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| Hiking | 3.00 Miles |
300 AEG |
| | Hiking | 3.00 Miles | 3 Hrs 30 Mns | | 0.86 mph |
| 300 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | Getting tired of this Minnesota summer, We just had the 2nd hottest July on record and that's not counting the high levels of humidity we've had to contend with. The notorious Minnesota mosquito has been a no-show this year, but they have been replaced by deer fly's that take dime size patches of skin on the fly. Most of my summer has been spent working on my house and especially on the yard, so it's been really tough to get out and see the wilderness. If only the deer fly's would die off. 
I made a special effort the other day to grab my camera and take a few shots. Now,,,where to go. I drove over to Osceola, WI to wander around the St Croix and hike the scenic bluffs along the Wisconsin side. I grew up not too far from Osceola but I only remember the town for the girls and the taverns. Now I find that there's some interesting history and a few remarkable sites to tour.
There's an old train depot that's been restored and is listed on the register of historic places. On weekends they have train rides along the St Croix that offer some very good views of the forests and the river. I'm not an aficionado of trains, but I still remember some of the old coal burning locomotives chuffing along the rails. This rail ride only uses the diesel powered version but it's still a fun trip.
After touring the depot, I opted to tour the cascade and falls that are a part of the stream that flows through the center of town. In the late 1800's the stream was harnessed to turn a small turbine that powered the logging operations. There's very little left of the site now, just some remanents of an old foundation. But the stream still flows down a series of cascades before diving over a 43 foot water falls and then a short distance farther, joins with the St Croix river. The morning was already heating up,so it felt good to get a little cooling over-spray on my exposed flesh.
As I was returning up the slopes from the river, I found this old brewery site. Hey guys, we have some ruins right here along the St Croix, and wouldn't you know that it's a brewery  Following the trails, I ascended to the top of the bluffs and was presented with some extreme views of the river, some 300 feet below. Since it was in the middle of the week, the river was deserted save for the occasional fishing boat and kayak. On weekends, it's full of all sizes of boats enjoying the sites and not-so-quiet.
All of these interesting sites and history right here,,,,, and all I could do in my younger years was,,,well,,,you get the idea  |
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| On every trip into the Superstitions, I find another Gold Mine. Today the mine was filled with Memories. I can not wait for the next trip. |
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Route Editor
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