Ian

 Hurricane Ian has devastated Florida and now taken a turn towards the Carolinas. The Cycle NC event organizers met  local officials and have cancelled the first three days of the ride and offered credit for those who wish to cancel. I was particularly looking forward to the Blue Ridge mountains. However I was a bit nervous flying into a hurricane and riding in the rain   We are now on plan D and camping in Ponderosa State Park  Then we are off to Bend, OR  for more camping in the Splinter  

We have credit and plans to ride North Carolina next year!  

Until then…

Carolina Bound

 Junk mail. Unsolicited mailers. Who even reads these? 

Well, when the brochure is colorful with pictures of bikes, Rhonda’s interest is piqued. Last spring she received a brochure from Cycle North Carolina. She read through it and then went to the web page. The event is similar to Ride Idaho or RAGBRAI(across Iowa). There was much going on in life this spring and summer, so I was non committal at the time. However as this Blog states, I promised Rhonda, Adventures Near and Far. We eventually registered, booked airfares and then continued on with life. 

Then the email reminders came. Announcements of itineraries. Time to purchase a meal plan. For $30, I can get espresso all week at their traveling bistro. Why not. 

We are registered for the Cycle NC Mountains to Coast. After flying into Raleigh, we are transported to Lake Junaluska in the Blue Ridge mountains. We then spend the next 7 days cycling over 400 miles to the coast, camping in host communities each night. All our gear, tent, sleeping bags, clothing, are transported each day to the next venue. I’ve been told I’m getting soft. Indeed I have. Still, some 60-100 mile days and climbing over 4000’ should help me toughen up. And in addition, there is the threat of Hurricane Ian. Last summer we endured the remnants of Fred and Henri  Cycle NC says they are working on contingencies   I’m not worried, I packed wet weather gear  

I borrowed a couple bike cases that can fly with us. One bike is already taken apart and boxed. 

So, we fly out Friday morning  Stay tuned  And monitor your junk mail carefully  

MN Heartland Day 4

 Life In Motion 

The line kept growing longer as more and more folks of Holdingford came to the BoHo Cafe to test their knowledge of local history. Thursday night was the first ever Holdingford Trivia night. Greg, founder of Arts in Motion and BoHo cafe, had designed two rounds of 24 questions each to test his community’s memory. Former pro wrestler “Sod Buster” and MLB umpire Joe Brinkman were natives of Holdingford, named after Randolf Holding. And of course the museum was formally the city maintenance shed. There is a Yellow house that acts as a point of reference for all directions to all places in town. 

Everyone was having a grand ole time sharing food and drink and of course their guesses to the questions. BoHo closes at 8, but folks hung around to visit as staff cleaned up. 

Oh the staff: the nicest and most polite. A reminder of what customer service was like pre Covid. 

We pulled out our bed rolls and slept under the veranda as the night air finally cooled. We slept comfortably and again awakened early to the birds singing as the sun rose. 

Greg’s wife Cindy showed up early to bake muffins and scones for the breakfast crowd and made me an early cup of coffee. Alyssa, their cafe manager arrived and we visited well into her prep shift. She was wearing a BoHo Coffee Club t shirt. Every Friday morning  from 9-11 the locals gather to share life. The cafe was originally planned to be closed for the winter months. Where was the Coffee Club to meet? Cindy and Greg winter south, so Alyssa arranges to open the cafe on Friday mornings just so the coffee club and others can keep up with each other. 9 am came as did the town. It was a hopping place. 

I’m reminded of what Steve “Last Name Unknown” told us last summer on a deck in Vermont: this is “rubbing shoulders with reality. You don’t get this driving 80 down the interstate”. 

It was hard to leave. Greg and Cindy have done so much with “Art in Motion” to give back to the community that raised him. 

In addition to great food and trivia games, there is an art curator who arranges gallery showings for local artists, of which she is one, and also prepares projects for youngsters of all ages to develop their creativity. During the weekend, area singer/songwriters have a stage to perform. 

