Day 31. Wednesday, July 17

Day 31. Wednesday, July 17. Mankato to Rochester, MN. 101 miles

Milkshakes: the nourishment of champions!

The ride today had me singing "Blue Skies" as that's what we saw all day. There was not a cloud until  after noon. Of course that means the sun was out and it was hot. 80 degrees by 8:00 and into the 90s in late morning. It was important to drink lots of water today. We were told late morning that a heat advisory had been issued.  Of course, at the end of the day, we had to properly nourish ourselves so it was almost mandatory to stop for a large milkshake today. Cyclists have to care for their bodies, you know!

We got off to an interesting start this morning. We had two full blocks to warm up and then climb a 3/4 mile hill that measured 12%. Ouch, first thing in the morning! But we had lots more hills today than yesterday, so it was necessary to bring out the climbing legs again. I guess the 5 to 8 mph tailwind helped make up for that.


Downtown Rochester, MN
 

It struck me today how the horizon in Wyoming, South Dakota and Minnesota is so much further away than in central Ohio. You can see a long way out here, even in Minnesota. Today, again, we passed miles and miles of corn fields as well as dairy and turkey farms. The difference from South Dakota is that here you see farm houses along the road. Some I'm sure have been farmed by the same family for generations.

Today I rode with Amy, Yuval and the two sisters - Katie, a retired teacher from Arizona, and Jane, a farmer from Nevada.  It was nice having a couple extra riders in our line. We each took pulls of two miles plus, often going 19-20 mph.

As I mentioned, it has been hot lately. The tan lines are really pretty weird. You should see folks in their bathing suits. Only cyclists appreciate these weird lines. For cyclists, though, that is a sign of distinction! I'm afraid my legs and arms are going to be pretty leathery by the time I get back. 
 

Mayo Clinic
 

We came into Rochester, MN today, home to the world-renowned Mayo Clinic. It is huge. I guess I shouldn't have been so surprised.

Tomorrow at the 85 mile mark, we will cross the Mississippi River and enter Wisconsin. We will be nearly 65% finished. It is starting to go fast now.

Be well.  Do good.

Don

Day 30. July 16

Day 30. July 16. Worthington to Mankato, MN. 110 miles

Blue skies + flat roads + a bit of a tailwind + some strong lead out riders in the pace line = a very nice day in the saddle.

We were the last ones out of the parking lot this morning, but hooked up with two strong husband/wife teams, following their pace of 21-22 mph for over 20 miles. Nice! You can cover a lot of ground without working too hard that way. Thanks for the lift! After the first SAG stop, though, it was pretty much Amy, Yuval and me, trading pulls, anywhere between 17 and 20 mph for the rest of the day.

We passed mile and miles of corn fields today with some beans periodically mixed in. We also passed cattle, pigs and turkeys. Occasionally there were a dozen or so windmills dancing on the horizon. Very picturesque! We finished the last 8 miles or so on the bike path coming into Mankato. The path is lined with lots of trees (shade), which cooled things considerably. Nice way to end the day.

Mankato is a town of about 40,000, the 4th largest in Minnesota outside Minneapolis/St. Paul, and is located at the confluence of the Minnesota River and Blue Earth River. You might recall that Mankato was talked about in Little House on the Prairie. It's where the people from Walnut Grove would go to shop.

Early to bed tonight, as we ride another 100 miles to Rochester, home of the renowned Mayo Clinic.

Be well.  Do good.

