Wednesday, April 27, 2005

Longest River in North America: The Source



The Mississippi River begins its 2552 mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico at a small lake (Lake Itasca) in northern Minnesota. When I was a kid, I walked across the river here, on stones laid across the source just for that purpose. I fell in, but I didn't get hurt. Just got one of my shoes soaking wet.

Since that time I've cross the Mississippi River many times, almost always by car. When I was in college, though, I used to run a 7-mile circuit from the Ford to the Selby bridges between Minneapolis and Saint Paul. That meant I crossed the river by foot (on the bridges) twice during my run each day. Never fell in again since that first time.

Address: Itasca State Park, 36750 Main Park Trail, Park Rapids, Minnesota 56470; 218-266-2100. Fax: 218-266-3942. Email: itasca.park@dnr.state.mn.us. Web: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/itasca/index.html.

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