Where Eagles Fly

DAY 7 ~ Our Great River Road Adventure

First order of business:  National Eagle Center in Wabasha, MN
This educational center rehabilitates injured bald eagles and places them in service to promote awareness and conservation issues that affect the bald eagle and their habitat.  They are beautiful creatures!  We were up close with several.

Wabasha also is a lovely all-American town - perfectly manicured homes with pleasant river views, and turn of the century downtown buildings.

In Wabasha, MN outside the National Eagle Center

This fountain flowed with water pumped directly from the Mississippi River.

We finished our visit to Wabasha with sandwiches, salads and soup for lunch at Stacy's Kitchen.  The picture windows in this little restaurant afforded us a view of wild eagles riding a thermal above town.

Then we crossed the river (again! We've lost count!) and ventured several miles east of Pepin, WI, where we toured Laura Ingalls Wilder's small log cabin.  Becky enjoyed imagining living there, climbing up to the bed in the loft, and Laura telling stories to Carrie.

Laura Ingalls Wilder cabin near Pepin, WI

From there, we traveled north and crossed back into Minnesota at Red Wing.  What a nice town!  Of course, Jamie needed some Red Wings, so we shopped in downtown at Red Wing Shoes and he found just the right pair.  American made.

 We drove up to Memorial Park which overlooks the town and the river.  Quite the view!

Overlooking Red Wing, MN

A stop for ice cream reminded us of Camilla Java; wish our hometown could support such businesses for the long term.

Headed back to the campground, we made one final sightseeing tour for the day:  Lark Toys in Kellogg, MN.  Part toy store, part museum, part amusement park.  Wow - what memories this stop evoked: easy bake ovens and soda dispensers, operation games, Tonka trucks, pedal cars, Madame Alexander dolls ... apparently, we had the best, most popular, toys to be had in our day -- and now they're "museum worthy."

Just being silly!

Becky checking out the toy museum displays

Really cool museum!

Jamie recognizes some of his childhood toys in this display