2018 Road Trip, Day 9, Part 1

I had a relatively short and relaxing drive today, but that was perfect after the long drive the day before. The day started in Sioux Falls and an attempt to have a late breakfast at a restaurant; I’d forgotten that everyone in this part of the country seems to go out for breakfast on Sunday mornings. That did not go well and I ended up having terrible fast food during the drive.

Most of the day was spent driving through Minnesota and lots of road construction, but it’s really a pretty state if you don’t have to live there. These pics were taken at a rest area in the middle of pretty much nowhere:

I then spent some time wandering around the campus of Gustavus Adolphus College, my alma mater. There’s been so much new construction that it was difficult to find things, but the chapel is still smack in the center of campus and it was the one place I spent the most time, practicing the organ. With a solid 3.5 seconds of reverberation, it’s a magnificent room and that makes up for the less-than-stellar organ.

Tornadoes went through St. Peter about 20 years ago and took down every (or virtually every) tree on campus. This caused a flurry of new landscaping activity, and the whole place is absolutely marvelous now, so much more interesting than when I was there! They’ve even added new sculptures to the landscape.

Before leaving St. Peter, I dropped in (surprise!) on David and Judy Fienen and we spent an hour reminiscing and catching up on life. David was the college organist during my stint there; he just retired a few years ago. Their house was always open to students; they’re some of the most welcoming people I know. Then I spent the night in Minneapolis in what I now know is 7 Corners, an area right on the edge of the University of Minnesota campus. My hotel room was amazing, with a great view of downtown:

Right next door was the building Tobey Kass – a former trumpeter with MHSO – lives, and she cooked a very tasty dinner for me and her boyfriend, Carlos. It was a perfect two hours.

Tumblr is mis-behaving, perhaps due to the number of photos I’m inserting … so I’ll close this one and finish the day in the “Part 2″ entry!