Dissappointed?

After a day of rest following the Detroit Lakes Troll searching trip, we decided to attend the Smokin' in Steele BBQ and Blues Fest in Owatonna. MN, which was scheduled to be held today and tomorrow. As the website said, vendors open at 11:00 AM, we decided to head 50 miles south at 3:30 PM to arrive in time for the first free concert. The concert was with Eden Brent from Greenville, Mississippi. She is a blues pianist and vocalist who combines boogie-woogie blues, jazz, soul, gospel, and pop. In 2006, she won the Blues Foundation International Blues Challenge. In 2009, she won the Blues Music Awards for Acoustic Artist of the Year and Acoustic Album of the Year, as well as the Pinetop Perkins Piano Player in 2025. At the 14th Annual Independent Music Awards in 2015, Eden Brent won the award in the "Holiday Song" category for "Valentine". She has the credentials, and I enjoyed her talent.

What I did not enjoy was that there was no BBQ. None of the contestants had started cooking, and besides the free Eden Brent concert, they had a $15 fee for the beer garden and additional music. There were a few food trucks, and T-Mobile was the only non-food vendor. One of the food trucks was a bad excuse for BBQ, while others had nothing to do with BBQ. Overall, it was a wasted trip, and I don't recommend wasting anyone's time on the first day, nor am I sure if the second day is any better.

Since we were hungry and longed for good BBQ, we searched for any option on the way home. We found a place called Smoke in Lonsdell, MN. It was about 6 miles out of the way, but it had decent reviews. It was scheduled to open just before the COVID pandemic hit in 2020. That meant they were set for business, but since they were not opened in 2019, they did not qualify for any COVID aid under the Paycheck Protection Program. Therefore, they needed to wait until the fall to start any service. To make things worse, in 2021, the owner's wife had brain cancer. It is a miracle this business survived.  

We ordered the pulled pork sandwich with Mac and Cheese and the brisket sandwich with cornbread. I am thrilled that the business survived COVID and all the hardships, as the meal was the best BBQ experience I have ever had in my entire life. The service was outstanding, like you would expect in a small-town restaurant. I could not recommend this location higher and will look to return when in the area.

So maybe the Smokin' in Steele BBQ and Blues Fest in Owatonna. MN being such a disappointment and letdown was good; otherwise, I would have never found Smoke Restaurant in Lonsdale, MN!

Carry on my friends, Carry on! 

Busy - and a trip

I’ve been busy with spring cleaning, gardening, and caring for my mom. I’ve only ridden my bike a few times, but I’ve been using the battery less and getting a better workout. It was slow at 11.8 MPH, but I was pleased with the 712-foot climb.

Shelley’s 360-mile-away father’s declining health and increasing need for care are causing her significant stress. She receives frequent calls from the care facility about his new problems. It’s heartbreaking to see his rapid decline since turning 82. I hope I won’t face a similar situation in my own life, especially since I have less than 20 years until I reach that age. It isn’t very comforting to see how aging affects my mother and her father.

I just returned from Detroit Lakes, MN, where they have wooden trolls hidden in the woods.  You used clues to find the trolls.  Each troll provided a letter for an 8-letter word that served as a clue to find the Golden Rabbit.  The project was created by Project 412 to encourage people to get outside and enjoy the outdoors.  It was fun, but very exhausting for overweight senior citizens.  Here are some images of the journey!

 

Troll Alexa	Troll Alexa
Troll Ronny Funny Face	Troll Jacob Everear Troll Jacob Everear

Troll Barefoot Frida	The Golden Rabbit
Troll Ling Leif	Rugged trail

 

That is a short update!  Carry on my friends, carry on!

Trolls Day 2

After a much-needed night of rest, we got up at 7:30 AM and prepared for the day.  The Fairfield Inn offered a simple breakfast, and we fueled up before starting our venture.  It was a typical hotel breakfast with scrambled eggs, sausage, waffles, cereal, yogurt, muffins, bread, and bagels.  By 9:30 AM, we were packed and ready for the adventure.

We seek out the remaining trolls (Barefoot Frida, Jacob Everear, and Long Leif) and a mirror to complete the word clue, leading to the Golden Rabbit. We have the first letter “D” and the fifth letter “R”. We decided against driving to Fargo, ND (50 miles) or Perham, MN (20 miles) for the clues. We hoped six of the eight letters in the word clue would solve the puzzle.

