Luverne, “Love the Life!”
Today was an unexpected jam-packed day of pleasant discoveries. Hopping on the bikes, we started off straight from the campground taking the 7.5 mile Luverne Loop around the perimeter of this beautiful town, population 5,000.
* Up first was the Rock County History Center. What immediately caught our eye about this 1915 building was the cool design featuring large rounded windows with a pristine vintage car inside. Turns out it’s just one of two still in existence; the Luverne Thirty.
* The history center is also home to the 5,400-piece nutcracker collection. Amazing art! The dedicated volunteer who greeted us proudly noted that there’s more Nutcrackers in town than there are people, LOL!
* We pedaled south passing by the very fun Howling Dog Saloon where we dined last night (delish food, beer and pool tables).
* The Bike Trail Loop circles the town, with civilization on the inside and agricultural fields on the outer side. Such pretty happy healthy corn fields and soybeans, and to top it off there were even lavender fields scattered around (adding a wonderful aroma with the strong breezes!).
* Fortunately near the tail end of our bicycling, a brewery was awaiting! “Take 16 Taproom” quenched our thirst. Turns out we discovered it is also a Harvest Host, so if we return to this town we’ll be sure to boondock in their lot. Met some great folks, many of who were there to do an evening group bike ride on the very route we just finished. Had it not been for downing two beers each already, we may have joined them to do the Loop a second time, but Philly cheese steaks on the Blackstone were calling back at camp.
* Blue Mounds State Park, one of the largest prairie Parton Minnesota. Home to the most genetically pure bison herd in the country. We found a really nice raised wooden deck as a viewing platform to watch them graze peacefully. The Park also features a massive outcrop of pretty pink Sioux quartzite which abruptly terminates at a cliff line used by rock climbers.
* Touch The Sky Prairie. Big 360 views. This place features photographs by the well known National Geographic photographer Jim Brandenburg.
* After hiking all day, we cooled off with a soft sever ice cream cone at the fun JJ’s Tasty Drive-In Diner
* continuing with fun nostalgia, we enjoyed the movies at Vernes Drive-in theater. Barbie was the perfect campy movie to see there.
