Day 34 - Wisconsin Dells to Fond du Lac - We're "Walkin' on Sunshine, and Don't It Feel Good!"

Today was the opposite of yesterday.  Cooler temperatures, lovely roads, favorable winds, and only 84 miles!  The day started with gathering for breakfast at various Denny's and meeting up with other riders while upon the road.

Greg, dressed in his Oregon Duck best, was a cheerful face along the road.  Wisconsin proved itself again to be bicycle friendly, with our paths taken through farmlands and small towns.

Our first SAG stop, in the town of Montello, WI, provided us with this backdrop as we made our way over to the Kwik Trip in search of our new energy drink, chocolate milk.  How nice is this?

We were amazed at all the fields of sweet corn, the kind one eats, not the kind grown to produce Ethanol.  There were roadside stands selling huge bags of it, and we bikers wondered how we could prepare the corn in order to eat it.  Our hotel rooms often include a refrigerator and a microwave. After pondering ways to microwave and serve the corn in our rooms, we found that fellow rider Mitch, from Plano, TX, stuffed a few ears in his bike jersey pockets and microwaved them for 3 minutes to his delight.  We hope to duplicate this soon!

After dinner tonight was the one-time-only T-shirt exchange.  Whether it was a T from Cranky Jeff's bike shop in South Dakota or Lucky Labrador Brew Pub in Portland, all shirts where given statements of their worth and placed on the exchange floor.  Numbers were drawn, and just like a Christmas ornament exchange, t-shirts could be chosen from the floor or stolen from another participant.  Greg's Lucky Lab shirt was one of the big winners of the evening.  A good time was had by all.

Tomorrow - A short day out of Fond du Lac to the base of the Ferry Ride across Lake Michigan.  We get to sleep in a bit as we will not be loading until 8:30 am--yeah! 

Day 33 - Long, Longer, Longest!

What can we say about today?  What can we say about this week?  The title pretty much says it all, with our group covering at least 397 miles in 4 days.  That's pretty much four "century" rides in 4 days.  The mileage total was planned to be a bit less, but road closures, detours, and motel difficulties added miles to a week that already contained a lot of miles. Long!

Now for the good part.  Wisconsin is very bicycle friendly, with kind folks and wonderful bicycle paths to make our journey safe.  We had a late start this morning (8 am) due to heavy thunderstorms which passed through our area in the early morning hours.  We made our way to Sparta, WI, the self-proclaimed Bicycling Capital of America!

Even the convenience store had a bicyclist for our photo opportunity.

It also had a dairy case that included Wisconsin cheese shaped (from 2nd from left to right) like a Green Bay Packer, a cow, and the state itself.

Rolling along to the start of a 34-mile bicycle path, part of the rails-to-trails system, we came upon the Sparta Trailhead.  A $4 pass is required for all cyclists, and we wired our passes to our bikes before starting along the packed dirt and gravel trail.

 We also took another photo opportunity at the large metal bicycle sculpture at the trailhead.  Some folks just love to climb!

The path was often shaded in a tunnel of trees, which made the ever-rising temperatures not quite as obvious.

Another feature of the bike path was a series of three tunnels which had been used by the railroads before the tracks were traded in for bicycle use.  The tunnels--built in 1873-- had an interior that sloped down on both sides, had no lighting, and in some cases, was wet from dripping groundwater seeping through the ceiling to the sloped floor.  Because of this, we had to stop before each tunnel to turn on our lights and to dismount our bikes.  Walking was the only way to pass through.

The last photo of today was one taken with no flash in the tunnel of Holly & Gardner walking their bikes in the light of a bicycle light.  It gives you an idea of how totally dark it was inside.

At about 61 miles into the trip, after walking the three tunnels and leaving the bicycle path, we found ourselves re-routed due to road construction.  This added some miles and some headwinds that were not on our route sheets.  Longer!  Much of the 97 miles we rode today were graced with tailwinds, however, that helped make the longer day a little shorter.

So a long day, yes?   After Greg caught up with us while changing a flat tire (thanks for the moral support, Greg.  Sorry we forgot to get out the camera to record your kind smile!), we found that there was some sort of problem with our hotel for the evening. 

