Thursday, August 20, 2026

2026 Road Trip - Day 8

Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026 - Banging across Minnesota and South Dakota, take a right in Aberdeen, South Dakota, and spend the night in Jamestown, North Dakota! After blogging, I Hit The Local Businesses - Jiffy Lube for oil change, Wampach's for breakfast, and Target for "personal shopping". And the I Hit The Road - after 443 miles (and 38 Post Offices, plus 2 closed ones), I checked into the Super 8 in Jamestown, North Dakota at 8 PM:

Well, that was a GREAT BREAKFAST:

Nice wall-art in Shakopee, Minnesota:

In Collins, Minnesota, I saw a nice flock of swans (?white Canadian Geese?):

Looks like a tough neighborhood:

Can't I stop, please?!?! I've never seen "Helicopter Work" before!

The first (and only) sign I see for Wall Drug today:

Just keep heading west:
Pretty flowers in Granite Falls, Minnesota:

Public Art in Montevideo, Minnesota:

Yea, I'm going to all those Minnesota towns:

Now I know why 56227 - Correll, MN has a Dead Post Office (but how did it get one to begin with?):

I entered South Dakota just after 3 PM:

Is that The Church from "Haven":

I stopped at the Walmart in Aberdeen, SD. Between this Walmart and this morning's Target, I have definately gotten "my steps" for today!

Cool "Dakota Sky":

The 2 cutest Post Offices today - "56276 - Odessa, MN" and "57426 - Barnard, SD":

I entered North Dakota at 6:48

Not much activity out here. Looking north, and looking south:

There is certainly something going on in Edgeley, North Dakota:

I checked into the Super 8 in Jamestown, North Dakota at 8 PM:

WOW - Thank you God for another wonderful Adventure Day!

Once again, Music for today are albums that I have not heard before (well, maybe I have heard some):

in this morning's hotel room - Michael Jones - Pianoscapes, 1985 album, last heard never - very nice "new age piano" music:

On The Road: Natalie Merchant - Tigerlily, 1995 debut album, last heard never:

Neil Diamond - The Very Best Of Neil Diamond: The Original Recordings, 2011 album, last heard never - Very Well Done (I need to re-order the tracks by date):


Neil Young - Tonight's The Night, 21975 album, last heard never - I really "weird Neil" from the 70's:


Patti Smith Group - Wave (3 songs), 1979 album, last heard 9/16/2016 - I only keep 3 songs: "Frederick”, “Dancing Barefoot”, “So You Want to Be (A Rock 'n' Roll Star)":

Paul Simon - The Essential Paul Simon (2 cds), 2007 compilation album, last heard never - wonderful stuff covering his solo career

Pete Townshend - All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes, 1982 4th solo album, last heard never. Very good stuff:

Peter Allen - Bi-Coastal, 1980 album, last heard 8/09/2019. I like his stuff - too bad he died of aids in 1992. He was married to Liza Minnelli (with an "interesting face"):

Poco - Crazy Loving: The Best of Poco 1975-1982, 1989 compilation album, last heard never. wow, I don't like this album (except for only a couple of songs):

Queen - Classic Queen, 1992 compilation album, last heard never. wow, I also don't like this album (except for only a couple of songs):

Shameless Plug: if you enjoy this blog, you may like my other one about Hiking the 4,000 footers in New Hampshire/Vermont/Maine/New York:
hyperlink: dixonheadingnorth
http://dixonheadingnorth.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, August 19, 2026

2026 Road Trip - Day 7

Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026 - Banging across Wisconsin, and visiting the Minneapolis Institute of Art! After blogging and breakfast, I Hit The Road. After 352 miles (and 27 Post Offices, plus 1 closed one), I checked into the Super 8 in Chaska, Minnesota at 6:30 PM:

Nice wall-art in New London, Wisconsin:

I stopped at the Little Wolf River for some pretty pictures:

This is known as Chain-of-Lakes at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King:
The Wisconsin Veterans Home at King is a historic long-term care and skilled nursing facility located at N2665 County Road QQ, King, WI 54946. Operated by the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs, it sits on a 42-acre scenic campus along Rainbow Lake and the Chain O'Lakes, offering 24-hour medical care, rehabilitation, and support services to eligible veterans, their spouses, and Gold Star Parents.