Barefoot Frida was the next troll on the list, but it was raining when we arrived. We checked the weather radar and saw that Frazee, where Jacob Everear, the fourth troll, is located, wasn’t raining. So, we headed to Wannigan Regional Park in Frazee, MN, to find the trolls out of order.

Finding this location was challenging due to a modified access road. We missed the turn but quickly understood the change since we knew the address. A sign indicated Jacob Everear was 2,067 feet north on the trail. The handout categorized the trail as easy to moderate, with trolls organized by difficulty. The trail was open terrain, providing warmth from the sun. It had a few rolling hills and a covered bridge. 

When we arrived at Jacob Everear, it was just as fascinating as the previous trolls.  Unlike the other trolls, you could climb on this one and see the construction details.  The amount of work involved in creating these works is hard to comprehend.  

The storyline for Jacob Everear is: Because he loves to listen, his ears have grown and grown.  Do you have a story to tell?

 Unlike the other trolls, where the clue was on a necklace, the clue was nailed to a tree.  

Clue on Jacob Everear, we thought this was an "H" based on the chart.

So the clues we assumed so far, based on three trolls, were D ? ? H R ? ? ?.

Once we hiked back to the car, we headed back to Detroit Lakes to find Barefoot Frida.  The rain had cleared, but we decided to stop for gas and a restroom break before the next hike.  

The Barefoot Frida trail was the first trail listed as moderate to difficult, featuring moderate climbs.  It was about a quarter-mile hike, with one significant hill.  At this location, there is also a small store and information center, although it is closed on Tuesdays, so we were unable to visit the facility. 

As we approached Frida, we noticed stepping stones leading to Frida. However, the water was high and too risky for Shelley.  Even without the water, Shelley would have taken the longer route around the pond! 

Stepping stones from the trial to Frida - we took the longer trail that looped around the water.

Once again, this is excellent craftsmanship, and I marveled at the creativity.  It was here that I realized the eyebrows were created using tree bark.  The storyline for Barefoot Frida is:

An outdoorsy type, she loves to build small yet fun challenges for her friends in nature.

The clue on Barefoot Frida led us to think this was a "U" based on the chart.

So the clues we assumed so far, based on four trolls, were D U?  H R ? ? ?.  We were baffled by what the third letter would be, with the DU?H.  It created so many questions in our minds!  We decided the best bet would be to get the next clue from the mirror in Detroit Lakes.  It was a short drive to the mirror, yet it was hidden between two walls.  

The clue on this mirror meant the 6th letter was an "O".

We were flabbergasted and had no idea what the clue could be as the clues so far spelled the word D U ?  H R O ? ?!  Thinking there must be a mistake along the way, we reviewed the map and clues again.  We realized we mistook Alexa's clue as the letter "D", but it was "M".  That made it easy to understand the code word was MUSHROOM, and we located it on the map.  The Golden Rabbit is just west of the Detroit Mountain Ski area!

Even though we knew the codeword and the location of the Golden Rabbit, we wanted to see all the trolls, so we headed to Long Leif. Long Leif was located near the ski hill, so it should be near the Golden Rabbit location.  Access to Long Leif was noted as a moderate to strenuous trail. The drive to the ski hill was in the middle of nowhere, and we had about a 1.5-mile washboard gravel road. You would think this would have been in better shape to paved, as it leads to a major attraction year-round.

Upon arrival, we started the journey to Long Leif.  The temperature was rising, and the sun made the open areas quite warm for hiking. This was the most challenging of the five troll trails, marked by uneven terrain, rocks, and roots. Upon arrival, the height of this troll was impressive. I was about 38 feet high and the tallest troll designed and built by  Thomas Dambo. There must be a solid foundation and supports to prevent this from toppling over in a storm.  The storyline for Long Leif is: A friend of trees, he has learned their secret of growth, and has become as tall as the best of them! 

The clue on Long Leif was an "O" for the 7th letter - we already knew that.

