| Tuesday, September 8. It’s 2:17 in the afternoon, and we still haven’t left Red Wing. A storm went through while we at lunch at The Staghead downtown. I wanted the grilled polenta, but they were out, so I settled for linguini with sweet red and green bell peppers, onion, shitake mushrooms and Italian sausage with a rich Parmesan cream sauce. Brian got a cheeseburger topped with Swiss cheese and applewood-smoked bacon, and a salad with blue cheese. To quote Samuel Jackson’s character in the movie “Pulp Fiction”, it was a mighty tasty burger. We’re back at the boat, waiting for the weather to clear. We had put the cockpit cover up before walking into town, so everything’s dry onboard.
Trains run beside the river, so we are aware of them a lot. They don’t slow down for little towns, but do blow their horns. This can be bothersome when one is trying to sleep. Actually the only marina where we have that problem is Dan’s Pepin Marine, where we will stay one night on our way back south. The tracks there are really close to the boats.
One of our dock mates here at the Red Wing Marina told us we should eat at Norton’s the next time we’re in town, so I made a note of it for next time, and thanked him profusely. Can you tell we love good food? A lot of people, including us, like eating at the historic St. James hotel. It was established in 1875, and still puts up visitors in its 61 unique Victorian rooms, and feeds them in its two restaurants.
We also like to learn a little about the history of the towns we visit. Once known as the world’s largest wheat port, Red Wing has retained its historic ambiance. In 1660, Father Hennepin settled a Native American village on the site. The first chief, Hoopahoodoota (no kidding), chose as his emblem a swan’s wing stained scarlet, and became known as Chief Red Wing. In 1837 the first white settlers came, and after the signing of treaties with the Lower Sioux (1851) and Dakota Nation (1852), the land was officially open for homesteading. People made many claims in 1853, and several houses were erected.
Red Wing is a difficult navigation point for barges, as it is where the Mississippi’s sharpest curve is located. It’s also famous for Red Wing Shoes, which has a museum. The lavishly restored 1904 Sheldon Theatre features a full schedule of entertainment. Boaters can park along the levee wall and stroll through a lovely park to reach downtown. The flower baskets hanging on the street lamps are absolutely stunning.
We are on the river again, on our way to our most northerly destination, Stillwater, Mn. We just went through Lock and Dam 3, a non-event as we were the only boat there. You can already tell it’s after Labor Day. We spotted 4 eagles in the first ½ hour we were on the water. And one blue heron.
Now we are approaching Prescott, the town at the confluence of the Mississippi and the St. Croix rivers. You can actually see where the two bodies of water meet – the muddy Miss and the clear St. Croix. We will be taking the St. Croix for the rest of our journey north. Prescott has a restaurant at the Point Saint Croix Marina featuring yummy shrimp. There is also a very nice restaurant downtown called appropriately, Confluence. |
