Alexandria, MN- Mount Carmel

We leave South Dakota and head into Minnesota.  We are going to Alexandria to meet up with our friends Cliff and Marcia who we met in Florida 2 years ago and stayed at the same park in Tucson this past Winter.

 There is a lot of corn in Minnesota

 We stop about 1/2 way in Appleton, MN where Gary is going to drive truck for the Beet Harvest the 1st two weeks in October to check out the Park they are going to put us up in.

 Nice little town park with about 15 sites -
looks like Tucson has picked the one he wants

 Right on a river and walking or biking distance to everything in town.

 We continue on and almost there we are sent down a dirt road

But then we reach our destination.
Cliff and Marcia are volunteering here for 2 months.

 They are letting us stay in the small RV Park.  Normally they don't allow dogs but Marcia, "Tucson's other Mom", pleads our case and gets us in.

 The Retreat is beautiful, 60 acres on Lake Carlos.  Some new duplexes

 Lots of open space

 and lots of the original cabins from 1940's

 The new dining hall is gorgeous

 The original little chapel on the Lake

 Our friends take a day off and we go for a hike along the expansive trail that runs along several lakes.

 Afterwards we stop at Lure's Lakeside for lunch

  Tucson was allowed out on the Patio and ecstatic to learn there was a Doggy Bar.

I even got to help Marcia clean a couple cabins so I don't get rusty.
 

We had a lovely stay and it was great to see our friends and be social after so much isolation!

 Next stop - Pillager, MN