Opinion of Northern Minnesota?

[Ban my account ffs!]

Cuz everyone else is doing it and I feel left out.  There aren't many people photos... which is characteristic of northern Minnesota as there aren't many people here.



80mph straight line winds and downbursts are mean

Such devastating windthrow events only occur every 600-1000 years in any given forest area.  The deadwood would be cleared out and the mineral soil exposed so the remaining pines can regenerate the forest.  Unfortunately one occurred here on July 2nd and flattened a lot of forests.

Tree hugging is a popular pastime in northern Minnesota

Perhaps surpassed only by its sister pastime... killing big things with guns (or arrows)

Peat moss, black spruce, and tamarack (larch) love the Red Lake area... as well as legions of biting black flies and mosquitoes.  It's much like the flat farmland pictured below except it gets a few more inches of rain and it's so flat that the water just doesn't ever really go anywhere.  The prevalence of lakes and wetlands means that on muggy, hot days dew points sometimes reach into the 80s... pretty unheard of for being so far north.

There's also cabin culture.  People nowadays have a romantic/nostalgic notion of a tiny cabin by the lake with no modern conveniences and nights eating s'mores by the campfire... but like most things the baby boomers have ruined... their incessant giant "cabin" building and ecosystem destruction all while isolating themselves from everybody else has generally made cabin culture like the Republican party:  Warm, fuzzy nostalgic shell... cold, dark, bitter center.    I love you guys.

Well, that's really it.  You go about 50-60 miles west and you get this:

And BRTD knows a lot more about that.  I can't imagine the drive from Bismarck to Minneapolis is very fun.

[Hatman 🍁]

Freedom region. 

[Kitteh]

Don't know much about the region itself but those pics you posted were beautiful.

[memphis]

I don't really do rural areas. I can get out the car and hike for a few hours, but after that I need a shower, a bottle of water, and an insect free environment. Is Duluth a fun town?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I vaguely like the idea of visiting at some point. Probably never will, but you never know.

[Ban my account ffs!]

I don't really do rural areas. I can get out the car and hike for a few hours, but after that I need a shower, a bottle of water, and an insect free environment. Is Duluth a fun town?

Duluth is a surprisingly fun town.  It's nice because they have all the mid-size city amenities... as well as a lot of college kids which brings.. ya know.. youthful vibrancy... but you can take a day trip up the North Shore on highway 61 and see the sights (mostly nice views of Lake Superior and waterfalls and cedar trees growing out of barren rock) and be back to the city by night fall.

They had a bad flood this summer in Duluth when 8+" of rain fell overnight.  Since Duluth is in such a hilly, rocky area, any excess rainfall runs off very quickly.  The streets running up-down the hills turned into rivers and washed away and many of the animals at the Duluth zoo drowned.

Normally in summer Gooseberry falls is tranquil and people wade in the pools below the falls.. hence the "swimming not recommended" rather than "prohibited" sign.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3srppaC1QzA&feature=related

[Nhoj]

I really do love the north shore. 

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

One of the few rural regions of the US where Democrats usually perform very well in.  Highly positive.

[Redalgo]

Minnesota

[AkSaber]

Beautiful place. Cold, snowy, and rural. Gotta love it.

Indeed; well done, BRTD.

It's Snowguy, actually.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Neutral.  Love the snow, but not the politics.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Beautiful place. Cold, snowy, and rural. Gotta love it.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

You know I've never actually spent any significant amount of time there....though I was defining "there" as like northeastern and north central Minnesota. I've definitely been to Moorhead many times.

Well, that's really it.  You go about 50-60 miles west and you get this:

And BRTD knows a lot more about that.  I can't imagine the drive from Bismarck to Minneapolis is very fun.

It's not too bad at first...it just goes on forever. I get the impression during the winter the North Dakota part probably would hurt your eyes if you're not used to all that snow and whiteness. During the summer the emptiness on the ND side still kind of strikes you, at least the Minnesota side has tons of trees. But consider Bismarck to Fargo is about three hours with about four places to stop for gas.

[Serenity Now]

I've recently befriended a girl from there (in real life!!) so there's the prospect that I might visit there someday. Which is fortunate, as this was somewhere I'd already thought I'd like to visit anyway.

[angus]

Cuz everyone else is doing it and I feel left out. 

I always felt warm and fuzzy about Northern Minnesota.  My parents were born and raised in a small town north of Lake Superior and about 10 miles south (in a straight line) of the Canadian border.  I believe I remember learning that Saint Louis county is one of the largest in the United States.  I spent many summers and a few winter holidays up there with my grandparents and uncles and aunts.  I remember Loons.  The strange noise they make.  And blueberries.  And pine forest.  Looks like East Texas, more or less, but with snow.  I also remember it got really bleak in the winter.  Wouldn't want to live there full time, but it was a great place to visit.  Incidentally, those last two photos you posted look more like northern Iowa than northern Minnesota.  Northern Iowa is also bleak in the winter, but the water actually does get warm enough to swim in for about 2 or 3 months per year.  That's the main difference, as far as I can tell.  I remember all my minnesota relatives--my father was one of eleven siblings, so there were many--would swim in that ice cold water in July.  You're going to swim in that cold black water?!  Oh, yah, youbetcha.  C'mon in, the water's great, eh. 

I guess fond childhood memories are my main connection to Northern Minnesota. 

[Kushahontas]

so beautiful. love the place.

[Tender Branson]

FFR.

Would be even better though with big (ca. 3000-5000 meter) mountains.

[Ban my account ffs!]

FFR.

Would be even better though with big (ca. 3000-5000 meter) mountains.

I've often wondered what it would be like if there were a small, tall mountain range here.  It wouldn't be nearly as extreme, weather wise. 

Anyway, one of my favorite youtube users, Mippey5 did a parody of Gangnam style called Minnesota style
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0z078OcLbM

I think they do a lot of good videos.