It was time to say good bye. Our bikes loaded we pedaled away. Our goal was Alexandria, 55 miles away. We crossed the covered bridge(built by the Lions Club and Army Corps of Engineers-I was paying attention) and passed the lush green fields of growing corn and oats and soybeans.

We rounded the corner at Albany and headed north back to lake country. 

Post Script

Our tour was cut short. My dad has taken a turn and is entering hospice. I have a great and wonderful family. My cousin Scott left work early and drove to Alexandria, picked us up and drove us and our bikes to retrieve our van in Bemidji. 

We are now back in Cavalier, ND with dad, Rhonda and my sisters. 

Life Remains in Motion 

MN Heartland Day 3

 A Blend of the Best, Visiting Favorite Haunts From Our Cross Country Trip

Today was a perfect blend! Much less mileage and a change of format. We had a leisurely breakfast in camp and talked to some fellow campers. A gal in the bathroom asked me if I was the biker in the tent next to them. I said, “yes”. She said, “she was worried about me last night when she heard the bear”! She asked if I heard it, to which I answered “no”. She told me it was making a lot of noise, but I guess we slept through it because of that 80 miles yesterday. That’s the benefit of all of Jon’s skilled preparation. Our food and anything that has an odor is always hung in a bag up in the tree branches, so we can sleep sound.

Anyway, we traveled on the highway and back roads today for about 2/3 off the way. It was a nice break because everything opened up and we could see homes, farming, golf courses, the Mississippi and wildlife. Then as it got hot and humid we rode on the Soo Line rail path, which was such a welcome reprieve from the heat. I told Jon yesterday, the reason I never ran a marathon was because I seemed to get too bored after about 20 miles. Well, today was a break from my marathon… we had ridden two days of nice, traffic free, tree lined trails that went fairly straight for about 110 miles. The morning started with me getting a flat. It wouldn’t seal, so we used a tired plug and were on our way. So that’s the bummer about the highway, the junk on the shoulder. The shoulder felt really safe as it was a full car lane wide and had a rumble strip between us and the trucks.

Lunch, or second breakfast as we call it, was in Little Falls at a tiny corner cafe called Big John’s. The food was good and so was our chatty, kind owner/waitress/cook. She needed to discuss things important like CPAP machines, masks ruining her lungs causing her to not be able to wear her aforementioned device more than two hours now! Always a treat to eat local and chat with people. She said she rode her bike six blocks and then pushed it home and put a For Sale sign on it. Next was Jordy’s Cafe in Bowlus for ice cream. We stayed there last year and met our fellow bike travelers Mark and Steve there. 

Excited for our final destination, we headed back down the path to Holdingford for Art in Motion. One of our favorite  stops from last year. When we walked in, the owner said welcome back! He even remembered that we were from Idaho. We are staying here tonight. We HIGHLY recommend this place for anyone in the area or touring! We are going to have a great dinner and breakfast tomorrow morning before hitting the trail to Alexandria.  They are having trivia night here tonight; I told him we could give him some Idaho trivia to stump all the locals!

MN Heartland Day 2

The Road Goes On Forever and the Party Never Ends (Robert Earl Keen, Jr)

They say Minnesota goodbyes take some time. This morning was no exception.

 Our guest room faced east over Leech Lake and our windows were left open and uncovered to allow the night coolness to enter in. Marty says he has never known when or if the sun actually rises. Rhonda insured him that on July 6, it rises as a spectacular orange globe precisely at 4:48AM. 

We lay in the bed wishing for another hour or two of sleep. The coffee pot timer was set for 7. Why else would I get up any earlier? But we could not sleep. So I did my morning reading and quiet time till I heard the burping of Mr Coffee. 

We were soon joined by Jennifer and the two goldens, Archer and Finley. Rhonda has changed her mind and thinks just maybe we could get another puppy. 

We ate a light breakfast of yogurt and Grapenuts (I haven’t had these for ages, except at my sister’s two days ago). And soon the rest of the family was awake. Marty strolled out, then Jennifer’s sister Melissa and her husband Tom. 

Nearly two hours later we were packed and headed down the trail. 

