Cars? We don't need no stinkin' cars

No takers over the blogosphere for a ride for me. But I set out on a 4L bus anyway to the GOP Minnesota 72 Hour Task Force training. Beautiful day today. My bus dropped me off at Hwy 100 and 50th Street, leaving me with a wonderful walk to the Edina Community Center where hot Caribou coffee and Krispee Kreem donuts awaited me and about 50 other Republican activists.

I shouted out, "Anybody here going to the Patriot Picnic today? Free food!"

Nothing but blank stares.

We participated in a two-hour long powerpoint presentation and gained much valuable information for the ensuing battle. Somewhere in the proceedings I needed another coffee. Back in the lobby I met a fellow who I struck up a conversation with.

"Are you going to the Patriot Party?", I asked.

"Yes."

"You are?!" I was shocked. We introduced ourselves. Turns out this fellow is a candidate for United States Congressman, Daniel Mathias.

"Who is your opponent for the office", I asked.

"Martin Sabo".

"Really! I've voted for Marty Sabo all my life, but I'm voting for you this election.", I'd said, most sincerely.

And I mean it. W needs a Republican Congress and a Republican Senate so that he can get things done. We don't need a lame duck president whilst we're trying to conduct a war. We need effective leadership and action.

Needless to say, I got my ride.

Daniel Mathias; Van owner and generous guy

In a perfect world, I would have been delivered to the Patriot Picnic by 11:59, strapped in for the Northern Alliance Radio Network show on The Patriot. But it didn't work out that way. We got there at about 2 pm....just one hour before it wrapped. I was lucky enough to snarf up the last of 3 hot dogs and I was even a contestant in an on-the-air quiz.

King Banaian of St. Cloud State University Scholars...He's an economist.

I have other pics of the NARN fellows...but why overkill the pics? The atmosphere is set here. We were in a tent and we were on a stunningly beautiful site. Why show more pics of the personalities and the view?

In any case, it was a good time. I made some new friends, I got a hotdog, a bag of cheetos and a bag of Famous Amos cookies and a diet Pepsi, I got on the air on an overloaded web-streamed radio show. Not bad. And David Strom was there. He's a local Minnesota taxpayer's watchdog. We briefly discussed Metro Transit. Dave agrees that a great city should have a mass transit system and that it should be cost-effective. Bravo!