August 11, 2025 (Mon.) - From Honey Wagons to Slow Racing
Today started off like most others—except Lynn’s morning coffee ritual was foiled by dew-soaked chairs. The weather was finally pleasant, but everything outside was just too wet to enjoy. So, coffee stayed indoors.
We opted out of the group ride today since we had a honey wagon appointment, and Kirk needed to be on-site to guide the driver to our unusually placed valves (hidden behind a door—not your standard setup). The campground’s ETA? A vague “mid-day.” So we stayed close to the RV, knocking out chores while we waited. Plus, group rides aren’t really our thing on a daily basis. We tend to prefer rides on our own schedule.
Lynn tackled the laundry with purpose, aiming to fill up the tanks so they’d be ready for dumping. Kirk spent the morning canceling our YouTube TV subscription, which turned out to be more complicated than signing up. Apparently, if you don’t log in from your original “home area” every 90 days, you lose access—and we’re not exactly swinging through Los Angeles every three months!
While Lynn blogged and tidied up, Kirk researched alternative streaming options and did some RV maintenance, lubing the slides and checking things over. The honey wagon finally arrived around 2:00 PM, and with that chore out of the way, we spent the afternoon soaking up the sunshine.
By 5:00 PM, we made our way over to the Indian Bike Week grounds to check out the evening scene. Dinner came courtesy of Kevin’s Gyros food truck, followed by a sweet treat from The Twisted Scoop—because who can resist ice cream after gyros? We also snagged a couple of event t-shirts and settled in for some good old-fashioned people-watching while listening to a pretty decent band.
One of the highlights was a quirky little event called the “slow race”—a motorcycle competition where the goal is to be the last one to cross the finish line. It’s all about balance and control, and surprisingly entertaining to watch. The twist? A few riders bailed out once they realized local cops were in the race. Apparently, the pressure of going head-to-head with law enforcement was just too much.
A fun, laid-back evening with a few laughs and plenty of character.
The evening wrapped up with another stunning sunset (cameras don’t do it justice).
Weather – High 79*, Low 60*. Wind 2-8 mph with gusts up to 17 mph. Low humidity.
Traffic – None.
Food – Nothing notable.
Notable – Nothing much.
Screen time – High Rollers.
Video : Slow Racing
August 12, 2025 (Tue.) - Mall of America
The day started off slow, with Lynn sleeping in until 8:00 AM, thanks to another Benadryl-induced coma. Allergies are still hitting hard—itchy, watery eyes and nonstop sneezing—and the air quality hasn’t helped, with lingering smoke from recent fires. But at least she got to enjoy her morning coffee outside, this time without dew-soaked chairs. Otis joined her for the early routine, keeping things peaceful.
There was no official group ride today, giving riders the freedom to explore on their own. We kicked off our morning with breakfast at Kennedy’s Café, a cozy local spot. Lynn’s Country Fried Steak was a hit—#2 on her all-time list, just behind 3 Sisters in Wyoming. Kirk stuck with his classic order: eggs, bacon, and pancakes, which were also excellent. We’ll definitely be back.
Since we’re leaving the Minnesota/Wisconsin area soon, and Lynn’s upcoming side trip to Idaho will cut into our exploration days, we decided to head into Minneapolis to check out the Mall of America. It’s one of those “must-see-at-least-once” places, and while it’s not exactly our scene, it was still impressive—especially the indoor theme park, which is clearly a kid magnet. Lynn wanted to visit the Museum of Illusions, so we gave it a shot. Unfortunately, it was underwhelming and not worth the $27 per person. Lynn’s officially had her fill of illusion-themed attractions.
We did manage to check a few things off our list:
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Lynn got her cracked phone screen repaired
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Kirk found a magnetic knife strip for the RV (finally ditching the bulky knife block)
After all that walking, we were too wiped out to explore more of Minneapolis, so we headed back to the RV by mid-afternoon. While relaxing outside, we got a surprise delivery from the front office—a huge, heavy box. It was our gazebo! After multiple failed attempts to find one in stores, we finally ordered the exact model we wanted, and it arrived early. A very welcome surprise!
While Kirk set up the gazebo, Lynn took a much-needed Benadryl nap. Later, we headed back to the Indian Bike Week grounds for dinner from the food trucks and a little more vendor shopping. Kirk picked up a handmade wooden flag, and we entered a raffle for a crocheted Indian logo blanket—a stunning piece that clearly took serious skill. Fingers crossed for Saturday’s drawing! It’s huge though… not quite sure where it’ll fit in the RV if we win.
We wrapped up the evening lounging in our new gazebo, enjoying the bug-free sunset and the perfect weather.
Weather – High 79*, Low 64*. Winds 7-21 mph. Low humidity.
Traffic – None.
Food – Kennedy’s Cafe – excellent.
Notable – Mall of America.
Screen time – Shifting Gears.
