Mississippi Road Trip Day 5: Minneapolis to Prairie Du Chien, Wisc.

The Rundown

High point of the day: A few days back my daughter asked me for the definition of the word quaint, and when we arrive in Red Wing, Minn., I feel as if I can provide her with a real-life example. This town is right out of a storybook with red-brick buildings, old-fashioned lampposts, and flowers spilling out of planter boxes. To top it off, we arrive in the midst of a plein air festival; the sidewalks are filled with artists at their easels, paining the charming scenery.

Sound bite of the day: We walk along the Red Wing waterfront lined with a beautiful park, where we meet former mayor Donna Dummers who is weeding a flower patch.

Quote of the day: "Where are their mommies?" my 6-year-old daughter asks about the group of girls who look to be of about the same age walking without an adult in downtown Red Wing. For a San Francisco kid this is an unusual sight.

Most interesting person encountered: We stumble upon the Anderson Center in Red Wing, an artist's retreat founded by Alexander Pierce Anderson, the inventor of puffed rice cereal. Here, we meet Art Kenyon, who is painting in a studio at the center. "This is a great place to be an artist with the river right here in our backyard," Kenyon says. "There's always inspiration." (More on the center in an upcoming post.)

Low point of the day: Our search for the best slice of pie along the Mississippi is stalled when we learn the Pie Company in Stockholm, Wisc., is closed. The Harbor View Cafe just down the road in Pepin is also closed, and it's supposed to have some of the best strawberry rhubarb pie in the state, according to Gourmet magazine columnists Jane and Michael Stern. Who knew it would be so difficult to track down pie? We're over budget for the day anyway, so maybe it's better that we never find a slice.

Photo of the day: How would you like to have a seat in one of these chairs? This pretty spot on the Mississippi River is in Wabasha, Minn.

Miles: 225

Total miles: 829

Hours in car: 6

Total hours in car: 17 hours, 30 minutes

Weather: Gorgeous, 80 degrees

Expenses

• Breakfast and snacks for the road: $16 (We go shopping at The Wedge, a food co-op that's basically an indoor farmers' market)
• Hotel: $98 (Best Western Normandy Inn: comfy beds and free cookies at 10 p.m.)
  
• Hotel parking: $7
• Lunch: $14.98 (Jasmine Deli: we liked it so much the night before for dinner that we return for lunch.)
• Gas: $31.73
• Dinner: $24.76

Total for the day: $192.47 (Uh! Oh! We're over budget!)

Total for the trip: $675.68