Later that day ....

After leaving Dorrie and Harv's home, I headed toward the Forest History Center, an attraction they had suggested. Grand Rapids (and much of North Eastern Minnesota) started out as logging towns. The Forest History Center is an interactive recreated logging town set in Winter 1900. (that part takes a little imagination when it's 90* outside). After the tour finished and the woman with 6 children left, I chatted for a while with Brian our guide. He had been doing this for 5 years and was very knowledgeable about the center and the area in general. I headed off to the river for some more information. Realizing I hadn't eaten that day and it being about 3pm I decided to head off. Two of the interpreters as they are known were sitting in front of the cook house having a break when I walked by. Part of the program is that they cook traditional dishes (mostly so the cook house smells good) and I came to discover sometimes offer morsels to weary travellers such as myself. A cookie was gladly accepted and then venison and veggies. Fawn and Paula were great hosts. They're below in their costumes at the Histroy Center. By the end of our discussion Paula was calling her husband Bob to see if I could come home and spend some time with them. She thought her two kids would love to hear about Australia. Bob had to work night shift that night so it was agreed having a stranger in the house would be too much stress for him. I did however join them for a parents against kids little league game that evening. It was another new experience and something I enjoyed immensely. I even got to play. There's a photo of Paula and her family at the park on the left slideshow. If you're ever in Grand Rapids the Forest History Center is worth a stop, if only to chat with Paula, Fawn, Brian and the rest of the interpreting crew.