Day 31 - Ka-Thunk, Ka-Thunk, Ka-Thunk, Ka-Thunk, Ka-Thunk!

One of our riders, Josine from Den Haag, Netherlands, is not only a very able rider, but one with a sense of humor, too.   When we spoke of our ride today, she remarked that it reminded her of a song that described some of the roads in her country.  The refrain of the song, that she said was stuck in her head today as she rode,  called out "Ka-Thunk, Ka-Thunk, Ka-Thunk, Ka-Thunk." 

Re-routed due to highway construction, our group spent a good portion of the day on concrete highways.  To reduce cracking of the road due to temperature extremes and freezing water, the slabs of concrete are divided every 15-20 feet with a seam for expansion.  Over the years, many of these seams have gotten bigger due to weather and wear.  You might imagine the sound of our tires, seats and handlebars going over these seams for miles and miles.  If not, check out the refrain above.

Other than the detour and the sounds of our bikes taking on the challenging road conditions, the day was quite beautiful.  Once again, many welcoming small towns and abundant farmland  were the rule.  Here's Greg with the rolling farmland in the background, followed by photos of Drew at Loon Lake, a farm and its impressive silos, and a typical, tree-protected farmhouse.

After getting off the detour and regaining our original biking route, about 100 miles in total, we finally found ourselves in Rochester, MN.  Rochester is home to the world famous Mayo Clinic.  Our route took us through the center of some of the main buildings.  The campus was impressive in its expanse and  prominence in the city.

 Upon arriving at our motel, we were greeted by two cousins of fellow rider Mitch from Plano, TX.  They had two coolers of local beer and chilled water waiting for us upon arrival, as well as abundant smiles, handshakes and midwest friendliness.  They had driven from Minneapolis to be a welcoming committee not only for Mitch, but for us all.  Sweet!

Our last discovery in Rochester were the State Fairgrounds that were located next to our motel.  The grounds included a huge stadium and plenty of room for rides of all kinds to be set up for the fair.  They also included one impressive ear of corn.

Tomorrow - Rochester to LaCrosse, Wisconsin.  A new state, and there are rumors of coffee and croissants available for purchase en route!