The Paul Bunyan Trail provides solace and safety from car traffic, but possibly lacks much of any imagination. Stretches of long, straight and flat sections are only broken up by highway crossings and towns like Hackensack where we met Lucette, Paul Bunyan’s gal. 

A few miles down the trail we found second breakfast in Backus. Unlike like last year’s trek, I’m gaining weight! I couldn’t finish it. 

Then we found Pine River followed by Jenkins. Well placed breaks to stop, stretch the back and get hydrated. Just past Pequot Lake we found some trail magic. Just when we needed a cold drink, a boy and girl had set up a lemonade stand. A buck each and an extra for a tip. These guys were fun to talk to. Very respectful and attentive. Entrepreneurs. 

By now I just got in a steady grind and hammered out the miles. 35 turned into 50 and before you knew it we had a metric century (62 miles). Somewhere in there we passed through Nisswa which had some shenanigans going on. Lots of people and activities but I was in a trance. 

Then we finally made it to Branerd, 70 miles. It was time to refuel at El Tequila with some street tacos, chips, water, and a Pacifico. It hit the spot. Tasty and just the right portions.

 We were warned the trail through Brainerd may be difficult to navigate but it was well marked. Yep you’re reading this because I wrote it and not still on the bike lost in the land of 10,000 lakes. 

The remaining 10 miles ( yes your addition is correct. 70 + 10 = 80 miles for the day!) weaved and curved and rolled along the Mississippi River. Felt like we were getting somewhere finally. 

The road/trail finally has ended for the day. We set the tent in Crow Wing State Park. There used to be a village here but the railroad took care of that when they routed the line through a place called Brainerd. I’m really too pooped to explore the park and learn more about it. I need to crawl into the tent, sans mosquitos and rest my rubber legs. 

MN Heartland Day 1

61 years ago. Then and Now 

Two days ago, in his Wedgewood manor room I showed my dad the picture of him lifting me up to pet Babe. “Do you remember when this picture was taken?”  His memory now slightly better than mine, he says He and mom, along with my aunt and uncle David and Sylvia, took a day trip to Bemidji. “It was a fun day” he recalls. My memory lies only with the picture. 

Today, Paul and Babe have a new coat of paint and there are some trees, no older than 61 years, between them and the lake. They remain quite the tourist attraction. 

This morning we left my sister’s house in Cavalier, ND and drove the van 3 1/2 hours to Bemidji. We arranged with the State Park staff to park there for 6 days.  Maybe 7. “Is it six or seven?” asks the Ranger. Rhonda says we are not sure if we take an extra day along the way. She doesn’t want the van towed. “Oh no, he won’t tow it. If we don’t show he’s coming looking for us” I assure her.

And so the adventure begins. We rode 37 miles on the Paul Bunyan State Trail. A multi use non motorized path between Bemidji and Brainerd, MN. 

61 years ago it was operated by the Burlington Northern Pacific Railroad or it’s predecessors servicing these two communities and places in between like Laporte and Guthrie. Transporting their agriculture produce to market eventually landing in the Twin Cities’  behemoths  Kraft and Pillsbury. I’m sure the occasional tourist was also transported to their summer getaways. In 1983 the railway was abandoned and today the state of MN manages the rail bed as a paved state recreational trail. 

The trail took us within 500 feet of our warm showers host’s lake side home near Walker. Marty and Jennifer are such fun hosts. The best. They are engaging, entertaining and treated us like royalty. Refreshments and   hors d’oeuvres with conversation and life with their family. Jennifer’s sister and husband, Tom and Melissa  are visiting. They just happen to know my sister Robin well. And they will be joining my sister in Norway on a choir tour later this month. 

Dinner was served and a feast was had. It’s 10:30 and late now. Our bellies are full but not near as full as our hearts. As it was 61 years ago, “it was a fun day”. 

Home

 Home

So, folks have been asking, "why are you leaving us hanging? What was your high point? What did y'all learn? What is your next adventure? Would you do it again?" and many more.  I'm actually still trying to ponder all these and more myself. I'll let Rhonda give her thoughts below, but first, to catch you up. 

