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7 reasons why Minnesota and Hawaii might be more alike than you think…

 

Number 1. The North Shore

What most of my Minnesotan friends don’t know is that Hawaii’s North Shore is a place of legendary big wave surf, slow-moving island towns, and plenty of Aloha. It’s true, visit any of the Hawaiian islands and you’ll find their North Shores are the mecca of surf culture, adventure sports, and natural island beauty.

   Likewise, most of my Hawaiian friends don’t know Minnesota has a rugged northern coastline bordering the largest freshwater lake in the world. When you tell them about the surfers, waterfalls, giant cliffs, and old volcano flows of Lake Superior’s North Shore, their mouths drop open and they laugh at you.

For a great introduction to Lake Superior’s waterfalls and scenery, visit the Superior Trails Website at http://www.superiortrails.com/lakesuperior1.html

 

Reason 2. Surfing

When champion swimmer Duke Kahanamoku won the Olympics for Hawaii he helped bring attention to Hawaiian surfing. 80 years later,surfing and Hawaii are synonymous with celebrity boardriders maintaining million dollar homes in North Shore Hawaii.

 

 Attention Hawaii – - Minnesota has winter Lake Superior Surfing!!!  

No joke,  if you think catching winter waves is hard in Hawaii, try surfing 43 degree water in December in Minnesota. When winter storms hit, you’ll find Stony point and the Lester River near Duluth going off. 

 

Reason 3.  Big People

   

It’s true, the Land of 10,000 Lakes is also the land of pancake breakfasts, meatball dinners, and 10,000 gigantic scandinavians. Hey, our state even claims to be the home of Paul Bunyan!

 

 

Think Hawaii is only home to skinny beach bodies and dainty island people? Think again. Spam-loving Hawaii is the home of football playing Samoans, Dog the Bounty Hunter, and big guys with little guitars.

 

 

 

Reason number 4.  Flannel

 

Here in Minnesota we love flannel because it’s warm and it makes you feel like a lumberjack.  In fact, when the great flannel shortage of ‘89 hit, I was actually able to trade several highly sought-after flannel shirts to my neighbor Ole Johnson for his brand new snowmobile.

Interestingly enough, I have learned that Ancient Hawaiians wore flannel too.  Why? Because freezing cold ancient surfers invented it.  These noble warriors soon recognized that when the the temperature drops, flannel proves both warm and surprisingly fashionable.

 

 

Reason Number 5.  Strange Ethnic Foods

 

 Hawaiian food is simple.  The hungrier you are, the better it is.  Why?   Because Hawaii’s ethnic foods were basically invented by working-class dudes with the munchies.

I’m talking about plate lunches here.  Popular with kids, surfers, field-workers, and tourists, if you’re ever in Hawaii, be sure to visit a place called Zippies and order a plate lunch for seven bucks.  I recommend the “loco moco”.   What’s in it?  Two hamburger patties covered with fried eggs and mayonnaise covered                                                 macaroni salad.  Don’t tell your personal trainer about                                         this one.

 

  Populated by ancestors of Norwegians and Swedes, Minnesota has a bevy of traditional scandinavian dishes that would make the most iron-stomached hawaiian run in fear, lest they be forced to eat various types of disgusting Viking food.

  Lutefisk is the food in question, here.  Growing up in MN, I was tricked into eating this jiggly, jello-textured, fish-flavored food by Norwegian relatives.  Later in life, I learned that Lutefisk is made by drying cod in the sun and then soaking it in barrels of lye (actually an industrial poison).  With this new knowledge, I surmise that when consumed by my viking ancestors, Lutefisk erased their hunger by making them never want to eat again.