Ah, Wisconsin. I landed in Minnysoda, but the heart of this week will be spent in Sconnie. And in so arriving, there was no better way to enter this State of mind than with the accompaniment of Garrison Keillor on last night’s “Prairie Home Companion”. He was celebrating St. Paul’s favorite son, F. Scott Fitzgerald, on the occasion of his birthday (which was actually on Friday). I got to soak it up as I crossed the border into Wisconsin from Stillwater, with the sun setting behind me. The rest of the drive went as hoped – my parents a few hours into the great Northwoods. And then this morning I got up for a very crisp, very gorgeous run around my childhood home. Dirt roads and pushing toward peak colors. Absolutely spot on for what I’d hoped I might see. The air’s as clean and emboldening as a fresh-off-the-lot time machine. But after a stellar morning, I’m on the road again – headed toward Green Bay to visit my younger brother and stick around to watch the Packers Monday Night game with the natives. What better way to remind me of my non-native status than a quick stop in Wausau to pick up a salad and bruschetta while I plop down some thoughts herein and elsewhere. Wisconsin looks cheery and none the worse for wear. Aside from the Tea Party-esque political signage, you’d think it really was morning in America.
Today’ run – 6 miles around rural Ogema, Wisconsin
30-degrees, what should have been a “hard frost” turned out to merely be edgy
Days until the Twin Cities Marathon – 7
See you tomorrow.
You Should Run 