Upper Iowa, Hotel Winn Rotunda, and the front of the Jailhouse Inn
It's the eve of traveling to the Goldsmith fam reunion aka Goldsmith Golf tourney - though some of us wiser family members have chosen not to waste, ah spend our hard earned $$ on flogging.
In past years we've taken turns traveling around to sites at or near siblings home. This year we've decided to try something new - we're going exotic. We're going to jail - the Jailhouse Bed and Breakfast at Preston, MN. It's a place my buddy Deb and I have gone for kayaking in past years. Then Paul and I stayed there along with Jud a few years back on our way home from a Goldsmith reunion in Port Washington, WI. Jud was shocked to find out there was no TV! We had to play board games all night - more fun anyway.
The Jail is a delightful place all beautifully restored - large enough to fit most of the 7 remaining siblings. Each room (named for a past jailer) has its own bath. We're having the staff cater the Saturday meal after the golfers are done. Some of the fam - the ones with kids/grandkids coming are staying in Rochester at a place with a pool.
I can do all of this using No vacation time. How you ask? I am taking this opportunity to visit 2 landfills I've been meaning to get to. Hah! Won't they be surprised when I come driving in with my spousal unit and kayaks on top of my Subaru. It's win-win-win. I get to drive most of the way to the reunion on the state's nickel and on their time. The state gets some presence and oversight of a couple little visited places. And the environment is spared one trips by my combining two into one!
After a stop tomorrow at the FMC Landfill just outside of our former home in Osage we plan to stay at the beautiful Hotel Winneshiek. I'm pretending it's our anniversary that night - unless I get too tired. (one can do that when one has been married some 28 years...). I'm looking forward to looking around Decorah too. The next day - it's off to the Winneshiek recycling facility. Woohoo! It's what I live for...
Then on to kayaking - either the Root or the Upper Iowa, if it's not too flooded. Gorgeous sheer cliffs and bald eagles - you would never know you're in Iowa there. One year, Deb and I did the upper end of that bad boy - if you're lucky, one day I'll tell you that tale...it involves tippy canoes (or kayaks), lost bridges (the mouth kind - due to Milk Duds), and cattle crossings. Exciting - no?
I'm looking forward to seeing the fam. We all talk at once! Except for the quiet ones (there are a few). More next week. With photos!
In past years we've taken turns traveling around to sites at or near siblings home. This year we've decided to try something new - we're going exotic. We're going to jail - the Jailhouse Bed and Breakfast at Preston, MN. It's a place my buddy Deb and I have gone for kayaking in past years. Then Paul and I stayed there along with Jud a few years back on our way home from a Goldsmith reunion in Port Washington, WI. Jud was shocked to find out there was no TV! We had to play board games all night - more fun anyway.
The Jail is a delightful place all beautifully restored - large enough to fit most of the 7 remaining siblings. Each room (named for a past jailer) has its own bath. We're having the staff cater the Saturday meal after the golfers are done. Some of the fam - the ones with kids/grandkids coming are staying in Rochester at a place with a pool.
I can do all of this using No vacation time. How you ask? I am taking this opportunity to visit 2 landfills I've been meaning to get to. Hah! Won't they be surprised when I come driving in with my spousal unit and kayaks on top of my Subaru. It's win-win-win. I get to drive most of the way to the reunion on the state's nickel and on their time. The state gets some presence and oversight of a couple little visited places. And the environment is spared one trips by my combining two into one!
After a stop tomorrow at the FMC Landfill just outside of our former home in Osage we plan to stay at the beautiful Hotel Winneshiek. I'm pretending it's our anniversary that night - unless I get too tired. (one can do that when one has been married some 28 years...). I'm looking forward to looking around Decorah too. The next day - it's off to the Winneshiek recycling facility. Woohoo! It's what I live for...
Then on to kayaking - either the Root or the Upper Iowa, if it's not too flooded. Gorgeous sheer cliffs and bald eagles - you would never know you're in Iowa there. One year, Deb and I did the upper end of that bad boy - if you're lucky, one day I'll tell you that tale...it involves tippy canoes (or kayaks), lost bridges (the mouth kind - due to Milk Duds), and cattle crossings. Exciting - no?
I'm looking forward to seeing the fam. We all talk at once! Except for the quiet ones (there are a few). More next week. With photos!
