My final flight to the north woods on Saturday went without a hitch – thank goodness. There was a chance of thunderstorms which never materialized and an air show which did not interfere with our schedule. We even enjoyed watching a bit of the air show once we were safely on the ground.
Yesterday was our first proper day of vacation and we started out with a visit to an inland lake for some fishing – and a kayak lesson. My step-mother invited me to come along kayaking with her and a friend and I thought I’d better practice a little first because I don’t relish the thought of flipping over in Lake Superior! It was a lot easier than I thought – then again it was a very calm day. It remains to be seen how I do in the big lake.
Being up here with my own children got me to thinking about all the other trips I’ve made to Minnesota as a child with my parents, many of which were done by car. I remember one year that my sister and I, aged 18 & 14 respectively, smooshed into my dad’s mini-pickup truck (no AC) and rode up from sourthern Lousiana with him. We alternated who had to sit in the middle, which was made more uncomfortable by the stick shift. There was no radio, just an old tape deck which my father had command of. At fourteen, I preferred to listen to road noise and wind than folk music.
Some things never change 
