Trip to Minnesota

Zachary and I went on a road trip Friday and Saturday to Minnesota. Our main reason was to visit the Minnesota Renaissance Festival in Shakopee. We are pretty good about not getting lost in our travels, but we got a bit sidetracked and ended up missing an off ramp and driving about an hour north before we realized it. Talking about Futurama at the critical highway change will do that to you. Zach said at one point to me, "Boy, this area sure looks like northern WI."
Due to our detour, we discovered a great state park on the border called Interstate State Park, in St. Croix Falls. Pretty place for a lackluster name. Zach and I went for a hike on the rocky steep trails.
The view up top, Minnesota is across the river.

Once across the border, we stumbled across Franconia Sculpture Park. It is a large green space for artists to live, create, and display their sculptures for the public to enjoy.
One of our favorite sculptures was call Evening. The outside was a large dark gray box with a door for the viewer to enter.
The inside had an opening on one end with slats to filter the light in, creating a perpetual evening shadows.
If we ever have kids, I hope they have something like this for a play set.
Saturday we made it to the fair. We were worried if it would be as good as Bristol, but our worries quickly dissolved.
Lots of buildings, entertainment everywhere. We were impressed.
Even a giant chess set to play.
The only Ren fair flare I had was my horns.
But I think I would like to get a dress like this for next year.
Gypsy Turtle.
Plenty of fairies.
Fiery entertainment.
A familiar face, Moonie. He is our favorite act to see at Bristol, and were surprised to see him here. Turns out it was his first and only weekend at the Minnesota fair and we happen to catch him. Zach narrowly missed being called up on stage to be Moonie's helper. The guy in the picture was sitting right next to Zach. Needless to say, Zach was relieved.