Trip to Minnesota

Spring arrived early here in Texas, so I'm anticipating the heat to follow soon.  Last summer was the hottest I've ever experienced.  Fortunately, I got a little respite from the sweltering Texas heat last August when I visited my brother in International Falls, Minnesota.  It's the northern-most town in the United States. Canada is literally in its backyard.



I-Falls (as the locals call it) is not easy to get to.  You have to have determination and a pioneer spirit.  And a car.  Definitely rent a car.  I was traveling with my parents and my boyfriend.  We flew into Minneapolis Saint Paul Internationa Airport, picked up a rental car, and drove about five hours due North.  Minnesota is gorgeous, so the time flew by.  The clear blue lakes and towering pine trees were a welcome change of scenery from our part of the country that had turned brown from being scorched by the heat.

Sha Sha Bar and Grill. Image via turbofan on Flickr

We stayed in a little cabin on Rainy Lake at a resort area called Sha Sha.  The location was perfect, as our cabin was steps away from Sha Sha Bar and Grill, which was the epicenter of the area's night life happenings (and one of the few places to find decent grub).



The purpose of our trip was to visit my brother who was working at Camp Kooch-i-Ching, a wilderness adventure camp for boys.  He spent the summer overseeing a cabin full of teenagers, taking kids on canoe trips, and doing various manly outdoorsy things.  It was so much fun to see him in his element.  The camp is on an island and can only be accessed by boat.  It's an incredible place for a young man to spend a summer.



I-Falls is a great place to visit if you want to escape summer heat or fast-paced city life.  We had a peaceful, relaxing stay.  This summer my brother will be working at an art gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  I'm sure he'll expect another visit from us, so I'm already planning a trip to the mountains. :)