Mist and M&Ms in Minnesota
- Grace Slaven
- Aug 6
- 7 min read
The rollercoaster rumbled over the track, punctuated by children’s delighted shrieks. The tantalizing scent of chocolate, emitted by hidden dispensers, wafted out of the M&M store. Rain pattered and thunder crashed in the thick jungle of the Rainforest Cafe. It was a feast for the senses. Who could have imagined that all of these sights could be found in one enormous mall?
Features photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/mQLpPGZ2p6N6Ue3a6
June 17th, 2026- Minnesota Miniseries 1
We are deviating from our normal publishing schedule to bring you a mini-series from our recent trip to Minnesota! Enjoy!
Minnesota looks a lot like Ohio, but better.
This was the thought that persisted as I gazed out of the rain-splattered car window. The trees were lush and green, accompanied by glacial boulders that meandered through the forests. Lupine bloomed in purples and pinks in every roadside ditch. The flowerbeds bordering cute lakeside cottages were fresh, an indicator that springtime was several weeks delayed in this Midwestern state. The air, too, was full of springtime cool. Along Lake Superior, it was downright chilly, an immediate indicator that we had failed to pack warm enough clothes for the trip. This was a discouraging realization! Back at home, the temps were already stretching for the mid-80s, a normal marker for June in Ohio. Here, we had reverted back to the feeling of May. As we completed a quick hike to the Split Rock Lighthouse, rain fell in an unpleasant mist that rose goosebumps on our skin. It made us smell like wet dog too, a particularly enjoyable experience when we later returned to the confines of our car. To top off our unfortunate hike, we reached our overlook point to discover that the Split Rock Lighthouse had been covered in the scaffolding of a remodeling project! The epic, cliffside lighthouse photo I had envisioned was unequivocally ruined. We stood dumbfounded in the drizzling rain on the shore of Lake Superior, staring up the rocky shoreline to the lighthouse under construction. Then, under our umbrellas, we burst out laughing. What misfortune!
That afternoon, we took refuge from the chilly rain in the Mall of America. According to Wikipedia, 32 million people visit the Mall annually, 80% of them coming from Midwest states like Wisconsin, Illinois, and Ohio. The Mall of America has a fascinating history. Located on 78 acres where the Metropolitan Stadium once stood, the Mall of America was originally intended to be a massive, man-made lake. (In the state of 10,000 lakes, doesn’t that idea make perfect sense?) There was to be indoor surfing, submarine rides, a roller coaster, an 18-story hotel, and a golf course too! Wikipedia isn’t clear why the proposed “Minnesota International Center” never came to fruition. Nevertheless, I’d like to think that the alternative proposal, the Mall of America, carries just as much pizzaz as submarining in an indoor lake!
I read that the Mall of America is described as a “city within a city,” and as we parked at one of the mall’s multiple parking garages, I was inclined to agree! The building is so massive that it is hard to grasp that it is one structure. Its varying levels resemble the stacked layers of a city block instead. We dashed through the rain and past a statue of a hiking boot as we pushed through the doors of an LL Bean store. Immediately, we were enveloped by the smell of new clothes and the hum of a place full of people. As we moved into the main thoroughfare of the mall, it became immediately apparent that we wouldn’t be able to visit every attraction. The mall was huge! A long skylight ran the length of the thoroughfare, illuminating the walkways that crisscrossed like interstate exit ramps. Modern, clean architecture conveyed a sense of practical elegance. Even the concealed structures were elegant. For example, the building requires no heating in the common areas. It was designed with an audience in mind, so most of the warmth in the Mall is provided by body heat, light fixtures, and the numerous skylights above. It was designed so perfectly that the Mall maintains a temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit nearly all year long!
As usual, we were operating on a tight schedule. We moved quickly through the Mall, visiting highlights such as the Lego store, Toys R Us, Barnes and Noble, the Crayola store, and the M&M store (where I learned that cinnamon roll M&Ms are delicious). I was most fascinated by the Nickelodeon-themed amusement park in the center of the store. A dad and his daughters floated by us on a log-shaped boat in a gurgling river. A Ferris Wheel spun slowly beneath the greenhouse skylights. Children squealed as their rollercoaster took a tight turn. I kept turning to Tyler and asking, “Who puts an amusement park in a mall? This is genius!” My mind was even more blown when I learned about the underground aquarium a few floors beneath us. As we rode down an escalator, we caught a glimpse of stingrays gliding through a sandy-bottomed pool. Once again, I repeated in awe, “How in the world did they come up with this??” It was a fascinating experience. If we ever fly into Minneapolis again, I’d like to return to the Mall of America, if only to experience the awe again!