And they have pretty flowers at their Post Office:

I don't know what they are doing, all lying-down! Don't they know Wisconsin is "America's Dairyland"???

NOW THAT'S BETTER:

Always fun to see The Blues Brothers (dress-up) in an ad:

I was running out of time, and the "RAMP CLOSED" sign put an end to "grabbing Wisconsin Post Offices":

From there, I went straight west for 2-and-1/2 hours, to the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Thank You God for my parking space!):

Favorites include - Pierre Auguste Renoir - "The Piazza San Marco, Venice", 1881 oil:

Francesco Guardi - "View up the Grand Canal toward the Rialto", c. 1785 oil:

Alfred Thompson Bricher - "Mississippi at Dubuque, lowa", 1870 oil:

Thomas Moran - "A Scene on the Tohickon Creek: Autumn", 1868 oil:

I left there at 4:58 (yes, they close at 5), and checked into the Super 8 in Chaska, Minnesota at 6:30 PM:

Thank you God for another wonderful Adventure Day!

Music for today are albums that I have not heard before:

in this morning's hotel room - Acoustic Alchemy - Radio Contact, 2003 album, last heard never - very nice "new age" music:

On The Road: various - Southern Rock Gold, 2005 2-cd compilation album, last heard never - WOW - a GREAT way to spend a couple of hours on the road - highlights include

Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Sweet Home Alabama"
The Allman Brothers Band - "Ramblin' Man"
The Marshall Tucker Band - "Heard It in a Love Song"
Atlanta Rhythm Section - "Champagne Jam"
The Outlaws - "Green Grass and High Tides"
Gregg Allman - "Midnight Rider"
Wet Willie - "Street Corner Serenade"
Atlanta Rhythm Section - "So Into You"
The Marshall Tucker Band - "Can't You See"
Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Free Bird"
The Allman Brothers Band - "Whipping Post"


various - Still Wish You Were Here: A Tribute To Pink Floyd, 2021 tribute album, last heard never - Very Well Done:


various - Stoned Immaculate: The Music Of The Doors, 2000 tribute album, last heard never - Very Well Done, especially "Roadhouse Blues" with John Lee Hooker:


various - The Sullivan Years - The Mod Sound, 1990 live album, last heard never - live songs from The Ed Sullivan Show (The Mamas & The Papas, The 5th Dimension, Lulu, Petula Clark, Spanky & Our Gang). After the previous 2 albums, this does sound a little saccharine, but still a keeper:

various - Then: Ultimate Rock Mix, 2007 compilation album, last heard never - I thinned down to:

Icicle Works - “Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly)”
The Tubes - “She's A Beauty”
The Zombies - “Time Of The Season”
Climax Blues Band - “Couldn't Get It Right”
Love And Rockets - “Ball Of Confusion (USA Mix)”
Real Life - “Send Me An Angel '89”
Brian Auger's Oblivion Express - “Happiness Is Just Around The Bend”
Gerry Rafferty - “Baker Street”
Charlatans UK - “The Only One I Know”
The Sweet - “Fox On The Run”
Re-Flex - “The Politics Of Dancing”
Chilliwack - “Whatcha Gonna Do”


various - Time-Life Classic Rock: 1966 - Shakin' All Over, 1989 compilation album, last heard never. Start with Nancy Sintara "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'", and go from there:

various - Here It Is: A Tribute To Leonard Cohen, 2022 tribute album, last heard never. For some reason, this is an excellent compilation. The artists capture some of the darkness/sterness/Catholic-soul of Leonard Cohen's music:

lyrics "Suzanne":

And Jesus was a sailor when he walked upon the water
And he spent a long time watching from his lonely wooden tower
And when he knew for certain only drowning men could see him
He said all men will be sailors then until the sea shall free them
But he himself was broken long before the sky would open
Forsaken almost human, he sank beneath your wisdom like a stone


various - 20 Greatest Hits 1968, 1987 compilation album, last heard never. another fun collection:

various - '60s Pop, Rock, & Soul Vol. 1 & 2, last heard never:

Shameless Plug: if you enjoy this blog, you may like my other one about Hiking the 4,000 footers in New Hampshire/Vermont/Maine/New York:
hyperlink: dixonheadingnorth
http://dixonheadingnorth.blogspot.com/