MANKATO, Minnesota — I don’t want to leave Mankato. As evidence, I offer the fact that I haven’t left Mankato as of 9 a.m. this morning. Monday was just too good of a day. For starters, my interview with the Vikings’ Adrian Peterson for my project went perfectly. I don’t want to write any more than that because I don’t want to step on material for my project. One thing I can share is that the Vikings training camp office featured a gigantic bike rack outside with dozens of bikes parked at it. I texted Joben, my bike-riding roommate, that they should be renamed the Minnesota Bikings. Following the interview, I went for lunch near the hotel and replied to an email from my new best friend in Minnesota, Lindsey. I told her I was going to arrive at Coffee Hag a little earlier than I expected and she met me there about 2. By that time, I had decided that I was more likely to have fun with Lindsey in Mankato than do anything interesting in Minneaplis/St. Paul by myself. That’s the most logical and on-the-money bet I’ve made in a while. Turned out that Lindsey’s shift at the hotel was almost nonexistent. She was off by 6 and we met up at The Loose Moose (the bar, not the strip club; the strip club is called Mettler’s and you would not believe how close it is to the exit of the hotel and the entrance of the town’s civic center; the building are actually attached). We chatted and played pool for a few hours and then I went back to my room and she went home, theoretically to rest up for her shift that started at 6 a.m. Though i spoke with her just now and it turned out that neither of us slept much. For me, it had been just too good of a day to sleep. Some other aspects of my project fell into place along with all of the other good things. Two weeks ago, Grant Teaff encouraged me by saying that I wouldn’t be tackling this project if I didn’t have a positive attitude that I could finish it. But I’m not sure I was so positive to think that things could go as well as they have to this point. Thanks to all my friends and family who have obviously been praying for my well being on this journey.

Alas, I will leave Mankato in a couple of hours. I have to be in Green Bay by Wednesday morning. A note to Joben: let this serve as notice that there’s a greater than zero chance that when I arrive back in Waco it will only be to put the house up for sale and pack for my move to Mankato.