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