Good morning Winnipeg! The sun is shining and we’re both feeling fully refreshed. Traveling 1500 kilometers in just over 48 hours may not sound restful, but a good adventure always leaves our batteries charged.
Early Friday morning, with clear skies and the scent of optimism in the air, we set out to explore. We first stopped at Kroll’s, a retro diner in Fargo, and then continued on to the small town of Albany to visit an antique store. We used up a little bit of time browsing the many vendors and ducking the rain, then drove around the lakeside community marveling at the quaintness of Middle America. Feeling satisfied, we pressed on to the big city (not without completing a competitve game of Road Trip Bingo).
Arriving at our hosts’ condo (thanks Marc & Bre!) in the always-welcoming Warehouse District, we dropped our bags and headed to the rooftop for a meal and a couple beverages. A few hours later, feeling hearty and merry, we hailed a cab to Gasthof, and re-visited our favourite German pasttime — beer-drinking. It was a warm reminder of Oktoberfest, and we somehow managed to put away a full boot of delicious, cold ale.
Evening came and went, and after a re-invigorating breakfast we arrived at our final destination — Rock the Garden! Although the festival-goers were fully wrapped-up in rain gear, we were impressed with the laid back vibe of the festival, and set up shop on the embankment of the natural amphitheatre before the stage. The festival was run extremely efficiently, with volunteers even manning the compost and recylcing stations, calmly and diligently offering direction. After 3 opening acts including Booker T. Jones and Neko Case, we finally got to do something we’ve been trying to do for almost 5 years. Witness My Morning Jacket. And they did not leave us disappointed. In fact, nothing about this trip did. The vibrancy, friendliness, and diversity (not to mention fantastic design) in Minneapolis keep us coming back for another round, and we look forward to the next time it pulls us into it’s web. So goodbye America, and look out Saskatchewan. We’ll see you in 2 short days!
