On the Road - Minnesota - 7/15/2016

This morning we packed up and started heading north to Minnesota.  We are on the way to Greg's in Great Falls, MT, but we first have to drive north into Minnesota, then a day crossing North Dakota and then another day to Great Falls.  To break it up today we made two stops, the first at the SPAM Museum in Austin, MN, and the second at the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN, just south of Minneapolis.

In this case SPAM has nothing to do with computers and is the canned ham product that Hormel has been making since 1937.  In 1991, Hormel opened a small museum to celebrate its 100th anniversary.  Then 10 years later, in 2001, the museum was enlarged and focused on SPAM.  SPAM gained popularity after its use during WW II.  Today SPAM is sold in over 41 countries in 18 varieties.  The museum covers the history of SPAM and shows how it is used in a number of countries.  Here we are at the entrance of the museum.

This display showed ways that SPAM is used in Japan.  They make a sushi like dish with SPAM.

As a result of GIs having SPAM in their rations, it became very popular in countries where large number of GIs were stationed. Like South Korea.

And the Philippines.

It has become very popular in China to the point that Hormel is setting up a plant in China to make SPAM.

This display commemorates a thank you letter that Gen. Eisenhower sent the president of Hormel.

Here are he varieties of SPAM.

And Monty Python even made a movie about SPAM.

We spent a little over an hour in the museum, then grabbed lunch and headed to the Mall of America just south of Minneapolis.  This is the largest mall in the USA and is very impressive.  It was opened in 1992 and is owned by a Canadian company.  It is in the form of an open rectangle with a very large covered atrium in the center.  It encloses 96.4 acres, has about 530 stores spread across 3 floors with a partial fourth floor.  The anchor stores at each corner are Sears, Macy's, Nordstrom and Crayola Experience.  Here we are approaching the north entrance.

The atrium in the center holds an amusement park called the Nickelodeon Experience with multiple roller coasters, a flume ride, Ferris wheel, carousel, etc.  Here is a photo of the center.

Here is a short video which shows some of the rides being used.

Here is the Ferris wheel.

And the carousel.

We spent about 2-1/2 hours here and then started heading north again.  We stopped in the small town of Sauk Centre, MN and pulled into the super Walmart parking lot.  We will spend the night here.  Walmart is very friendly to RVers and unless local ordinances prevent it will let RVers and truckers overnight in their parking lot.  What they are counting on is that you will come into the store and spend some money.  We did.  We picked up a rotisserie chicken for dinner and other supplies.  Here are some photos of us in the Walmart lot.

There was another RV just in front of us.

And truckers.

Tomorrow we will head across North Dakota.  This will be our longest drive as we need to cover about 450 miles.