Daily Adventures July 30-August 4, 2012

My shoulder is injured. I think it's my deltoid muscle. Not to worry, I'll recover quickly. You see, my younger son loves Beyblades, which are basically tops for this generation. Each one comes with four components that are interchangeable so you can create your own original designs. Then you load your top into a launcher held in one hand, and "rip" a cord with the other. This sends the blades into a Bey Stadium where they crash into each other, and the last one standing wins. I kinda get caught up in it once I start "battling" with the family. The problem is the ripping. You want to win so you pull really hard to make your top spin faster. And you do it over and over until your deltoid hurts. I might need to work out more.

Monday, July 30

The 3M championship runs today through Sunday at the TPC in Blaine. Admission is free and affords the opportunity to rub elbows with the likes of Jay Haas, Tom Lehman and Fuzzy Zoeller, to name a few. Well, maybe you won't actually rub elbows, but you can golf-clap for them as they pass by on the fairway. Pro-Ams are featured until Friday when championship play begins. There will also be an expo tent and Family Fun Zone available over the weekend. Check the schedule to see what's happening each day and then hit the course.

Tuesday, July 31

Five years ago, tomorrow, the 35W bridge collapsed during the evening rush hour. I'm sure most of us have a story about that day. I was scheduled to cross the bridge with my boys about an hour after it went down. For a while, I became acutely aware of the bridges that I crossed. The memorial for the 13 people who died that day opened last year across from Gold Medal Park. I've never been, but I think we'll go pay our respects this week. We'll also take a stroll along the board walk by Mill Ruins Park and cross the nearby Stone Arch Bridge.

Wednesday, August 1

Today brings the final concert of the Northrop Summer Music Festival to the plaza of Northrop Auditorium. The Sans Souci Quartet is on the bill today playing bluegrass under, hopefully, blue skies. Although I don't see it on the website this time, I bet you can still score some free Vitamin Water if you go. The Premiums got rained out on the 18th so somebody somewhere has got a trunk full of the stuff to give away. Speaking of the Premiums, the rain couldn't stop them for good. They play on Tuesday (July 31) if you're feeling more groovy than blue.

They played their worst season ever last year, but I still love the Vikings. They opened training camp last week and we might make the trek to Mankato State to see the pageantry of it all. I don't know exactly what to expect, but it looks like there is a walk-through in the morning and a practice in pads each afternoon. Time is set aside daily for autographs from different positions. Today the wide receivers will be wielding the Sharpies. Family Football Day is Saturday, August 4th and features an evening practice with fireworks and free football and/or cheerleading clinics for the kids. So go ahead, put on some face paint and show your horns in Mankato.

Friday, August 3

We haven't spent any money on our adventures yet this week, right? Maybe it'd be OK to drop $70 on a household membership (two adults and children under 18) with the Minnesota Historical Society. That's a chunk of change up front, but it gains you admission to 26 sites and museums around Minnesota. The ones I'm most excited about are Mill City Museum, Fort Snelling, and Split Rock Lighthouse. If you visit three places over the next year, you'll have saved money. If you visit all 26, it'll be like they're paying you to amuse yourself.

Saturday, August 4

You can go on a Garden Quest today at the Walker during First Free Saturday. If you go, you will be LARPing (live action role-playing) in the sculpture garden, searching for trolls and hermits. This is, of course, after Skalk the Bitter teaches you how to handle a sword at Battle School. Skalk ranks at the 9th level, so you'll have that going for you when you meet a troll.