hostel takeover

I just returned from a weekend at the Mississippi Headwaters Hostel at Itasca State Park north of Park Rapids, MN. There were 25 family members able to attend this reunion, so we were able to rent the whole facility. A few of us got up and headed for the golf course on Saturday morning. Great weather, and a nice little course.

A path led from the hostel to a bike/boat rental place across the park drive. And a short walk down the trial was a swimming beach and the Mississippi headwaters. Hard to believe that you can walk across the rocks at the start of the river, but they are slippery.

Besides trips to the headwaters, there were several trips to the swimming beach to cool off, and time on rented bikes, kayaks, and a pontoon. A little rain Saturday night and Sunday morning didn't stop us from having a campfire each evening, grilling pork and turkey, and playing yard games.

There were plenty of laughs, and plenty of smores. It was great to see so many family members. The only drawback was the 11-12 hour drive to get from Kansas to there. Leaving by 6:00am on Monday  afforded me some beautiful views as I drove out of the park and for home.