Triumph by any account

We made it! To Minneapolis, yes, not yet New Orleans, but heh. Take what the river gives you, as Frank is fond of saying. Or, in the case of my torn up shoulder, take what your body can handle.

So here we are at the very warm fuzzy home of Mina and Greg in downtown Minneapolis. Mina is a friend from the ever-growing art car community, a friend of Corktruck Jan particularly, but also one I met personally when we met out in the desert during a ceremonial burning of a 6-foot long polar bear she'd amazingly transported as "luggage" on her cross country flight to mount on her rental car for an art car caravan out west.

Mina and friend Yumi (sp?) cheered as Frank and I surfaced from the locks below St. Anthony's Falls in the very last moments of twilght, giving us a fine official arrival into town. A spectacular feast awaited the intrepid travelers and our cheering squad, and we heartily thanked Avram, chef and Mina's teenage son for his chicken & potatoes & duel salad creation. Greg returned home around 10, pleasant if somewhat somnambulant conversation ensued, we said our thank yous and goodnights, and I hit the bed and promptly passed out.

Today, I rest. This entry marks the sum total of work I have planned for the day. Screw the ER, too, by the way. Today, only rest.

It's true, I am not going forward with Frank tomorrow. I have decided to convalesce a matter of days, see how I feel, what the doc has to say. Frank hopes that I will rejoin him downriver a bit. I would wish it so, but I just don't know. Not now. Must rest. Both body and soul.

Congratulations, retired U.S. Navy Captain Frank Grandau, for making it one hard-bitch-of-a-beautiful first quarter of one lofty-ass goal. You have my respect and admiration and gratitude. If I make it no further, know that I am with you in spirit on this, your "Magnificent Folly." It is a triumph by any account.

- RSM

(Special thanks to Max Haynes for bounding thru forests along the river like Daniel Day Last of the Mohicans Lewis and then up on that bridge to capture a good shot of us entering the greater Twin Cities area, to say nothing of our gratitude for your family's hospitaliy night before last. Also, thanks to Mike Strickland for getting Max's photo up on the site the very same day:)
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