Road trips can be a scavenger hunt. You can start with a destination such as a town or roadside kitschy. Better yet, pick a direction. North, south, east, or west.
Don’t be afraid to take that road that looks interesting. A curvy road that disappears into a canopy of trees always beckons my hubby and me to see where the road leads.
Sometimes it is a dead end or a muddy low maintenance road that you hold your breath until you hit a paved road. One time it turned into banjo music from the movie Deliverance as we made our way down a narrow road with only a bar as the town center. The vibe we got from the customers or town residents was, get out so we can continue to do illegal things or inbreeding. It was not hunting season and they all had shotguns. A wave as we passed by helped. I also grab a map so it looked like we were lost. It wasn’t a state of Minnesota map but it worked. We obviously made it home safe.
Most of the times it leads to a beautiful drive and quaint little towns off the major highway. We have found beautiful parks, roadside kitschy, and many amazing diners.
One day trip we ended up in Lanesboro Minnesota, a wonderful town. We went through the many shops, ate ice cream cones, and enjoyed ourselves. The countryside outside of Lanesboro, is dotted with farms that looked as if put there for tourist enjoyment.
We were in no hurry to return home and decided to drive east. We meander on several roads the took us on winding curves. Hubby made a note for future motorcycle rides.
The unwritten rule of this drive was to moo every time you saw a cow. No points were given but I am sure I spotted the most.
On this aimless drive is where we found the Tawney Wayside Park. At the time we didn’t know that it had a name, but now I found that it does have a name. We were looking for a bathroom but there was none. I wasn’t doing the Dance of the Overflowing Bladder, I knew we were just north of the town of Mable MN, so I could wait.
There was a historical marker. It talked about that Tawney was a town or more this was the site where the grocery store stood. The store was the town.
What I found fascinating was the fact that it was the hot spot of the community up to the time of the reconstruction of State Highway 43 in 1986. My hubby and I were in college in 1986 when this town became a ghost town.
I never thought a town turned into a ghost town in my lifetime. Ghost towns are from the wild west or lumber towns. Not one that is nestled between cornfields. Not one in my lifetime.
I now want to add to my search of roadside kitschy, historical markers. To stop and actually read what happened here.
If you would like to find this quaint little spot it is located just north of Mable Minnesota on State Highway 43 at the intersection of 180th Street. Or goggle Tawney Wayside Park.
