Northern Tier - Phase III Minor Lakes

Continued from Phase II The Great Plains

Day 35   8 July 2016
Pelican Falls, MN to Alexandria MN 
78.2 miles 6:58 riding time   1,657 elevation gain

Last night's hard rain was followed by wind this morning, decreasing my desire to get out of bed.  I finally noticed Sean and Christy were both up. Carol had taken my slightly damp clothes off the line before the storm arrived, but they were still slightly damp, and I hated packing them up that way, but it was time to get out of bed and start the unpleasant chores.  Sean mentioned that the wind was form the Northwest.  We were headed SE, so that was good news that helped me get back to enjoying the trip!

Departing Pelican Falls City Park

 

the countryside is sprinkled with Lutheran Churches

an old school house has been turned into bar

Carol's bike bar end shifter had come loose a few days ago, so when we arrived in Fergus Falls, MN the search for Central Lakes Cycle started.  It turned out it was out of town and just slightly off route. They improved the shifter's performance, but the problem wasn't fixed.

Central Lakes Cycle Steve's, Sean's and Christy's bikes

Carol oversees the repair to her bike

Then it was onto the bike path for the majority of the day!  Tail winds continued and the transition from prairie to Northeast forest was complete.  Lakes, ponds, and bogs seemed to always be at our sides going down this rail to trail.

One of the beautiful lakes we passed today

one of the ponds lining today's ride

 

one of the many bogs that lined the rail trail

Just before we reached Alexandria, Carol announced she was tired and her day was over as we passed Don's RV.  Christy and I rode on into town and picked up groceries, and Carol cooked this evening.  A great day on the bikes- tail winds, pleasant temps, smooth pavement, and pleasant company.  What more could we want?


Day 36  9 July 2016
Alexandria, MN to Bowles, MN 
65.1 miles  6:03 riding time  449 elevation gain

There have been many great days' cycling on this trip, but this is one of the best on rail to trails all day.  Lucas Young, pseudo nephew and family friend, joined us for 15 miles or so of riding but left us just before we took another trail, the highlight of a great day into Bowles.  We had mild tail winds, great views, and pleasant people all day.

farm along the way

Lucas who rode unloaded with us for part of the day and his pseudo uncle Steve

Lucas enjoys one of Minnesota's great rail to trails

As we enter Holdingford, MN Christy, Steve, Sean, and Carol

As we entered Holdingford on a covered bridge, we found idle 8 to 10 year old boys to take our photo on the bridge. They seemed as happy with their piece of licorice reward as boys of the 50's would have been.  We soon discovered Holdingford was having a local celebration: home made ice-cream, games in the street, minor contests, and food vendors scattered on the street as well as all the local merchants opened for business.  That's what we had expected back in Gackle, ND, and small town celebrations seem vindicated.  

junior tractor pull in Holdingford, MN which knows how to throw a community party - photo by Carol

This was the best section of great bicycle trails.  On to Bowles where cyclists are allowed to stay in the grounds of the community center. No showers, so it was bird baths for the others, and hosing off for me.  Sam and Kyle arrived just after we'd had dinner and set up next to us.

Now this paragraph is a bit embarrassing because everyone of us should have known better, but there was a wedding reception in the community center, so we tried to stay out of the way.  We set our tents up where we were told, and on this beautiful day went to bed.  Severe thunderstorms with 1.33" of rain (as reported by the retired guys at coffee the next morning) hit with heavy winds.  With that pavilion next to us and good tents, no one should have suffered much, but everyone of us had at least one pannier unzipped and no one had put their bike in the pavilion!  Getting up the next morning was a bit difficult knowing how wet things were.  Things were really soaked.  Water proof panniers held opened during a storm hold water well, just ask Christy, Carol, or Sean.  Mine aren't waterproof, so water eventually drains out the bottom, but they collect water well!  Sam and Kyle are new to touring, so maybe they have an excuse.


Day 37  10 July 2016
Bowles, MN to Bicycle Bunk House 0.5 miles N of Dalbo, MN
63.5 miles  5:29 riding time  846 elevation gain

The smart ones had a great breakfast "McBowles" mcmuffin of 2 eggs, sausage, and muffin.  I had slightly burnt pancakes.  Sam and Kyle were just getting up when we left.  We were feeling a bit sorry for ourselves that we were done with the bike paths and had to return to the roads, but these roads were generally quiet and little traveled.  We'd debated a lot about making it the full 63.5 miles to the Bicycle Bunk House, but the blogs I'd read told me I wanted to spend the night there.  We stopped in Malaca to buy groceries since we weren't sure what the Bunk House would have, and the owner's wife said it was pretty basic.  When we got here we found that isn't true.  ice cream, canned goods, many kinds of pop, frozen pizza.  four old stalls have been converted to bedrooms.  The upstairs is a big bunk room, and then there's a loft for more cyclists!  I forgot to mention the 2 refrigs, microwave, and stainless steel sink!  Donn Olson provides all this out of the kindness of his heart.  He's a retired Army helo pilot who lives on his family's farm.  Sam and Kyle caught up to us at the "bunkhouse" about the time our micro-waved lasagna was consumed!  Izaak, a West-bound cyclist, arrived after the photos were taken.