Don

Day 28. July 15

Day 29.  July 15. Sioux Falls, SD to Worthington, MN. 71 miles

Yesterday was a bit rainy, but that's ok, as it only emptied the sky of water, making for clear skies and great riding today. Temperatures started in the high 60s and reached the mid 80s. We started the 

day by riding  8 miles on the bike path in Sioux Falls, past the falls and out of town.  At mile 25, we entered Minnesota. They were repaving the road, so we were diverted onto a dirt road for about two miles, but after that, the roads became pretty smooth. As hinted before, the landscape has been changing again with lots and lots of corn fields, bean fields and lots more trees. In addition to cattle, we're starting to see (and smell) hog farms. Towns are getting closer together now. In South Dakota, it was not unusual to ride two hours or more between towns. Today, towns were 8 to 10 miles apart, making the ride a lot more interesting. I hesitate to say that 70 mile bike rides are getting to be easy, but today was a great day to be on the bike. There were times our pace line was averaging between 20 and 22 mph. Then we slowed to about 18, and then even a bit slower, as we realized that over the next four days we will be riding nearly 390 miles. No real need to hurry. Better to save a little energy than to get to the hotel 15 minutes sooner. We still got here by 12:30.

Worthington is a growing town of about 15,000 people, according to Yolanda, the desk clerk here at the Travelodge Motel, even though the last census showed less than 13,000. The population is quite diverse, as people come here to work in some of the meat packing plants in and around Worthington. Pork, beef, chickens and turkeys are all rendered here and sent to stores around the country.
A one point, Worthington packaged a lot of turkey and for years has celebrated "King Turkey Day." This is a four day celebration here in Worthington and is touted in all the brochures. When I asked Yolanda to tell me about King Turkey Day, her face lit up and she became quite animated as did many of the locals standing in the lobby. This is a big celebration here, with parades, a pancake dinner, turkey calling contests, turkey bowling (stick your hand in a frozen turkey) and, since 1973, the highlight of the weekend is the Great Gobbler Gallop, a race between two turkeys - Paychecks from Worthington and his rival, Ruby Begonia from Cuero, Texas. It is a rivalry that each town takes seriously, as each bird undergoes lots of training for this block long race. They race here in September and in October, they race in Texas. The winner is determined by the best total time. The turkey incurs a five second penalty every time it is touched by one of the handlers or one of the thousands that line the street to watch the race. Sadly, this last year, Ruby Begonia was declared the champion, but the citizens of Worthington are optimistic that Paychecks will return the crown to Worthington.  Why the name Paychecks? Because it goes fast! I may have to come back in September to watch this spectacular event. If interested, type in "King Turkey Day Race, Worthington, MN" on YouTube and you can watch videos of at least a few of the races. Try the 1982 race.

There are lots of other activities here in Worthington. We just missed the International Festival this past weeks. In June, there is a sailing regatta on Lake O. In February, you can attend the winter festival and jump through the ice and into the lake. What a great place to be.

I also talked with Sunny. He is an immigrant, originally from near Bombay, India, but transplanted here 20 years ago from New Jersey. He and his wife raised their 3 kids here, and, even though they have moved to Minneapolis and Florida, he still stays because everyone knows his name and he doesn't like crowded cities. The folks from Worthington all seem to love this little town.

Tomorrow it's off to Mankato, about 110 miles away.

Be well.   Do good.

Don

Day 27, July 13 and day 28, Sunday, July 14

Day 27, July 13 and day 28, Sunday, July 14
Mitchell to Sioux Falls SD (72 miles) And rest day.

On Saturday, July 13, we left Mitchell for Sioux Falls and a much needed rest day.  For me, I have been anticipating this day for more than a week because Tam is flying out for the weekend. Just 72 miles and we get not quite two days together.

The ride was fairly un eventful, although we did go through the little town of Canistota where every year they have a parade and tractor pulling contests for the kids. We got there in time for the 4 and 5 year olds to pedal this toy tractor that had weights attached, just like the big tractor pulls. Cute!  But no time to dawdle; Tam is coming to town. I actually got to Sioux Falls by 12:30, beating Tam by two hours, enough time to clean up and get the laundry done!

What a great weekend . On Sunday morning, we went back out to the airport and rented a car (we said good bye to Jen, one of the riders, who was also going to the airport). this allowed us to go to Mass at the cathedral and explore town. 