We sought the Golden Rabbit, west of the ski hill. At the open clubhouse, we found restrooms, ice cream, and refreshments. We completed our trek before indulging in treats. Just west of the chalet, we saw a sign that read "Golden Rabbit" with an arrow. We knew we were in the correct location and very close to finishing the quest.  

We read that the Golden Rabbit hike was the longest and had rugged terrain. Despite feeling the effects of the last three trolls, we were determined to complete the search. Shelley found it safer to walk sideways.

The storyline for the Golden Rabbit reads - It’s still a secret where the Golden Rabbit is located!  To find the Rabbit, complete all the riddles and decode the symbols to find the word that will give you a clue on how to find the Rabbit.

The Rabbit was constructed from yellow crates.	The wiskers are windshield wipers!

The quest was over, yet we needed to make it back to the parking lot!  We were both exhausted!  The trail was challenging for retirees!  Before we started the hike to the Golden Rabbit, we met a few people who opted to avoid the trail, and one who we thought was about to have a stroke climbing the last hill. 

The last downhill is about to begin!

On the last hill, the image does not reflect the slope.

 

Exhausted, we enjoy treats at the chalet before heading to the car for lunch and a break before going home.  

The drive was easy, but we were exhausted.  Although a portion of it provided some entertainment, I witnessed something I had never seen before.  In Royalton, MN, a large sprinter van sped through town.  It passed us, with a police officer right behind, sirens blaring.  They seemed oblivious and just kept going 65 MPH down the highway.  The police officer swerved left and right to get their attention, but they continued on their way.  They drove about 10 miles, and I followed the police car as they finally pulled over.  Less than a minute later, I saw three other police cars heading in that direction.  It's remarkable that for ten miles, they drove at the speed limit with the siren and flashing lights, as if there was no issue.

Overall, it was a fantastic trip that I highly recommend to everyone.  However, if you read this, you might find that the clues are already provided, which could lessen the enjoyment.  I apologize for that issue!

Carry on my friends, carry on!

Trolls

Lunch at  Dower Lake Park and Pier

 We woke up to a gloomy day. After discussing ideas, we decided to take a trip to Detroit Lakes, MN, to see a series of Trolls that had recently been installed throughout the city. Shelley, newly retired and eager for spontaneous adventures, was excited to try out her newfound freedom. We packed up and left town by 12:30 p.m. Although we encountered little traffic, there were a few periods of heavy rain. When we reached Motley, we decided to take a break and check out The BBQ Smokehouse Plus, a grocery and deli. Unfortunately, the deli was closed, but we managed to grab some blueberry wild rice summer sausage, gouda beef sticks, gouda pasta salad, and BBQ potato salad. We drove to Dower Lake Park & Fishing Pier, just west of Staples, where we found a lovely park setting to enjoy a late-afternoon snack. The BBQ Smokehouse items we purchased were delicious. I made a mental note to stop on the way home to pick up some for later!

We arrived at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Detroit Lakes shortly after 5:00 p.m., our accommodation for the night. This location is excellent, positioned directly across the street from Alexa, the first troll in the series. Here’s some background on the trolls!

They say Minnesota’s forests have long inspired tall tales, legendary characters, and cherished photo ops. In the summer of 2024, thanks to a massive community effort, a fresh fairy tale invites people outdoors to embark on a unique treasure hunt for supersized trolls. International recycling artist Thomas Dambo and his team constructed their largest troll ever—a 36-foot-high figure named Long Leif—towering above a clearing at Detroit Mountain near Detroit Lakes.

The long, lanky Leif joins four other enormous trolls, including the playful Ronny Funny Face, who peeks from behind a tree at Dunton Locks County Park, and Jacob EverEar, who reclines peacefully overlooking the Otter Tail River. The Danish artist’s work promotes the transformation of scrap wood and trash into art while creating an interactive fairy tale that guides participants on a treasure hunt for five trolls, one villainous Golden Rabbit, and three magic mirror portals.

The trolls encourage travelers to unplug, get outside, and enjoy the region’s renowned lakes and scenic beauty. The locations shown on the downloadable map are in public areas. Eight letters provide a word clue to discover the location of the final art piece, the well-hidden Golden Rabbit. The adventure is in motion to decipher the symbols found at each site. As shown below, there is a code list, a sample Code on one of the trolls, and the blank work, which is the clue for the Golden Rabbit location.