laundry day at the Bicycle Bunk House

Steve, Christy, Donn Olson, Carol, Sean at the Bicycle Bunk House

   

Sam, Steve, Christy, Carol, Sean, and Kyle at the Bicycle Bunk House

Day 38 Layover day 11 July 2016
Bicycle Bunk House, 1/2 mile N of Dalbo, MN

Rain was forecast for the day.  We were looking for a layover day anyway; this is a  great place, and Donn is a great host, so we took a layover day here.  Sam and Kyle being under 30 consider sleeping in a highlight, but agreed to do yoga with me; Izaak declined, but we three benefit from the exercise.  

 

The Bicycle  Bunk House

Donn and Steve moving Christy's tent into the loft to complete its drying

Kyle and Sam agreed to do yoga with me, but I think their form may be superior here.  Kyle, Steve, and Sam

with enough photos taken, I found one where the old guy is in better position than the young ones!  Kyle, Steve, and Sam

Lucas delivers PIZZA to the Bicycle Bunk House for all 7 of us

We'd really had plenty to eat in the feasting at the Bunk House, but when Lucas arrived with two large pizzas and bread sticks, we made short work of them.  I predict a tour is in Lucas' future!

The whole group- Izaak, Sam, Kyle, Carol, Sean, Steve, and Christy

About the time we were ready for bed, Donn came in letting us know there was a tornado watch in place.  With such a good host, we all went to bed, letting Donn watch TV, and trusting he'd come get us if it were upgraded to a warning when we were supposed to go into the basement of his house.  No tornado, but we did get 2.66" of rain that night according to his rain gauge.  


Day 39  12 July 2016
Bicycle Bunk House 0.5 miles N of Dablo, MN to St Croix Falls, Wisconsin
53.1 miles  3:58 riding time 1,188 ft elevation gain
Donn and Carol worked on a variant of the route which we followed without maps, so we stayed in a fairly tight group with Sam and Kyle joining us.  Izaak had passed through Harris in the prior afternoon and recommended an apple fritter in Harris at Cafe Kaaffstuga.  What we found was a waitress who said the apple fritter was their French toast.  The French toast was good, but it wasn't anything I'd call an apple fritter, and the french toast was available only in the morning, so I think I didn't get what Izaak recommended.  

Entering Wisconsin.  I haven't mastered the miniature tri-pod, so its tilted.  Sean, Carol, Kyle, Sam, Christy, and Steve

It was a great day to cycle mostly east with sweet tail winds.  After the mid morning snack of French Toast, we stopped for a slightly late lunch at Shafer Township townhall.  Up drove a two seat Porsche, and soon Warren invited us to his home in St. Croix Falls.  Warren and Mary are Warm Showers hosts, and very good at it!  Carol was taken to the grocery store by Warren and called back for permission to buy prime rib!  Thanks for calling, but of course! Although the plan was for us to do most of the cooking, Mary took over accepting some help from Carol.

Mary and Carol preparing dinner

 

Warren, Carol, Sean, Wade - their son, Sam, and Kyle.  Christy's missing from the dinner table- an unusual event but some conference call required her

 

Mary's home-made bread - photo by Christy

After dinner Warren drove us out to Interstate Campgrounds where we  had planned to camp.  Kyle, Christy, Sean, Carol, Steve, and Sam

Steve, Kyle, Wade, Sam, Carol, Sean, and Christy

We thoroughly enjoyed having Kyle and Sam with us for a few days.  Sam didn't have a passport, so we couldn't convince them to ride with us farther as our route would go into Canada.  We found these young men's enthusiastic attitude about cycling and life refreshing, and we'll miss riding and camping with them.   Fair winds and following seas Kyle and Sam!

Day 40  13 July 2016
St Croix Falls, Wisconsin to Haugen, Wisconsin
58.0 miles  5:05 riding time 1,565 ft elevation gain
Warren was going to ride with us this morning, but work got in the way, so we four were off again.  Wade rode off with Sam and Kyle for a ways. We rode an unpaved bike path for about 15 miles and returned to mostly paved county roads.

