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Famous Woodchipper, Teddy Bears and a New State


July 22-31, 2018 — After spending nearly three months enjoying time with family and friends in Wisconsin and Minnesota we finally hit the road to continue our full-time travels west. It has been several months since we last added a new state to our map, but North Dakota become lucky number 13.  We are looking forward to adding a few more in the upcoming weeks. 

The week started in Minnesota where we wrapped up our stay with family and ended in Fargo, North Dakota. During this time period seven nights were spent street parking at the home of family members and two nights at Harvest Host locations in the Fargo, North Dakota area. 

 

Mile Driven – RV

Miles Driven – Car

Along with being the birthplace of Minnesota, Stillwater has been voted America’s Most Picturesque Small Town, Best American Town for Fall Colors and Best US Town for Antiquing. It sits along the St. Croix River and Scenic Byway in Eastern Minnesota near the Minneapolis/St Paul metro area. 

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Harvest Hosts is a network of wineries, farms and attractions that invite self-contained RVers to visit and stay overnight. Since starting our journey we have enjoyed the hospitality of many of these locations.

 Receive a 10% discount by using Off Our Rocker RV as a referral and we also are rewarded as an affiliate.

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Teddy Bear Park in downtown Stillwater, Minnesota. A free city park fun for people of all ages. 

Out shopping on a rainy day and bought new portable rocking chairs. Wonder if we need to change our name to “In Our Rocker RV” instead of “Off Our Rocker RV”??

GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker Portable Folding Rocking Chair

Designed with patented Spring-Action Rocking Technology, the GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker camp chair delivers a smooth rocking action on any surface in the outdoors. Featuring padded arm rests, built-in beverage holder, and a convenient carry handle, folding a camp chair open and closed has never been easier or safer with GCI Outdoor’s patented Eazy-fold Technology. The Freestyle Rocker is constructed of lightweight and sturdy powder-coated steel, supports up to 250 pounds, and has a limited lifetime warranty.

Every purchase helps support this blog.

Sibley Historic Site in Mendota, Minnesota. It is the site of Henry Hastings Sibley’s home. Mr. Sibley was the regional manager of the American Fur Company and Minnesota’s first governor. The Sibley House was built in 1835-36 and is considered the oldest private residence in Minnesota. 

Minnehaha Park is a city park in Minneapolis. It is 170 acres and features multiple historic sites, Minnehaha Falls, walking and biking trails and picnic areas. Bike rentals including surreys and double surreys like the ones pictured below are available in the park. 

The 53 foot tall Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis is the most photographed spot in Minnesota. It is located on Minnehaha Creek 3/4 of a mile from where the creek empties into the Mississippi River. The name Minnehaha translates to “waterfall” in the Dakota language. 

A fence made from colorful vintage skis is located at Alpine Asphalt in Minneapolis. The company is owned by avid skiers hence the fence and the name “Alpine”. Definitely fits the definition of quirky. 

Renogy 200 Watt 12 Volt Solar Starter Kit

This kit includes our 40A MPPT charge controller which uses Maximum Power Point Tracking technology, transferring power up to 30% more efficiently than PWM charge controllers

With a Renogy 200W Monocrystalline Starter Kit MPPT, you won’t have to wonder about whether you’re getting the most out of your system.

Every purchase helps support this blog.

A reminder that winter will be here in just a few short months. 

Along with the portable rocking chairs, we picked up an aluminum folding table while out shopping. We recycled and retrofitted two metal brackets, covered them with electrical tape for padding and attached them to the outside storage bin door to hang the table on. Works great!

GCI Outdoor Compact Folding Camping Table

The GCI Outdoor Compact Folding Camping Table is ideal for camping, outdoor dining, picnics, tailgating, sporting events, RVing, fishing, and road trips. The one-piece, full-sized table features patent-pending telescoping leg technology that allows the table to collapse easily and fold compactly for transport and storage. Stable and lightweight, the aluminum tabletop and frame supports up to 60 pounds for outdoor cooking, grilling, dining, and games.

Every purchase helps support this blog.

Finally Mother Nature got over her grumpiness and brought cooler weather. Lows in the 50’s make for great sleeping weather with the windows open allowing in the cool night breeze. Zzzzz. 

Break time at a rest area along I-94 in Minnesota while enroute to North Dakota. We feel so small when parked next to trucks. Had a beautiful travel day with blue skies and minimal wind. 

Stocked up on groceries at the ALDI store in Moorhead, Minnesota. This is the last ALDI we will see for a few months and will definitely miss their prices. 

Eggs were $0.58 a dozen and milk was $1.54 a gallon. Cheap! Egg salad is on the menu this week!

Hello North Dakota. First time we’ve been here in the RV. Looking forward to discovering what the state has to offer. 

Fargo-Moorhead Visitors Center aka the “Grain Elevator” is located just off I-94 in Fargo, North Dakota. According to their website they offer “bushels” of information, maps, brochures as well as a gift shop.

Inside the Fargo-Moorhead Visitors Center is the actual woodchipper from the movie “Fargo”. Fun and a bit creepy. 

The Fargo Walk of Fame was started by local businessman Mike Stevens after he visited Mann’s Chinese Theater in Los Angeles. More than 100 cement imprinted slabs are preserved on this site near the visitors center. 

Hello Darlin. Conway Twitty’s imprint slab was made just weeks before his death in 1993. Other members of the Walk of Fame include Bill Gates, Dr. Ruth, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Garth Brooks, Alabama, REO Speedwagon, Jimmie “J. J.” Walker, George W. Bush and many more. 

The Roger Maris Museum is dedicated to his career centering on the 1961 baseball season in which he hit a then-record of 61 home runs breaking Babe Ruth’s record previously set in 1927. The museum is located at the West Acres Mall in Maris’s hometown of Fargo. Admission is free and is open during mall hours. A must-stop for baseball fans of all ages. 

Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome is home to North Dakota State University Bison football team. It is one of only a few indoor venues for college football and is ranked as being one of the loudest college football stadiums in the country. 

We seem to fit right in here….

Leaving family is always hard but thanks to amazing technology we are only a text, email, phone or video call away. We use Google Duo Video Chat with our Google Pixel phones frequently while we are away to keep up to date on our children and grandchildren. We love being able to see what’s going on in their lives even though we may be many miles apart. 

Follow along as we continue our westward trek next week and visit Teddy Roosevelt National Park, the first of many national parks on our travel agenda over the next few months. See you then!