This tug of war, like the Vikes on fourth and goal vs. the Pack, but with third string quarterbacks, puts our faithful on opposite ends of a rope, or hanging from it if they are not careful, as the knotty segments now inch across the frozen St. Croix River each winter in mortal combat.
By contrast, just two days ago, people in Hudson were tethering a different way, in an effort to get hot air balloons off the ground, and the result was as checkered as the decorated side of a big balloon, in the biggest such winter event in the country. No danger of ballots being miscounted, as this isn’t Smoosh Boarding and all of its nefarious antics, the proverbial hankie can be clearly seen to be crossing a line.
— The reach of ICE goes almost to the North Pole. More on that geography, going beyond Greenland, below. And coming soon, a multi-band heavy metal analysis. Think Holy Wars. But until then …
More restaurants are closing. The Hudson Star-Observer, famous for repackaging area news as local, had on its front page three ICE pieces, as the Continental Divide grows greater.
In particular, the reach of the Twin Cities ICE surge, reaches further into the rural hinterlands toward Eau Claire, as a Baldwin Mexican restaurant, a full hour away from The Cities, has now been closed. This could be called, by name, plum loco, as all they can muster to serve is plum pudding. Wait, since they are closed, even that plum is out of reach.
Back to the 52-week annual protests — weather permitting like in ballooning — in Hudson. They even had a polar bear, plastic version, shown demanding justice, as we have polar opposites that reach to the poles. Hey, even where there are not people, there are people protesting …
Has ICE shown up to monitor? Not really, one woman said, but then there was that time over in, again, The Cities … And since she lives just north of North Hudson, where ICE is training, she’s seen them trolling by. —
After (also?) Minnesota transportation officials blew the whistle for a renewed request to use the Stillwater Lift Bridge, (not the beer by the same name), the tug of war site this year was moved — on the extended shoreline area of the river in of all places Hudson and its own road that goes back in history. Taking their leap like Lambeau, into the territory of late dominated by the Super Bowl. And yay, no halftime show or slick TV commercials to interrupt the proceedings.
This annual Border Battle event started in the early-2020s, with proceeds going to first responders and such on both sides of the river. The first year drew around 150 to 160 participants and about 600 spectators, organizers said. Currently, there was no formal toll for this event, held on a different bridge, but charities still did benefit (see below) …
Money the first time around was raised for the Saint Joseph Township Fire Department, the North Hudson Police Association and Lakeview EMS, according to the Hudson Star-Observer, hitting all around the north ends of the St. Croix Valley, with any population. But the city with perhaps the biggest population, it turns out, has won the most recent hosting by default.
Lakeview EMS reportedly received half of the money in that initial bid because the ambulance service covers both eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin along the St. Croix, organizers said. So if you toot on that long, curved horn too hard, to signal a charge, and blow out your lungs, you’ve got a ride.
In 2025, organizers applied for a permit to hold the second Border Battle on the Stillwater Lift Bridge, but the Minnesota Department of Transportation denied that request, a grinch ahead of time. Green but not like Packer fans bleed, they opted for a foreseen need to protect the structure, even though they have reportedly allowed an occasional party or event in the past. Don’t want anybody taking a drop in the drink.
So off to the old toll bridge in downtown Hudson, near Pier 500 and Dick’s Bar, earlier this winter. Just like the events that’ve been on the docket for that extended block in the winter of 2026, a running of the llamas and a flying of the hot air balloons, the latter seeing a recent torchlight parade trekking up to the point where the ice starts. Although its not really about winning or losing, Wisconsin burrowed in like badgers and were the victors again this winter, a source at Dick’s Bar said.
The format remains the same, sing the same song with trenchs not a mosh pit. Vikings fans line up on one side of the rope. Packers fans pull from the other. With times as they are these days, Real IDs were needed, and no inter-mixing of loyalties, (just kidding). The winning side typically receives a larger share of the money raised, with it usually being nip and tuck most of the way.
Organizers might come back to Hudson, or back to Stillwater. Packers fans won the first time — in what has been a trend — so they gained bragging and hosting rights, as the Vikings did not live up to their ruthless name, but they were competitive though friendly. But there were a few good-natured boos and taunts — and stumbles, as ice in not always smooth, if there is any. This as the internet blared a headline about the differences in ice for figure skating, hockey and curling.
Organizers were expecting to run trolleys and buses to run from Stillwater to Hudson on the morning of the event, like the transport methods during other winter events, the Hudson Hot Air Affair and earlier Tour of Homes. Just no tug boats for tug of war ships.