Carol, Sean, and Christy sleeping after a fairly easy day

Our group isn't given to post ride naps, but after this easy day we all took one.  Maybe the excessive sugar we consumed at the Bicycle Bunk House combined with parting with Kyle and Sam plus Warren and Mary left us a little let down?


Day 41  14 July 2016
Haugen, Wisconsin to Bolder Lodge 10 mi W of Clam Lake
77.2 miles  7:10 riding time   2,756 ft elevation gain
Another beautiful riding day, but Carol and Christy's double checking the distances led to a few more miles than we expected.  When we left Haugen, Sean was reporting 0.08" inches of rain forecast for the day- a nuisance amount which shouldn't interfere much with the riding except for the putting on and taking off of jackets.

Sean, Carol, and Christy after taking off their jackets one of many times

 When we got to Bolder Lodge, probably the 0.08" of rain had fallen on us, and it was clearing.  Suddenly, a hard rain struck.  The gals sought the Lodge which had cabins but would not rent them out (or their porches) for less than two nights.  We got the tents set up between rain squalls, and we ate out at the lodge.  Heavy rains fell during the night awaking everyone but Sean.  

I'm assigned the responsibility of carrying the bread, peanut butter, and jam- relatively light weight but space intensive.  I suppose I'm responsible for their security too, and last night I failed!  Raccoons got into my panniers, unzipped one (that's my story and I'm sticking to it), and ran off with the 1/2 loaf of bread we had leaving the pannier open, a mess around my bike, and some slime in my pannier.  We all heard them in the night.  I thought I might be fired as carrier of these supplies and see someone else take that responsibility, but alas, it remains with me.  We bought fresh bread today, and that's in my panniers.


Day 42  15 July 2016
Bolder Lodge 10 mi W of Clam Lake to Mercer, Wisconsin
66.5 miles  6:03 riding time  2,096 ft elevation gain
Inside the tents it was dry, but everything was soaked this morning, and the campground was mosquito infested; the first real mosquito problem since leaving the Milk River in eastern Montana.  We ate a quick snack, and headed for Glidden for a breakfast out as our lodge didn't serve breakfast.  The day was beautiful through forests much like the Pacific Northwest's Washington coast and Northern Idaho.  Temps were cool with jackets sometimes going on for the downhills and off for the ascents.   I'm having some problem finding good photos to take though, so there are none.   

A trip favorite and far more typical dinner than the prime rib we enjoyed with Warren and Mary.  Here it's Shepherd's pie and mixed veggies.

 

Loon Lake from our campground

Day 43 16 July 2016
Mercer, Wisconsin to 5 Miles W of Conover, Wisconsin
52.2 miles  4:53 riding time   1,083 ft elevation gain

Carol's wanted to connect with some old school friends in Madison, and Sean had an offer of a tour through the Trek Campus, so we decided to seek Warm Shower hosts who might allow us to store our bikes with them while we rented a car and drove to Madison, Wisconsin.  Much of today's route was on beautiful trails.

Sean, Carol, and Christy enjoying today's trails

the trails were fairly busy with other cyclists, so we found one to take this photo: Steve, Carol, Sean, and Christy

Just before we arrived at our Warm Showers hosts, my tire flatted again.  The tires have less than 3,000 miles on them but they're about 7 years old and seem to have reached the end of their lives based on age rather than wear.  Sean, Carol, and Christy were just ahead of me when it suddenly flatted, but they saw nothing and continued on.  Sean returned to find me about the time I had the wheel back on the bike but for some reason having trouble seating the chain.  We rode together to our hosts: Dan and Barb's.

Staying with Dan and Barb is a real treat.  We each had our own bed, a time in their hot tube, a ride on their pontoon boat, Barb's home cooking, and then out for ice cream!  We'll leave our bikes with them while we head off to visit Carol's friends and the Trek tour.

Christy, Carol, Sean, and Steve enjoying a soak in Dan and Barb's hot tub

view from Dan and Barb's boat

Christy and Steve enjoying the boat tour

Barb and Carol enjoying the cruise

Dan at the helm with Sean beside him

Day 44 and 45  17 and 18 July 2016
Layover Days

Carol wanted to visit friends from her school days, and Sean had an invite to tour Trek, so we rented a car, left our bikes in Dan and Barb's care and went to Madison.  

Garry and Cassi our hosts with Garry's ex-coworker and friend Sean

Trek Headquarters - great tour

Barb and Dan

We went for a hike with Barb and Dan on the peninsula. Then the real activity started.  Sean had lost his I-Pad, and we all did a little searching.  Carol called the rental car company.  There was no I-Pad left in the car, but there was a bright yellow helmet.  Sean and Dan decided to ride out and pick up the helmet the next day and meet us in Phelps.  

Continued: Great Lakes  
Happy cycling for fun, fitness, and transportation!


Steve