It turned out our hotel had recently (as in the last day or so), been sold, and they had no record of our reservation of rooms for 50 people.  The hotel appeared to be in total disarray, with a drained outdoor pool and an indoor pool filled with murky water, among other things.  We were re-distributed to four hotels, which also included a re-distribution of all the luggage from the luggage van (remove luggage, sort by hotel, replace luggage, deliver to four hotels).  Those left at the hotel in disarray had the total sympathy of the group until we heard about those redistributed to one certain hotel about 5 additional miles farther down the road.  This included Greg and Drew.  They were given rooms and keys, then told the rooms weren't available, then taken to yet another hotel.   Dinner and bedtimes were indeed delayed quite a bit.  Longest!

Tomorrow - Wisconsin Dells to Fond du Lac.  Keep those positive thoughts coming our way!

Day 32 - Into the Land of Cheese!

Today was another challenging yet rewarding day as we made our way over 88 miles from Rochester, MN to LaCrosse, WI, land of cheese and honey.  Here are Drew, Gardner (from Boston), Don and I as we were welcomed into the state of Wisconsin. 

This event happened toward the very end of the day today.  Going backward in time through pictures, here's a recap of the day.

This is no ordinary cemetery.  We found that the well-kept cemeteries along much of the route in MN were adorned with only living planters of real flowers, which were either hanging above the ground on hangers or in planters on pedestals.  No artificial flowers were allowed.

There is a strong Scandinavian influence in Minnesota, and we were lucky enough to find this fabulous little bakery that featured home-baked breads, sweet treats, and sandwiches. Their potato lefse was made on-site, too, and could be used to wrap around a sandwich filling or hot dog as our riders would find out.  Here's a shot of the bakery case.  YUM!

We also found an entertaining photo opportunity outside the store.

Traveling for miles over a wonderful bike path afforded some respite from the now-hot temperatures and higher humidity (some bank temperatures were displaying over 100 degrees).  The path was lined with trees that helped us keep our cool.  Another stop for baked goods and smoothies was at the path's end, and most all of us stopped there, too for some cooling and fuel.  

Why do we need so much fuel?  Besides the mileage of riding basically 300 miles in 3 days, we found ourselves climbing a one-mile hill with grades from 9-10% for the duration.  Runaway truck ramp - a good idea on the downhill here.  Our speeds going UP this hill - not too much to worry about. 

Along the route every day are one to three SAG stops that are staffed by the America by Bicycle personnel. There we are provided snacks like fruit, peanut butter,  trail mix & bars, plus water and ice for our bike's water bottles.  Today, the best SAG stop was located along a rushing river, a nice cooling venue!  Here the four Oregonians on the right are joined by Gardner Gray from the Boston area.  Gardner rode along with us on most days since the second week, and we have enjoyed both his company and riding skills.

The last photo of the day is one of the Mississippi River as we crossed from MN to WI.  It's so wide, clean and beautiful here, we wanted  to share its photo with you.

Tomorrow -journey to Wisconsin Dells.  91 miles and three long tunnels which we need to carry personal lights to traverse.  Will we find the real Batman there?  Stay tuned.....

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!

Day 30 - 110 Miles of Tailwind, Pace Lines, and Downhill!

The day started with a motel fiasco that went quickly from lemons to lemonade.  The 5:30 am breakfast was not to be.....the motel manager changed it to 6:30 without informing anyone from our group, so there were close to 50 people waiting in line for .......nothing.  Several of us decided to ride our bikes to a nearby Perkins, so we treated ourselves to blueberry pancakes, eggs, fresh fruit, skillet potatoes and more instead.  What a great decision!  On the road by 7 am, and we were off to start another century day.

Highs were predicted to be in the upper 90's by the afternoon, so we latched together with another group or two to start with a long pace line of about 11 people, traveling the first 23 miles together at about 23 mph on average.  One of our foursome then had a flat tire, so the pace slowed quite a bit for the change of tube. Here's a shot of Greg during this early morning road ride.

