Phil Davies moved to Minnesota in the 1980s. A writer and photographer with an abiding interest in the outdoors and in regional history, he rarely passes up an opportunity to seek out new places to bike, hike, cross-country ski, and soak up the local atmosphere. In addition to his work for Globe Pequot, Phil has written about travel for a number of regional and national publications, including the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the Dallas Morning News, Bicycling Guide, France Magazine, and British Heritage Travel. Born in England, Phil spent much of his childhood in warm climates, living at various times in Australia, New Guinea, Florida, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He was forced to face up to winter at the University of Minnesota, where he earned a master's degree in creative writing. After a career detour into writing about economics and business for the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, the second edition of this guide marks a return to his first love, visiting unique places and chronicling those experiences in words and photographs. Go to phildavies.photos to see his latest images from the road and hiking trail. Equipped with insulated boots, Smartwool socks and eight pairs of gloves and mittens, Phil lives in St. Paul with his wife, Lydia.