The next day, we abandoned our urban explorations for the true aim of our trip: our 51st national park. Isle Royale National Park is accessible only by seaplane or boat, much like Channel Islands National Park in California. We opted for a ferry traveling from Grand Portage, about a 1.5-hour ride across Lake Superior. Unfortunately for us, we mistakenly believed our boat ride was only a half hour. How did we make that mistake? The jury’s still out on that one, but nevertheless, our not-so-short ride across Lake Superior was COLD. The boat’s captain warned us that the warm 60-degree sunshine we were enjoying on the dock would drop at least 10 degrees when the boat got moving. What we failed to realize is that we chose to sit on the shady side of the boat, away from the comforting warmth of the sun. Additionally, a strong breeze picked up once we began the long journey across the broad Lake Superior. In other words, it was the longest hour and a half of my entire life!
By the time our ferry was approaching the island, I felt frozen stiff. A small slice of sun fell across my legs when our boat shifted direction. Sweet relief! Shivering, I slouched down in my seat to soak in a few more inches of sun on my legs. Just then, Tyler pulled out his phone to snap a picture. When he raised his arms, he cast a phone-shaped shadow on my frigid thighs. The deprivation of even an ounce of sunshine was noticeable! Too cold even to complain, I just glared at the shadow instead. Bundled tightly in my sweatshirt, rain coat, gloves, and hat, I probably looked like a weirdo making an ugly face at my legs!
I was grateful for our hike when we reached the shores of Isle Royale. As we tromped through sun-dappled forest, my numb legs and fingers began to thaw. Interesting new plants drew my attention every few hundred yards, so naturally, I had to take their pictures! The symmetrical leaves and petals of Canadian Bunchberry thickly covered the forest floor. Pink Lady’s Slipper grew in stately, dangling clumps. Northern Starflowers peeked shyly out from thick shade patches, while Mouse-ear Hawkweeds tossed their yellow blooms brazenly in the sun. I’d like to express a word of appreciation for my in-laws on this hike. Tyler suggested I take the lead on our hike, so every time I stopped for a new plant, everyone else did too! Tyler was fully aware of my biology-fueled plant obsession when he married me. I’m not sure my poor in-laws were quite as aware until now!
Too soon, our pleasant island hike came to an end. Dark clouds gathered on the horizon as we ate a picnic lunch at the Isle Royale visitor center. When heavy raindrops forced us to move under the overhang, we looked at each other with trepidation. What was our ferry ride back going to be like?
As we gathered on the dock with the other ferry passengers, the clouds decided to give us a preview of our journey. They let loose a classically chilly Lake Superior shower, sending the whole group of passengers into shivers. When we boarded the boat, we were unfortunate enough to be relegated, again, to outdoor seats. At this point, the rain was blowing sideways against the side of our boat! Trying in vain to escape the rain that was actively pelting our eyeballs, I scrambled to unearth an umbrella from my backpack. We were a group of six with Tyler’s parents and siblings, so my umbrella only covered Tyler, me, and Tyler’s brother. With guilt, I wiped the rain from my face and peeked at the rest of Tyler’s family. They hunkered together with their backs to the rain. Suddenly, the umbrella made a flubbing sound and turned inside out. Promptly, the rain began pelting my eyes again. Well, now the umbrella wasn’t helping anyone!
Turns out being cold and wet during a boat ride is a lot more difficult than just being cold. We stood most of the boat ride back because our bench seat had more puddles than a swamp. The rain let up after a little while, but the choppy waves on Lake Superior made up for it. Sprays of lake water flew back on us as the boat bounced over the waves. When the wind shifted, it felt like someone had turned a fire hose on us! A crew member, his wet hair swinging limply around his face, poked his head around the corner. When he saw us involuntarily experiencing a water park, he gestured us over. Damply, we complied. When we rounded the corner, we saw all of the deck passengers huddled in the center of the deck, trying in vain to escape the spray of the boat and the spattering rain overhead. Like a soggy shepherd, the crew member tucked us safely into the open doorway of the cabin, where we could huddle under an overhang and warm up a little. The humid smell of too many wet humans wafted out of the cabin. Grateful to not be wet, we didn’t even notice!
A long, cylinder-shaped white cloud overhead hung low over Lake Superior. It was shaped like a perfect tube, kind of like those Pillsbury biscuits in a can you buy for Thanksgiving. A Google search later revealed that “roll clouds” are a rare cloud formation that often precede thunderstorms. They form when a large mass of cold air forces warmer air upwards, tumbling it into a Pillsbury dough roll that stretches across the horizon. Even without this knowledge, we knew what was about to happen. Sure enough, the dark clouds let loose about ten minutes later. Another rainstorm!
Huddled like beggars in the cabin doorway, we watched as the remaining deck passengers clumped together. Rain dripped off their hoods and onto their shoes. Pants were soaked all the way through. It was a wet trip.
We’ve encountered rain on trips before, but nothing was quite as memorable as our Isle Royale experience! Sufficient to say, I don’t think we will forget our 51st national park anytime soon!
Comments