A good journalist knows how to get where other journalists don't go.

I don't know many people who've been in the Minnesota House of Representatives retiring room. But I have. A couple of friends of mine -- researchers for the state -- and I took ourselves on a self-guided tour of the Capitol about two weeks ago.

The retiring room is as cool as people say -- which is really cool. It has a marble fireplace, little golden gophers carved into the walls, balconies on which some legislators smoke, and a mural of a forest. Very classy. And full of treats during the legislative session, I'm told.

During legislative sessions, the retiring room is closed to visitors an hour before and an hour after the House is scheduled to convene. During that time, only House members and employees -- not even members of the Senate, as long as they don't allow House members in the Senate retiring room -- are allowed in the House retiring room.

Here's a photo of me in the retiring room with Jon Owen, a friend of mine who flew in from Colorado:

JonO, as we call my friend, studied architecture, so it didn't surprise me that he wanted to see one of Cass Gilbert's gems while on tour back in his Minnesota homeland.

And what self-guided tour of the House floor is complete without getting your photo in some legislators' desks.

(Legislators, please don't be offended. It's all in good fun.)