International Falls, Minnesota

Welcome to the tiny border town of International Falls, Minnesota. Look as I might, I never found an actual waterfall, but Canada was just a stone's throw across the river.

On my trip to the frozen tundra, I was actually able to do a mini-tour of a mini-city. It was pretty much an industrial, working town. We arrived around dusk, so mostly night pictures while driving.

The railroad was fairly impressive, even if I missed snapping a photo of the full 18-wheeler they had lifted into the air and were dumping into a train car.

The big thing is town is the Boise Paper Plant, where pretty little trees are shredded and made into useful things.

After legally winning the title "Icebox of the Nation", the town is often seen on the weather map as the coldest place in the continental United States and boasts (why??) about having the coldest average temperature in the country.

It was neat to be in a small town, with a main street and old-fashioned buildings.

I think the snow clears for a few months & they might actually get some use out of those basketball courts. ;)

And of course, the highlight of my visit was a fabulous dinner at the Chocolate Moose. With $4 glasses of wine, we feasted like kings for a few bucks. Unfortunately, I was too full for a chocolate moose on a stick. :(

GOOD NEWS OF THE DAY: Half way through the week!