One of the best things about being in Minnesota was traveling through so many small and welcoming farm towns on the road from Worthington to our final destination of Mankato, MN.  One town, Madelia, made me stop in my tracks to snap the following mural of the capture of the James Gang and the Younger Brothers during a major Wild West shootout.  The side of this brick building showed the law enforcement on the left, bringing down the outlaws on the right.  My non-panorama lens of the I-Phone did not allow the the outlaws to be shown, so imagine a flip-side of this shot, only the outlaws are in a prone position.  I guess you had to be there.......but the mural was huge and covered the entire side of the building.  

Through many miles of beautiful farmland, the horizon seemed to stretch on forever, at times defined by the number of telephone poles one could count along the side of the roadway.  The puffy clouds against the blue sky was the beauty that beckoned us onward.  Here's an action shot taken of Don while riding.

The first 100 miles went smoothly due to a mostly flat or downhill topography and lovely winds at our backs.  Yesterday, while stopped at the local DQ, a gentleman wished that the winds may always be at our backs.  Today, his wish worked!

The last 10 miles found us on a bicycle path that lead us to Mankato and to our hotel.  After being in the now 90-plus degree heat, the shade of the trees and the lack of traffic were certainly a gift.  Here's Drew leading us onward while obeying the cardinal rule of hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

Lastly, what would the end of the trail be without a noteworthy shot from our local area?  Here's a pic of the gallant buffalo who was standing guard just across from our hotel.  We knew buffalo were a part of the landscape in Wyoming and South Dakota.  Now we know their claim as a landmark of Mankato, Minnesota, too.

Tomorrow - Mankato to Rochester, MN.  99 miles and hopefully continued favorable winds!

Day 29 - Sioux Falls, Farewell! Minnesota Farmland, Here we Come!

The day dawned over the Golden Arches as we took the option of having breakfast at Mickey D's instead of the usual hotel lobby fare that is ok but always results in lines for the toasters or waffle iron when it is shared with 45 of our new best friends.  Here Greg & I raise a cuppa joe, wishing for a good day to come, riding the 70 miles from Sioux Falls, SD to Worthington, Minnesota.

We began on a bike path that took us along the river and close to Sioux Falls downtown until we arrived at Sioux Falls Park.  There the falls makes a beautiful backdrop and also shows the lovely pink granite that is mined in the area and used for many of the local buildings.

We had an opportunity to mug for the camera, so here's the same shot but with a couple of folks standing in front of it.  It was a lovely morning.

The next part of our journey took us outside city limits and into beautiful farmland.  We were unfazed by road re-paving and gravel road detours in order to cross the border into Minnesota.  We trekked over newly laid asphalt and through tall grass to have our picture taken at the sign signaling entrance to our fifth state. 

So far, Minnesota has been very hospitable to our riders, with trucks and cars crossing over the center line when possible to give us plenty of room as they pass.  The small towns have been spaced frequently along our journey today, and we are glad to be in Worthington, MN, for the night.

Tomorrow and Wednesday - Back to Work!  117 miles Tuesday, 99 miles Wednesday.  Did someone say "massage"? 

Day 27 - Corn, Silos, Tractor Pulls and Sioux Falls

We are in our last full day in South Dakota, and Americana abounds.  Field upon field of corn and ample silos in which to store it were on every side for miles.

The roads were generally good with a dash of potholes here and there, and travel was rather swift for our 70 miles, arriving in Sioux Falls by noon.  Before that arrival, though, we stopped in the small town of Canistota where they were having a Tractor Pull for various kids' age groups.  We happend to come upon the 4-year-old competition.  Let-er rip!!

Upon arriving in Sioux Falls, we were amazed at the number of Harley Davidson riders there were all around.  We found out later that this was the evening of Hot Harley Nights, a benefit for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, that included a parade of Harleys through the downtown area.   Scores had gathered right behind our hotel at the famous Scarlett O'Hara's for pre-ride festivities, so we were familiar with the potato-potatlo-potato sound of their engines as we departed by taxi for an advant-garde trip to a non-buffet dinner at the Parker Bistro downtown.  Wow - were we impressed with this lovely place.  We leave you with a few pics of our dinner for two at Parker's.

Appetizer:

 Salad:

 Main Course:

Dessert:

Day 28 - Rest Day

Day 29 - Onward to Minnesota!