Troy Lightfield

We recently headed south of the cities to Rice Lake for the extended Labor Day weekend so I wanted to give you a quick review. Rice Lake State Park is just east of Owatonna, MN about 10 minutes. We called ahead to try and find the best option for two tents and to say the camp staff was helpful would be an understatement! They actually went out and drove around the campsite to see what might work best for two tents and called me back!!

We actually had guessed and got one of the better sites in the park. The only down-side was that it was next to one of the restrooms but we didn’t notice any odor. There was a decent amount of traffic coming by our spot because it was next to one of the paths that leads to the lake. So, if you don’t like people walking by it’s not the spot for you! Also, we didn’t have a tent tarmac if that matters.

Rice Lake State Park, a Quaint and Quiet Escape

Rice Lake. We were kind of disappointed because the lake is consumed by cattails. So there is absolutely no way to fish from shore, throw rocks, or in some cases even see the lake! Another negative is that the lake is extremely shallow so no fishing. (the ranger did say there was bullheads but some may argue that that’s not a fish!) We did go out canoeing and that was a very good time and VERY reasonable. We paid $10 for half a day of canoeing which was more than enough. That $10 included the canoe, paddles, and life jackets.

There was a good amount of hiking trails and lots of wild flowers, mushrooms and berries to take pictures of and enjoy.

The campground is small so if you have an aversion to huge side-by-side campgrounds this is definitely a nicer park for you.

Again, the park rangers were very nice and so was the office staff. They didn’t drive by a ton and hawk over you so that was very welcome and appreciated.

Popularity: 5% [?]

We had the pleasure of visiting Stone City, IA last weekend and it was suggested that we visit the Old General Store Pub for a meal. The Old General Store Pub is just across the bridge in town and has a nice little deck off the back that overlooks the Wapsipinicon River. The restaurant is built out of stone from the local quarry which really ads to the experience. We really couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day. It was nice and warm but not humid at all, perfect for sitting on their deck.

The General Store is a pretty typical rural pub/restaurant but their menu really got us fired up. We stepped into the place knowing what we were going to have, their pork tenderloin sandwich! This would be my first! I was not disappointed, this thing was as big as a dinner plate! Portions aside, it was tender, juicy, and the breading was a perfect crispy texture. I layered on the mustard and pickles and went to work. To Sarah’s amazement, I ate the whole thing. What can I say, it was my first and I sure wasn’t going to let any go to waste.

“The General Store Pub, An Iowa Gem”

The sandwich came with a side of waffle fries, normally one of my favorites but I have to admit they should have cooked these a little longer and maybe a little more seasoning. A side of chipotle sour cream would have went nice as well.

We didn’t ride our motorcycles because, well, we don’t have any but there were several riders stopping so I  assume it was a nice stopping point for local ride. The area was beautiful so I am sure there are plenty of sites to see on a bike ride.

It’s a bit remote but the Old General Store is certainly a little Iowa gem!

Popularity: 16% [?]

Last Friday we headed to the 2009 Back to the 50’s Car Show in St. Paul, MN. We paid 10 bucks to get in and I over heard a guy saying it was $25 for the weekend if you had a car which allowed for two people to drive in. Pretty cheap entertainment if you ask me!

If you’re into cars at all this is a must see event. There really is something for everyone, custom rat rods, vintage Impalas, chopped Mercs, you name it (as long as it is older than 1964!).  The Back to the 50’s Car Show is put on by the Minnesota Street Rod Association and from what I read it brings in some 11,000 cars from all over the United States and Canada and over 100,000 spectators. This must be for Saturday! It was nice on Friday though because there wasn’t that many people there but still plenty of cars to look at.

The show offers all the typical fair foods, cheese curds, pork chop on a stick, burgers, etc. Most of the “big” stands weren’t open though, like Famous Dave’s and the French Fry stand but still plenty of food to choose from. The one thing that really surprised us and lets face it, down right disappointed us was the lack of a beer stand. Not sure what was going on there but a beer in hand while checking out the cars would have been nice. One thing to note, there were people walking around with beer but they must have brought it in.

