Day Trip: Take a Hike

Today I am grateful for hummingbird sightings and day trips around our beautiful river country.

Yesterday, my husband Darcy and I went “toodling” as I like to call it. Amble. Wander. Pace ourselves. Something we don’t do enough of during our hectic work weeks. We headed in a generally southern direction and made stops in three communities: Cannon Falls, Red Wing and Lake City. We took in views of the Cannon River, Mississippi River and Lake Pepin. 

Our main destination was Barn Bluff in Red Wing. For two decades, when we have come through Red Wing, we have seen the American flag flying high on the bluff and sometimes people, small in the distance, walking toward an overlook. Often commenting that we needed to check it out sometime, we finally did. We appreciated the trails, stairs, places to sit, and attention to maintaining sacred grounds. We also appreciated our sun hats (bucket safari) and the straps that secured them in the brisk wind.

The bluff rises over 340 feet above the Mississippi River and the city below. The views were beautiful, and worth a short stretch of trail that was just a little nerve-wracking to height-sensitive people like us. The steeper climb up really made the way back down more fully enjoyable. We commented how beautiful it would be in the fall and have plans to return.

Here are some photos that summarize our hike and highlight the beauty of the great outdoors. Nature is invigorating and inviting. It calls to me daily. It can be as simple as taking a short hike around our yard or a stroll down the same stretch of trail we have walked down hundreds of times. That was yesterday. Today is a new day. Go take a hike!