Nov 07 2008
Photo Friday: The Hjemkomst Dream
What would your family think if you one day said, “I want to build a Viking ship and sail it to Norway?” Especially if you lived in western Minnesota, among the 10,000 lakes but far from an ocean? That’s exactly what Robert Asp said one day in 1971. He rented a potato warehouse in Hawley, Minnesota, and proceeded to build a ship.
Robert Asp died of leukemia before he could see his dream completed, but his family carried on for him, and in 1982 they sailed the Hjemkomst (”Homecoming”) 6100 miles from Duluth, Minnesota, to Bergen, Norway, a 72-day journey.
The ship itself is something to see, but watching the video at the Heritage Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead, Minnesota, is a beautiful tribute to Asp and a reminder to follow your dreams, no matter how crazy they may seem.
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I would love to see this sometime! My extended Minn family is Norwegian and I spent many summers there. I know that culture is part of the fabric of the state.
My husband’s grandfather built his own sailboat. It is still a treasured part of our family. It’s as if a part of him has lived on.
-Bridget
Bridget Smith’s last blog post..Why Family Adventure Guidebooks?
That’s an amazing story. I would love to check them out now..
Do they allow you to get on the ship? I think it will be neat if we can walk around and see how they live on that ship for the 72 days journey.
Great photos and inspiring story! Thanks for sharing
I couldn’t agree more about following our dreams. I believe we should do it at all costs. If we were all doing what we loved, it would be a much better world.
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What a great story, and a beautiful ship.
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Amazing! I’m Norwegian and lived in MN for 10 years. I’ve never heard of this! Thanks for sharing. Clearly, I need to get up there sometime soon…
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Wow, this is incredible! I just drove through Minnesota this summer and I was surprised at how beautiful it is! Next time I’ll have to stop in Moorhead!
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This reminds me of the Kon-Tiki Museum in Norway - about Thor Heyerdahl’s expedition to cross the Pacific on a raft. The museum is well worth a visit if you ever find yourself in Oslo.
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