May 8, 2022

A Creepy Walk Down the Mazomani Trail

 

A Creepy Walk Down the Mazomani Trail

Todd Swank's Diary Entry for May 8, 2022


Spring finally arrived in Minnesota this week with temperatures reaching the seventies!  With the nicer weather, it seems like nature's critters are coming out to visit more.  We've been seeing a lot of wildlife including this deer who strolled in front of our car before scooting into this ditch and off in the woods.  I always hope one will stop and let me pet them, but that never happens.


We went golfing on Monday night which was pleasant.  I'm sad to report that my golf game didn't magically improve over the winter.  I still have a lot of work to do to produce a respectable performance.  It's going to come to me one of these years.


We saw this great egret doing some fishing at Lakefront Park.  I tried to ask him what kind of bait he was using, but he just ignored me.  Jerk.


On Friday night, we told the Korkowskis we were going to go explore an abandoned farm house at the end of the Mazomani Trail near Jordan, Minnesota.  They were happy to join us.


It ended up being kind of a creepy walk.  First of all, it was shortly before sunset so it was a little bit dim outside.  Second, we'd never been there before and we had to walk more than a mile down a dark path in the woods.  Third, we were going to explore an abandoned farm house and I've seen that plot in many a horror film.  Finally, we ran into a couple of different dudes who were alone on the trail.  They were actually both very nice, but meeting strangers fit nicely into the horror movie dialog I was trying to establish with the group.  Plus, I swear one of them gave me a look that said "Let's Get It On".  But that definitely could have been my imagination.


We ran into a couple of deer along the way.  It was pretty cute as it became obvious they thought we couldn't see them because they were so "hidden" in the brush.  We didn't spoil it for them, though, and just went along with the charade.


It was a very beautiful walk alongside the Louisiana Swamp that attaches to the Minnesota River.  Sue was really hoping we'd see some snakes, but no luck in that regard.


Just when we were expecting to get close to the farmhouse we discovered the path was completely underwater.  Apparently there used to be a bridge here that has since collapsed.


We could kind of see the farmhouse between the trees, but there was no way to get close without some serious swimming involved.  I've since read that the farm buildings were built sometime between the1860's and 1880's and were purchased by the Jabs family in 1905.  It's still known as the Jabs Farm.  Some day we'll try to get to it again but start our hike on the south side of the river instead.


After our hike, we stopped at Cuzzy's Brick House in Carver, Minnesota.  It's a really fun place complete with a sand volleyball pit and whiffle ball field in the backyard.  I always thought I could have been really good at whiffle ball if I'd have just dedicated myself to it.


On Saturday night, we had a nice surprise when we bumped into our friends Ted & Marcia at Chili's in Shakopee.  They're such good people.


On Sunday morning, we took Miss Sheri to Cracker Barrel for Mother's Day.  

Happy Mother's Day to all you awesome moms out there!

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