| Today Norm Goldman editor of
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| | lakeside cabin nearby.If you want more of
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| Sketchandtravel and Bookpleasures
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| | the outdoors, consider taking a houseboat
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| welcomes as a guest, travel author and
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| | through Voyageurs National Park, which
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| writer Tim Bewer, who is an expert on
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| | runs along the Canadian border. There are
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| Minnesota. Tim is also the author of Moon
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| | no roads here, just a 100,000-acre chain
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| Handbooks Minnesota, as well as many
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| | of lakes, endless forests, hundreds on
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| other travel books and travel
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| | moose and loons, plus a few interesting
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| articles.Good day Tim and thank you for
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| | historic sites to mix things up. A
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| agreeing to participate in our
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| | houseboat lets you explore everything
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| interview:Norm:Tim, could you tell our
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| | with all the comforts of home.Finally,
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| readers something about yourself, how
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| | for something out of the ordinary, the
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| long have you lived in Minnesota, your
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| | Delta Queen Steamboat Company runs
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| writing experience, and your expertise
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| | timeless paddlewheel riverboats along the
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| pertaining to Minnesota?Tim:I moved to
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| | Mississippi River between St. Paul,
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| Minneapolis in 2000, but I spent most of
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| | Minnesota and St. Louis, Missouri. The
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| my life living next door in Wisconsin and
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| | weeklong voyages stop in various river
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| visited the Land of 10,000 Lakes often
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| | towns and feature luxurious
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| before making it my home. After two years
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| | accommodations.Norm:When is the best time
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| of exploring every nook and cranny in the
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| | to visit Minnesota from the point of view
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| state I published my Moon Handbooks
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| | of weather, costs, etc?Tim:You can't beat
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| Minnesota with Avalon Travel Publishing
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| | Minnesota in the fall. The mild
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| of Emeryville, California in December of
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| | temperatures and stable atmosphere of
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| 2004. Other countries I've written,
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| | autumn results in lots of sunshine and
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| edited, or updated books on include
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| | very little rain. This ideal weather
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| Wisconsin, Ecuador, and El
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| | often lasts well into November and
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| Salvador.Norm:Could you tell our audience
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| | sometimes even December. Late September
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| something about Minnesota, where it is
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| | through early October is my pick for the
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| situated, its climate, geography etc, and
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| | absolute best time to travel across the
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| why, as mentioned in your bio that I
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| | state; not only is the weather ideal, but
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| recently read, you consider the upper
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| | you'll find fall colors, fewer visitors
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| Midwest to be the most beautiful place on
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| | than during the busy summer, off-season
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| earth?Tim:Minnesota is in the north
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| | discounts, and no mosquitoes. The one
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| central United States. It spans the
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| | exception to the fewer visitors rule is
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| boreal pine forests of Lake Superior's
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| | that hotels along the North Shore of Lake
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| western shores in the northeast down to
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| | Superior are booked solid during the fall
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| the tallgrass prairie and farm fields of
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| | color season.Norm:What should people know
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| the Great Plains in the southwest. The
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| | about celebrating a wedding in Minnesota
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| culture is quintessential Midwest--modest
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| | from the point of view of requirements,
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| and friendly. The winters are as cold as
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| | experience of the various hotels,
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| you'd expect, but the weather the rest of
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| | etc?Tim:The most important thing is to
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| the year is usually mild and
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| | book as far in advance as possible.
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| comfortable.As for being the most
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| | Lodging in the destinations I mentioned
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| beautiful place on earth; well, no one
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| | above will often be full up months in
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| can argue with the majesty of mountains,
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| | advance. The bed-and-breakfasts and
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| but I personally think the intimacy of a
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| | smaller inns are renown for personal
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| forest-fringed lake tops it and we've got
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| | service and can certainly assist you in
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| some twelve thousand of them. Plus, there
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| | making the most of your special day while
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| is an abundance of waterfalls, soaring
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| | big resorts have extensive experience
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| bluffs lining the Mississippi River and
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| | with wedding parties and can handle just
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| Lake Superior, and large patches of
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| | about everything for you.Marriage
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| tallgrass prairie.Norm:Do you consider
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| | licenses must be applied for in person
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| Minnesota a great place for a romantic
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| | and then there is a five-day statutory
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| getaway or wedding destination and if so,
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| | waiting period after applying; however,
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| why?Tim:Absolutely. There are many
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| | waivers to the waiting period are
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| historic small towns with luxurious
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| | routinely granted with a little extra
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| bed-and-breakfasts or you can go "Up
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| | paperwork.Norm:What resources are
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| North" and find a remote lakeside cabin
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| | available on the Internet pertaining to
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| with a fieldstone fireplace and bearskin
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| | Minnesota?Tim:The Minnesota Office of
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| rug. And, no matter where you base
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| | Tourism ( has a pretty comprehensive Web
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| yourself, you'll have sublime scenery
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| | site covering the state. The lodging
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| around you.Norm:If you had to choose the
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| | search is particularly handy.Norm:Is
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| five most unique and romantic venues in
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| | there anything else we have not covered
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| Minnesota, what would they be, where are
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| | that you would like to tell our audience
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| they situated and why would you consider
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| | about Minnesota?Tim:Whether someone is
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| these five?Tim:If someone wants to be
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| | planning a honeymoon or wedding, or just
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| pampered, then they'll love Stillwater,
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| | a regular vacation, I have the same
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| which lies just outside the Twin Cities.
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| | advice for everyone: Take some time to
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| This historic lumber town on the St.
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| | visit different parts of the state. The
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| Croix River has reinvented itself as a
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| | culture of the Twin Cities and the lakes
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| retail and relaxation destination. You
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| | and forests of the northeast attract most
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| can indulge yourself at a four-star
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| | of the visitors, but the historic small
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| restaurant, stroll along the riverfront
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| | towns or the southeast and the vast open
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| promenade at sunset, take a moonlit
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| | spaces of the largely agricultural
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| gondola cruise, and finish the night at
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| | western half of the state have their own
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| any of the elegant
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| | charm.Thanks Tim for giving us the
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| bed-and-breakfasts.Little Lansesboro,
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| | opportunity to learn more about
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| nestled in the rugged hills of southeast
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| | Minnesota.Tim: You are most welcome.Norm
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| Minnesota's Amish country, is more down
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| | Goldman is the editor of
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| home than Stillwater, though the
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| | sketchandtravel.com, a travel site, and
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| top-notch lodging and dining is no less
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| | bookpleasures.com, a book reviewing and
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| indulgent and the surrounding scenery is
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| | author interviewing site.Norm and his
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| even more spectacular.Grand Marais, a
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| | artist wife Lily are a unique husband and
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| flourishing arts community up in the far
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| | wife team in that they meld Norm's words
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| northeast corner of the state, looks out
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| | with Lily's water colors focusing on
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| across Lake Superior. Outside town is the
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| | articles about romantic getaways and
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| vast Superior National Forest, home to
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| | wedding destinations.
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| the million-acre Boundary Waters Canoe
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| | You can learn more about them by going
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| Area Wilderness. Besides paddling, there
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| | to their site at: and Lily are always
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| is fantastic hiking, biking, dogsledding,
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| | open for invitations to romantic
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| and just about any other outdoor activity
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| | destinations particularly in the New
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| you can imagine. Spend the night in one
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| | England States and Florida.
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| of the town's quaint inns or opt for a
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|