Talk about coincidences, on Saturday night, we got a call from Diane Bennett and Dan Schoedinger who were on their way to Montana, but who would be passing through Sioux Falls on Sunday about 1:00p. Perfect timing! What a great visit. How come we can't seem to find the time to get together in Columbus, but happen to be in Sioux Falls, South Dakota at the same time?

Monday morning will be hard, as I have to say good bye to Tam again, but this time for only three weeks.

Be well.  Do good.

Don

Day 26. Friday, July 12.

Day 26. Friday, July 12.  Chamberlain to Mitchell,SD.  71 miles

This morning, we rode away from the Missouri River. After a couple of big climbs to get out of town, the road straightened and leveled out, providing us with a very modest 1000 feet of climbing. With half the trip under our belts, this presented no big deal.

We had hoped the winds would subside today. The day started with a gentle breeze, but then picked up speed and blew all day out of the SSE at 20+ mph again.  Not as bad as the headwinds yesterday, but nonetheless challenging.

The roads out here continue to go straight and go on forever. The fields of hay yielded to huge fields of corn, beginning to look more like the Midwest and central Ohio. At about mile 60, we started to see more trees. I guess I hadn't realized that for the past several days, we haven't seen many trees at all. The trees began to line the road, providing a nice screen against the wind. Our speed increased by a couple of mph almost immediately.

We arrived in Mitchell about 12:30, a relatively short day on the bike. Instead of going to the hotel, we diverted downtown to visit the world famous, only one in the world, Corn Palace. This is a large theater that has been here since 1892. Every year the outside is covered with different designed murals made of various parts of the corn plant. Inside are photos of all the years past as well as a number of trinket shops. I guess it was worth the five minute visit.

Tomorrow we ride to Sioux Falls, the largest city in the state, for rest day number 3. I think all the riders are ready to take a breather, especially to get a break from the wind, to give achy legs a chance to rest. I'm looking forward to a day off the bike, but mostly because Tam is coming into town tomorrow for a weekend visit. She'll leave Monday morning when we head toward Minnesota. This has been one of the tougher parts of the trip.  It is the longest we've been separated in over 41 years.

Forecasts for tomorrow call for more winds out of the southeast and a fair chance of isolated thunderstorms. I'll carry some rain gear just in case. By the time we get to Sioux Falls, we will have ridden over 2,000 miles since mid June! Holy Cow!

Be well. Do good.

Don

Day 25. July 11. Pierre to Chamberlain, SD

Day 25. July 11. Pierre to Chamberlain, SD.  84 miles

Almost to a person, the riders are saying this has been the toughest leg so far. The ride today was "only" 84 miles, but we fought 20 to 25 mph head and cross winds all day long. Weather reports said there were times when gusts were over 30 mph. After the118 mile ride yesterday, this was a toughie. From about mile 22 to mile 40, we climbed 600 feet, so not only were we fighting the winds, we had to go up hill for miles. Then, with about 10 miles left to go, we had two other long (maybe a mile long), steep climbs.

For me, once I accepted the fact that we would be in the saddle all day and that it would be difficult, I got into a bit of a rhythm and just took what the road and weather gave us. Much of the day was at the 10 to 12 mph range. The part I didn't like was that we had to work hard just to get down the hills. Some of these descents with no wind, I'm sure, would have been at 30 to 35 mph, but we had to work hard to get down them at 15 to 18 mph. It was delightful to crawl off the bike at the end of the day.

For much of the day, we followed the Missouri River. Yesterday was my very first glimpse of this river, and it is a mighty one. It's the longest river in North America at over 2,300 miles long, flowing from somewhere in Montana to where it joins the Mississippi just north of St. Louis. It is wide and very pretty. Today, with all the wind, there were white caps on the river. 

Today was a big day in that we crossed the half way mark of the trip. We've completed 25 days of the 50 day adventure and we've ridden 1,886 miles out of the 3,667 we will complete by August 5th. There is still a lot of riding to do, but I've now ridden half way across North America!