There was a band playing but we didn’t stick around long enough to comment on them. They did have a decent crowd though.

All in all I wish we would have went on Saturday but we had to be out of town. I think the offering of cars there would have been better and hopefully they opened some beer stands!

Please leave your comments below and expand on the info!

Popularity: 12% [?]

Father Hennepin State Park is 2 hours north of Minneapolis St. Paul. The park is situated in the south-east corner of Lake Mille Lacs. We were excited to stay at Father Hennepin as a co-worker had boasted that it was a beautiful park.

At Father Hennepin are 2 campgrounds with a total of 103 campsites. You may also rent the group campsite at $30-$75/night The park has 2 shower buildings & 2 restroom buildings. With regular “vault” toilets located throughout the park.

Upon arrival we were greeted warmly by the park staff. They took our reservations and admitted us into the park with no hassle. The camp office offers firewood for $3.50 per bundle and ice for $1.50?? We were also able to buy a Frisbee for $1.50 and a nicely honed walking stick for only $6.95.

We had reserved campsite #94 – located just a few hundred yards from the shore of Lake Mille Lacs.

Since we’re becoming avid campers, it took a total of 10 minutes to set up our tents. One thing we noticed right away was the large change in temperature at our campsite. The dense tree canopy and close proximity to the lake made it feel a good 20 degrees cooler.

Father Hennepin State Park, the Doorway to Lake Mille Lacs

Most Father Hennepin campsites had special sandboxes for our tent placement. The sandbox area held our 2 room tent nicely and we still had plenty of room in the wooded area to accommodate the adult tent.

After we settled in, it was time to check out the restroom/shower facilities. The ladies were none too pleased. There was a constant musty smell accompanied by literally 100’s of dead mosquitoes on the sinks and rolls of damp toilet paper in the toilet stalls. The ladies promptly decided they would not be showering during our stay.

A walking trail on the back side of our campsite took us down to the shore with a very nice fishing dock. The kids were able to net catch minnows. Just to the left of the fishing dock was a decent sized boat launch and a short distance from the boat launch was a sand beach for swimming with a playground. It started to rain just as we headed to the beach so we didn’t stay to check out the swings.

We were very pleased by the level of service our Park Rangers offered. They drove by once every couple of hours and never stopped. I think they were just checking to ensure no one had started a forest fire.

Although drinking is strictly prohibited in all Minnesota State Parks, we found a few tell-tale beer caps and noticed our neighbor campers were drinking beer in plain sight.

Although we were only able to stay one night, it is definitely a park we will return to. I get the feeling that even in the middle of summer, the tree cover will keep the campsites cool and hopefully the breeze from Lake Mille Lacs will keep those monster sized mosquitoes away.

Popularity: 68% [?]

The Blue Door Pub  is in St. Paul, MN, on Selby Avenue and is honestly one of our favorite place go for a burger. It’s a pretty small place and you’re almost always guaranteed a wait, but well worth it.  When I say small, I mean small, their bar maybe seats 5-6 people max and there probably aren’t more than 10 tables in the place. But that is definitely part of the attraction. It’s not your run of the mill restaurant where you get lost just trying to get back from the bathroom.

The Blue Door Pub offers their own version of a Juicy Blucy, a hamburger filled with all sorts of cheesy goodness! They always have a good selection to choose from and plenty of other items on the menu if you’re not into hamburgers. If you do decide to make it to The Blue Door I STRONGLY suggest you give their beer-battered green beans a try! By far the best I have ever had. And why not take something very health and dip it in beer batter?! You’re just asking for all kinds of de-lic-ousness.

The Blue Door, Great Neighborhood Pub!

The Blue Door also keeps a nice selection of beers on tap and you can almost bet one will be a selection from local brewer Surly (also a fan).  All in all, one of the better dining experiences as long as your looking to get back to the basics of having a nice cold pint of beer, a great atmosphere, and a wonderful burger and you’re in St. Paul, stop in! Tell them Troy sent ya and you will most definitely be greeted with a confused yet polite, “WHO?!”.

Popularity: 71% [?]