Right after we finished interviewing Rita Albrect, Xavier and I headed just a couple blocks down 3rd St NW here in lovely Bemidji to check out the Paul Bunyan museum. It certainly didn't dissappoint. About two seconds in to walking around the open green area a group of children came out of the information center with their parent's and I overheard a conversation that went roughly like this:

Mom- "I'm sorry honey, but Paul Bunyan isn't real, he's just a story, a legend"

Child- "That's NOT TRUE! He is real, or they wouldn't know what he looked like for that! (pointing at the massive statue)"

 

Now I don't bring this up to make fun of the youth of Bemidji--far from it--rather, I was exactly the same as a child. All of you who had active imaginations as children (or do as adult children) feel free to nod your head in agreement with me now. You can't tell me that a huge man with an ax making scenery with a giant blue ox isn't so awesome that it has to be real. Anyway the area around the museum is beautiful in the non-overused meaning of the word. The lake next to the two statues is your stereotypical Minnesota lake (see: beautfil, clear, surrounded by big beautiful trees, etc.). It was a little choppy with the slight breeze blowing, but I was about ready to hop right in for a swim if I didn't think the folks riding on the miniature train would have minded. Xavier was a little unnerved by the structural integrity of the dock, or perceived lack thereof, but it was a very enjoyable stop after the long hours of driving yesterday.

The museum is really a special place in the state. It's got all of your Minnesota neccesities. Giant statue of something outsiders might think slightly odd? Check. Beautiful lake? Check. Big, healthly, and vibrant green trees everywhere? Check. Rules against "riding" the ox statue so that people driving around the state can't climb it for a photo op? Check and Check. We're posting a couple of things from yesterday and still editing some videos from yesterday and this morning, so we'll check back in when we return to the land of internet service with more goodies.