Greetings - Put some mileage on Patience but we've been having a great time together.  She's having the desired effect on me.  I actually pull over and LET people pass me.  For those who have had the pleasure of being my passenger, you know that's a huge shift in behavior.

Left Jeanne's on Saturday and while rolling down Hwy 56 to the Mississippi, had to stop for 2 wild turkeys crossing the road - then around the corner was a 20' turkey sculpture made from crushed beer cans.  Perhaps I'm reading too much into these omens.

Wandered along the Root River valley in southern MN and stopped to watch people bike and canoe.  Gorgeous day and a lovely winding road through beautiful scenery.  Next was Spring Valley, and while admiring the lovely old restored homes a sign caught my eye - Wilder Museum.  Although there's no relationship, decided to drop by and get acquainted with Laura Ingalls and joined a couple a guys and a docent touring an 1860s home.  She began listing my chores as a prairie wife and I had no problem with the coal hod, firebox, baking 8 loaves of bread, rocking the cradle while churning butter but bailed when we got to the chamber pots.  Luckily for me (and bad news for Tim), that job is assigned to the oldest son.   She also took us into a barn that had a collection of farm equipment, sleigh, surrey AND a 2 seater open cockpit airplane made from a kit using an auto engine.  Not 1860s material but darn impressive.

Planned to stay in New Ulm but there was no room at ANY inn. A very kind desk clerk at EconoLodge called around and found a room for me in Sleepy Eye (comments allowed here) where I met up with some youngsters celebrating their 55th high school reunion.  Back to New Ulm to get back on my route along the Minnesota River and straighten myself out on the definition of a Glockenspiel.  Not a wooden child's toy after all but a 45' tower that depicts the area's German history using carved wooden characters and music.  Unfortunately, it was pouring rain so didn't get to see the performance.

Next was Fort Ridgely, site of the Dakota War (or conflict) depending on who's telling the story.  It seemed like all could have been avoided had the Indian agent given  the tribe the promised provisions and gold for their signing over southern Minnesota.  Would love to have wandered the grounds more but still raining.  Good for Minnesota but not for hiking.   Sadly, many of the corn fields I passed were yellowed and brown.  Some even looked like they'd been hit by a wind storm and large swaths were laying on their sides.  A double whammy.

Up to Spicer to stay at my first network B & B.  My host was wonderful - welcomed me as a good friend traveling through and decided to stay 2 nites.  It was a lakeside home on Green Lake with a comfy suite. Stopped at her community garden plot on Monday to pick up some dinner ingredients and then on to New London to poke around the shops and art studios & have a panini lunch.  Met some of her friends that evening, some of whom were working on a Democratic state representative candidate's campaign. Together we diagnosed most of the world's problems. Sue winters in Laguna Beach so am planning to drop by on my CA tour.

Am in South Dakota now.  Will update you after the weekend.