I've had a bad habit lately of waking up at first light, and this morning I smelled smoke. After reading the news and making coffee, I got on my bike and rode toward Lake and Hiawatha to see for myself.




At about 7am, I went by a guy sitting on his front steps drinking a beer. It only got stranger from there.




The destruction on Lake is difficult to comprehend. It went for at least a mile on East Lake, and I understand it went for a few miles further to the west. There was still open flame coming from an incomplete housing complex that was totally burned, and the smoke was thick.


















The most surreal moment was standing in the Target parking lot, in broad daylight, directly across the street from the police station with officers standing outside, when a woman came out of a side door of the Target pushing a shopping cart full of what looked like TVs and just casually loaded them into the white van like she was out for a shopping trip.



I understand that the governor is calling out the national guard.