Greensburg is known for only 2 things. The Big Well - the largest hand dug well in the country - and for being blown off the map by a killer tornado in 2007.

We stopped by in 2009 and tried to see the well, but it was not open to the public. We did take a couple of shots, and we have stopped by every couple of years since then in hopes we could take The Well Tour.

This year, to our surprise, it is open. Not only open, but now contained in a huge, state of the art building highlighting the history of The Well and the town

Grand Marais was always a favorite of ours when we lived in Minnesota and we were happy to go back there again.

The rocks, scenery, people and the beauty of Lake Superior make it worth the drive.

We were also more than pleased to revisit our favorite places, like The Angry Trout Restaurant.

It warms your heart to know some things are just where you left them 15 years ago.

The Split Rock Lighthouse was on Brians wish list, so we stopped on our way to Grand Marais. It was constructed in 1910 and closed in 1969. I love their motto

BEFORE THERE WAS GPS THERE WAS A REALLY BIG LIGHT

Yup, that is Split Rock Lighthouse.

It was active until 1969. Thankfully it is in good hands and has been well maintained.

The lighthouse is fun to visit, and the surrounding paths and compound are worth the time.

On the way back to the Twin Cities we did a couple stops.

The first was at Cascade Falls.

It is just a short walk to the falls, and the path around it is a nice break from the car.

Gooseberry Falls is probably the most visited of all the falls along Route 61.

When we first stopped there, way back in 1993, you parked along the road and went down a dirt path to some nice wooden overlooks, or scrambled down the hill to the water.

Now it is all gussied up with paved walks, parking lots, huge visitors center.

We liked it better the old way, but the falls are still pretty.

All those years we lived right next door in Apple Valley we never knew this park existed. Too bad because it is a wonderful place to visit.

It is 60 acres of art and entertainment. Over the years Mr. Caponi has created some impressive pieces and put them on display for the public to enjoy for free.

During summer there are events at the outdoor theater which is nestled among the trees.

Every path takes you to something interesting. All the art is organic in nature, a mixture of nature and man.

We want to go back and enjoy this again on our next visit.

When we were heading home from Minnesota we wanted to do at least one or two tourist stops.

We decided to travel through Colorado, and while looking at our atlas I saw this little road marked as "the longest paved road" just outside of Denver.

Now this sounded intriguing so we adjusted our route and times so we would get to it a bit after lunch.

This should be no surprise that there is copious roadwork around the Denver area, and we had a little bit of trouble finding the road, but eventually we did and started our drive up the mountain.

The top of Mount Evans is at 14,130 feet and the road up is a fairly well maintained but narrow 2 laner.

There are many places to see, such as the Bristlecone Pines at Mount Goliath Natural area. These are old, up to 1,700 years old.

Once above the tree line you get to enjoy Mountain Goats. I have never been 3 feet from a Mountain Goat but they were everywhere.

We stepped out of our truck to watch them on several occasions. They were even at the top.

There are also lots of Big Horn Sheep, Golden Mantled Ground Squirrels, Yellow Bellied Marmots and more.

A plethora of wildlife. What an amazing find.

We love old forts. It does not matter what they were used for, what condition they are now in, or just how far off the beaten path they are we will go to see them. Sometimes there is not much left, but quite often we are so pleasantly surprised by what has been preserved, restored and recreated. Fort Garland was one of those finds.

Located about 50 miles west of I-15 on US-160 there is not much besides open country until you get into the small town of Fort Garland. For such a small town the museum is quite large, and there have been many active, thorough digs throughout the years that have unearthed a great trove of artifacts related to the area and the fort. These are well displayed in the various buildings s they relate to their use during those times.

They have also done a good job in delineating what is original and what has been restored. Nicely done. Since we have listened to the life of Kit Carson we were a bit familiar with the importance of this fort, so it was nice to see it is so well maintained and cared for. Any fort or history enthusiast would do well to take the time for a visit here.