Another update from the coronation road! Was in Morristown, Minnesota on Wednesday night with Princess Jenna and had a great time as usual. Morristown, if you're not familiar with it, is about 75 miles south of the Twin Cities on Highway 60 (in between Faribault and Mankato). Population is right around 1000 and their celebration is called "Dam Days".
After arriving, Jenna and I mingled with the candidates who were up for title of "Miss Morristown". There were three candidates, all high school juniors. There was also a "Little Miss Morristown" contest (and by contest, I mean picking names out of a fishbowl!) and they were adorable. They sang a couple of songs and did their candidate walk on stage complete with a twirl....kind of.
Jenna and Me Walking Onstage
We gave out a couple of Aquatennial Commodores Awards to Randy Meschke and Mike O'Rourke. Both were recognized for outstanding service to the community and volunteer-ism. Both very deserving of the honor and its a terrific thing the Aquatennial does to let these people know that their efforts do not go unnoticed.
Giving Out The Commodore Awards
A "Miss Morristown" was chosen, Stephanie Meschke . First Princess was April Meschke and Second Princess was Renae Krause. Yes, there were a lot of Meschke's....small towns are not just places where you know everybody, its where you're named after everybody. I know, I'm from one of those towns. My sister ended up with one of the Orrocks from our hometown. One of the MANY Orrocks! It's not a bad thing, its just a thing. Probably speaks well of a community and family when you can point to them staying close and enjoying the company of brothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, etc.
The New Miss Morristown, Little Miss Morristown and Princesses
Now, off to another rant....completely separate from all of the festivities. I had a good amount of time to think about this during my hour and a half drive from the Twin Cities to Morristown. I took I35 to Highway 60 into town and then took Highway 13 back through New Prague and Prior Lake on the way home. The reason I'm telling you this is because its a part of the state I haven't seen much of, at least in a long time.
With all the traveling I'll be doing this summer, gas prices are a real concern. It's not fun to fill up for $70 a pop. I remember when we were in high school, we'd just decide on a Friday or Saturday just to get in the car and drive. Maybe head up to Mille Lacs, maybe up to the North Shore and camp at Temperance...one time we just decided to drive to Texas! No big deal. You could fill up for $15 and you were off. Obviously, that has changed.
Anyway, I started thinking about how I NEVER drive anywhere unless I need to be there for a reason. I miss getting in the car, taking off not really knowing why or where and just enjoying being out of the city, getting away for a bit, listening to the radio and enjoying nothing and everything at the same time. There's something kind of magical about pulling over in a town you've never been to, pulling out a map and figuring out where to go next. Turn on the radio (WCCO, cough, cough, wink, wink) and drive. I guess those days are gone. Why waste the money now?
The area around Morristown is a wonderful part of the state and one of the many areas of the state that is kind of overlooked for its natural beauty. Yes, the North Shore is great. The Brainerd Lakes area has tons of stuff to do. There's a million golf courses up north that shouldn't be missed. I'm as guilty as anyone of just going "up north", whatever that means. I've forgotten what's south and west of the Twin Cities. My bad.
In the last couple months, I've driven more through that part of Minnesota than I have in my whole life. I'm sure I'm not alone. Most people just think of that area as "farm country", right? What could possibly be out there? I've seen cows. Big deal. Wrong.
There were two of the most picturesque lakes I'd ever run across near Morristown and Waterville. The scenery even off I35 was as nice as anything you'll see north of Brainerd. The quaint little ballfields in New Prague, Gaylord, Arlington and Gibbon are, as I've said in earlier posts, unbelievable. The people are still "old fashioned" in a good way. They're helpful, always willing to chat with you and damn glad to meet ya. The smell of freshly mowed grass and freshly tilled fields is all over the place. Everything, and I mean everything is bright green.
It's kind of cool and it's too bad we don't do that anymore.
Anyway, that's it for now. Grande Ole Days Parade is next...more on that this week.
Lindsey Peterson
2008 Captain
Minneapolis Aquatennial
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