After showering, Gary, from Near Pittsburgh, and I walked downtown to the Derby Coffeeshop. This is a restaurant/bar owned and operated by Botany. She grew up here in Chamberlain, moved to Minnesota for 5 years, but came home to open the restaurant with the help of her dad and brothers, who have done most of the remodeling. She's been making it work since 2003 with good home cooked food and lots of friendly conversation. Botany thinks that's why she's been successful. It's not made her rich, but she says she's comfortable. In a lot of these small towns, you get the impression that it doesn't take a lot to satisfy people. 

There's a pool table near the bar for those who like to play. The kitchen is in the back, but somewhat open. Her brothers help cook and serve beer on the weekend and even her 83 year old grandmother comes in to wash a few dishes. A few of the cyclists commented that it has such a comfortable feel that it's like sitting around your own kitchen table.

Botany told me that one of the larger employers in the area is the St. Joseph school. We passed it 5 to 10 miles outside of town. It's a boarding school for Native American children from all over South
Dakota with about 150 students, from kindergarten through high school. Boy, that would be hard to have your first or second grader living a few hours from home. She said a majority of students are from the Lakota tribes in western SD.
 

If you get out to Chamberlain, make sure you stop by the Derby Coffeehouse for a chat. You'll like Botany. And she makes one of the best milkshakes I've ever had - chocolate/toffee!

These kinds of days do teach you some things. You learn that, if you persist and stay with things that are hard, you can do difficult things. You can go beyond what you might otherwise define as a limit, if you just persist! You learn how important it is to do difficult things with others. I'm not sure many of us would have made it all alone. The encouragement and not wanting to let your teammate down is an important part of it, but riding cooperatively does made the pedaling easier. 

Tomorrow we ride to Mitchell (71 miles) and will get a chance to visit the Corn Palace. On Saturday, we ride into Sioux Falls (72 miles) for a rest day. I'm so excited because Tam is coming out for two days. I've not seen her since June 17. 

Be well. Do good.

Don

Day 24  Wednesday July 10.  Wall to Pierre, SD.  117 miles

Some days are just harder than others. Today was one of those days. Because of the long day ahead, we loaded at 5:15, ate and were on the road by six.  It was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky. The winds were out of the SSE, and we were heading east, so a bit of a head wind as we headed into the huge farmlands of SD. They seem to go on forever, most of them in hay growing or with hundreds of giant hay rolls in the fields. Not much else to see. Just miles and miles of hay fields, a periodic patch of corn and every few miles, the landscape was interrupted by a building or two. Every 13 miles or so, there was a cluster of buildings and they called it a town. Not sure that16 people really makes for a town but that's what they call it. A guy at an auto parts store told me that the towns are 13 miles apart because that's how far the trains (steam locomotives) could go before they had to fill up with water again.

The road just goes on forever out here, up and down these huge rollers. We ended up climbing over 3,000 feet just up and down these long hills today. The last 30 miles or so were into a decent

headwind. At times I wondered if I was even going to be able to make it down hill! Were it not for Yuval, Amy and Jen, I' m not sure I could have made it today. Thanks for letting me bring up the rear much of the day. We finally arrived in Pierre about 3:30, having just entered the central time zone.

On days like today, over 8 hours pedaling, you get a lot of time to think, even though much of the time my mind is numb. Today, I said a second rosary, and dedicated it to Kay Barrow, one of the administrative assistants at CSS.  Kay is in her late 80s and still comes to work every day. She's always on task and gets her work done. I figure if Kay can keep doing it, I can surely make it up the next hill. Thanks for being my inspiration today, Kay!

Tomorrow will be a bit shorter, but wi some steeper climbs. The forecast calls for even stronger headwinds. So it's off to bed. It's not even 9.  Goodnight.

Be well. Do good.

Don