure their depth, but they were cool to see nonetheless.

Surprisingly, there were very few people along the path. I'm not sure if it was the weather or the Shelter in Place order that kept people away. There were a few rock climbers and several people walking dogs. A few families out with the same idea as us, but far fewer than I expected. It didn't rain at all while we were there and just started to mist as we were driving home.

The hike back to the car was much quicker, since we had already stopped to see everything the way there. There were very few arguments and no whining about walking the entire time! L said it was "the best day EVER!" and M agreed. Score for something different to do! We will have to find more trails that we can explore. We might head back to the Franconia Sculpture Park next time. Maybe try geocaching, but is that risky by touching items while out and about?

After we got home, we had a Zoom call with N's family. It was so great to see them and chat for a bit, even though the boys were a bit crazy. M kept changing the virtual background so we looked like we were in Mexico or in space.

We ended the day with chili and watching Rogue One while it stormed outside. Boys were super tired and asleep in no time, along with me beside them.

Happy hiking!

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