Symbol on a troll, which uses the sheet below to find the 5th letter, is "R"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

From the clue above, the 5th letter is R.

     - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Once you have the clues, the word provides the location of the Golden Rabbit.  i.e., "PineCone"

The first troll we found was Alexa. It was huge (see image with Shelley).  The trolls were constructed using recycled or discarded materials. We marveled at the craftsmanship. Her hair was made of tree limbs. Very creative! Several trees near Alexa had numerous colorful birdhouses, which I learned was a common theme. 

The journey begins with Alexa’s book, which features four pages that provide clues and tell the tales of her and the other trolls.

1

2

3

 
As this is hard to read, it reads:

A long, long time ago, or maybe just a little,

Lived a tiny little people, everyone considered equal.

And every morning, every man and woman from the town

Would go to work and go to rest with bellies warm and round.

However, as in stories, something unforeseen can happen.

That’s true in this tale, too, as the thunder started clapping

And from across the mountain, a golden rabbit came

And told the little people things would never be the same.\\

It told about another town, much bigger and much better,

Where everyone had twice as much, the weather was much better.

It told the little people, you are hungry and so cold

But if you work for me, then I will lead you to the gold.

And so they did, day after day, in search of something better

Twice as hard and twice as long, in what seemed like forever.

But as it is in stories, something unforeseen can happen

Now, a big old troll came draggin’

With a cauldron on a wagon

The little people were still working hard; it had become a habit.

Gold had made them addicted, yet nowhere was the rabbit.

Famous for her magic mirrors, the troll was called Alexa.

To set the little people free, she wrote a recipe for an elixir.

Start with: The songs of three birds and a little bit of herb.

Add the laughter from a stranger, and let it cook while you stir.

You will need to plant a plant and chop a little bit of root

Add a story of love, and then put in a mile walked barefoot.

But as it is in stories, something unforeseen can happen

And so it does again, this time, it’s your turn to take action

Help Alexa make the Elixir. Go find the eight ingredients.

Face the golden rabbit and set the little people free again!

The goal is to create the necessary Elixir, and a recipe has been provided (the third page of the wooden book above).

The storyline for Alexis is:

The wise old traveling brewer of potions. Always dragging her portals, ingredients and mighty spoon. She solves problems all over the land - for trolls and humans alike.

Alexa - Shelley is hard to see

Based on the symbol on Alexa (shown below), we determined that the first letter of the clue word must be "D".

Clue on Alexa - we thought this was a "D" based on the chart.

Alexa was outstanding, so we decided to try to find the second troll. We traveled on a 4-mile drive to Dunton Locks County Park, where another troll, Ronny Funny Face, was located. On the drive there, a significant rainstorm erupted unexpectedly! We waited in the car for about 30 minutes for the rain to end before searching for Ronny Funny Face.

Although signage indicated the general location, we felt uncertain as we traveled up the trail. Fortunately, the trademark colorful birdhouses lining the path reassured us that we were headed in the right direction.

The birdhouses verified that we were going in the right direction

When we finally arrived, Ronny Funny Face was hidden among the trees. This structure was once again immense, standing over 30 feet tall. It featured gestures, with his tongue sticking out and hands beside his head, conveying silliness, playfulness, and lightheartedness. The design was remarkable, perfectly showcasing the character of the troll.  

The storyline for Ronny Funny Face is:

Always on the lookout for a laugh, Ronny wants to make the whole world smile!

 

Trail to Ronny Funny Face	Ronny is hidden!

Based on the symbol (shown below), we determined the fifth letter of the clue word must be "R".

Clue on Ronny Funny Face, we thought this was an "R" based on the chart

 

As we approached 7:00 p.m., we made our way back to the hotel and Lakeside Tavern & Brewery for dinner. Lakeside Tavern has been a staple of Detroit Lakes City Beach since 1891. We dined on the patio; despite the cloudy and cooler weather, it was wonderful to be outside. The food was good, and I would recommend this place as a dining option.

After dinner, we decided to drive around Detroit Lake. The lake is mostly developed with lake homes and residential areas once you leave the main beach. It was a wonderful way to end the day before heading back to the hotel for some rest. We have a significant amount of troll searching to do tomorrow.

Carry on my friends, carry on!