Day 25 - Rochester MN

Well, I was ready to upload pictures and post this last night when google decided that they were having problems and would not let me do anything.  After trying again and again for 30 minutes (the message said "wait 30 seconds"), I decided it was time to go to bed!  We are now on the road to Sioux Falls SD.  Hopefully it will work now!

We took the "girls" to the groomer first thing this morning and then headed downtown to the Mayo Clinic.  Wow!  It's massive and very impressive!  We wanted to spend more time there and also just walking around in downtown Rochester but we had to leave when the groomer called to say the "girls" were ready to be picked up.  Rochester has an underground subway system so in inclement weather one can walk all over town without going outside!  What great planning!

We took the girls back to the motorhome, went to lunch and just barely made it to the Historic Mayowood Mansion in time for the last tour.  It is an elegant, 48 room, four story Italian Villa and was home to three generations of the Mayo family.  Some of the special features include a dragon's-tooth stone fence, Italian marble statues, 46 flower filled urns, and heirloom collectibles.  What an amazing family and interesting history!  A great choice for an excursion since we had limited time.  Unfortunately we couldn't take pictures inside but we did get some outside shots.

Then back to the motor home to let the girls run in the dog walk/run area.  This is such a pretty and well-maintained campground!

We had to park on the 10th level in the parking garage at the Mayo Clinic!  And this was only one of numerous parking garages in downtown Rochester!

The main, and only one of many, Mayo Clinic buildings!

The Plummer Building (pictured at right) was the second of the "Mayo Clinic" building constructed.  Dr. Henry S. Plummer, a Mayo staff physician, coordinated the design and construction.  It opened in 1928, is a National Historic Landmark, and continues to dominate the Rochester skyline. 

Emily, books are STILL my friends!!! Ha!  This was a great Barnes and Noble!

According to family legend, the two brothers, Dr. Will and Dr. Charlie were so fond of each other that they wanted to build a library room that would connect their homes.  When their wives vetoed the idea, the brothers settled for a "talking tube" that ran between their homes!  

So happy to be clean again!!!  Aren't they pretty???

 

Lunch at Fat Willy's.  I had a "Fat Willy" burger and Glenn had a Ferrari burger.  Wonder what that says about us!!!  Maybe nothing!

We had lunch outside.  Beautiful weather and beautiful view!  On the far right, you can see the Pet Smart where the "girls" were groomed. That was a shot in the dark, but they were fantastic and great ambassadors for Pet Smart!

"Mayowood"
Dr. Charlie's dream home would be the center of life at the farm as well as the site of gracious entertaining of friends, family, and dignitaries.

The "girls" loved this campground too!

Yep! We would definitely come back to Minnesota, and would really love to go to the northern part of the state.  We did luck up here with the weather too.  It's been in the 70's during the day but today is supposed to be in the 90's!

SIOUX FALLS...HERE WE COME!!!!!