OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVES

So, I have a confession. I hate road trips.

When I say this keep one thing in mind. The time it takes someone to go from Rochester to Claremont is the same time it takes people to drive from one part of my home state of Rhode Island to the other. 

When I first moved to Minnesota, it was a struggle. I had no idea what it was like to have to drive 45 minutes to the nearest Walmart or Target. I never knew what it was like to live somewhere that didn’t have a Dunkin’ every half a mile or less. 

Early on in my time here, I began to get used to it. My first date with my wife (she is from Minnesota) was literally driving around in her car. 

I lived in St. James then, so we visited places like Sleepy Eye, New Ulm, and other small communities in Brown County. 

This for me is definitely classified as a road trip. It was a great day, and surprisingly, despite my spilling an entire margarita on her, she gave me a second date.

Over time, I began to slowly get used to having to go far. Friends would often ask if I wanted to take a trip with them to Mankato to go to stores or get a bite to eat… I was always game, as long as I didn’t have to drive. 

I got used to road trips quickly when I got a job at the DCI in 2018. The girl who I spilt liquor on and drove around with for hours? We were getting serious, and it meant commuting every so often from Kasson to Mankato and back. 

Just ask anyone who knew me then – they’ll tell you I probably complained about it all the time. 

But as I got serious with my now wife, she taught me the “fun” of going on day trips to places like Minneapolis for Twins games or just to visit friends. 

The mishaps and funny stories of road trips didn’t just stop with me spilling a drink. I remember one time we went to Minneapolis for the Red Sox versus Twins series, and we took my beat up old car there. 

We spent a few days up there couch-hopping with friends, and at one point, we were in south Minneapolis on Lake Street, when we had issues with our vehicle. We got it fixed thanks to the very nice people at Advanced Auto Parts.

Every time we drive by it, we laugh. It’s a fun memory we’re blessed to have. 

So, this leads me to a couple of weeks ago.

My wife has had a stressful couple of months of work, and I decided we would go on a little road trip to get away for a few days. 

We started off by visiting my in-laws in Mankato, and we searched on Airbnb for a random place to go to, the more secluded the better.

We picked a spot about four hours southeast of Mankato in Wisconsin. 

It was fun chit-chatting on the way, listening to music, making more memories, and of course, stopping at Target on the way. 

I may not be a midwesterner since I wasn’t born here, but I know the only appropriate gas station to stop on road trips is Kwik Trip. We stopped at more than I care to share. 

After relaxing in Wisconsin, we began the trip back to Minnesota, and we ended up staying over in Eau Claire. I have never been there before. It was a nice city I would like to explore more sometime. 

On Saturday morning, despite weather forecasts, it didn’t snow. 

We wound up in Hudson, Wis., after a few stops along the way (we stopped at Dunkin’, of course, to satisfy this New Englander’s craving).

After checking out different packy stores for a particular beer our friend was looking for, we decided 30-something degrees wasn’t too cold to go for a walk. 

We found a walking area, and then noticed it had a beach area. 

We drive down to it and see no parking signs. We decide to turn around on the sand, where there are many tire tracks, only to become stuck in the sand. 

“What would a road trip be without a little mishap?” was my first reaction. 

We laughed and called the tow truck to come get us out. It was a little stressful waiting an hour to get out of the sand, but after, we had a real good laugh. 

Five years from now, we will probably laugh even harder next time we go by the town.

I realize midwesterners, at least any I have spoken to or are part of my life, like roadtrips a lot more than I do, but with great company I am blessed to have, I am becoming more open to them.

So where should we make our next memories? Let me know:  amalm@steelecountytimes.com.