We arrived on Mount Desert Island on Labor Day. The crowds were supposed to be headed home, and indeed traffic leaving the island was heavy. Our KOA camp on the NW corner of the island was upgraded to a cabin, as the forecast called for one more rain event. We offered Andrew a bunk to share and we accepted and we enjoyed a last day and evening together, sharing some great burgers and brew across the street at the Island Take Out, associated with the gas/convenient store. Later that evening the expected rain appeared, but did not last long and it turned out to be a nice evening and night. 

The next morning we said our goodbyes to Andrew who was extending his sojourn north. We then road empty bikes into Bar Harbor for a delightful breakfast, for which the crowds were not bad, the food awesome and no more expensive than we have seen anywhere along the trip. We enjoyed the village of Bar Harbor and found that we could return for an extended visit in the future...with the van and reserved camping in the park. 

Speaking of the park, we road a few miles on the gravel carriage roads and they also demand another visit. Acadia National Park is quite nice and although I did not need to show my recently acquired Senior Park pass, it was required and allowed me and 3 of my friends to ride bikes in the park. I only needed to utilize one of them for Rhonda, so in the future I'll be looking for two others willing to join us. I think I may have talked about all this earlier, but it's been a couple weeks. 

That night we returned to our camp and Island Take Out for another scrumptious dinner. We had been trying to connect with Mark, whom we last saw in MN after Dalbo. He had finally caught and passed us and was somewhere in Bar Harbor. Our only bit of communication was on STRAVA! Why hadn't we exchanged phone numbers. For some reason we missed each other that morning. Now he too was headed home. 

On Wed we road once again into Bar Harbor, by a different, not quite as hilly road. Five miles from the village we started climbing a last climb and instead of shifting down I stood up and cranked a hard gear, enough so that I heard a POP! and knew instantly that I popped a spoke on the back wheel. Limping onward we arrived at the bike shop early, where there was already a large line waiting at the door. Waiting that is, to get their rental bikes for the park. We were advised to find breakfast and return in 45 minutes by which time the store, with limited staffing because the summer students had returned home for school, could help us pack. 

Co-owner and brother Joe was so assuring when we had all sorts of questions about how to pack our gear for the trip home. In the end, after he let us decide what we needed to take with us, we left our bikes and gear in his care. They arrived last Friday, all in one piece, save the spoke. Then we waited, ever so patiently, for the shuttle van to take us to Bangor and the airport. 

There we simply crashed at the Sheraton Inn at the airport, ate in hotel, slept, and slept some more. Our flight was scheduled for noonish the next day, so the morning was leisurely if not long. Then a flight to Charlotte, NC, a short lay over and the long flight to Seattle, when at 7:30PM local or 11:30 internal time, we landed and were greeted by Al and Donna. We were exhausted....and hungry. Al knew of a Pho and noodle place that was open for another 15 minutes and we just made it. 

After a night's rest, not quite sleep, we awoke 5AM local time, but it felt like we were sleeping in. Eventually Al awoke and coffee and cocoa were served followed shortly with some breakfast. Al had been storing our car for three months. It was looking new! He had washed it and made sure it was running. Such a brother and friend. Anxious to return home, we said goodbye and tried to remember how to drive a car. Taking back roads around Seattle and popping out at North Bend, I found a favorite and familiar coffee shop open for one last cup before we entered the fray of the interstate. It was a long drive home...nearly 3 months of biking seemed shorter, but we finally arrived home. 

There has been all sorts re entry stories that could be told: water in the crawl space, yard work, cleaning gear, mold removal of gear, sorting of gear, waking up at 4AM and even now 9 days later still waking up at 5, sickness, heartache, worries, but these will have to be shared in person over coffee. What you really want is the answer to those original questions above. 

I'm not sure there is any one specific event that could be considered the highlight of the trip. How could there be? There were just so many great experiences. However, the greatest observation I have is the love and kindness so many people extended to us. God blessed us with so many kind people. Regardless of their backgrounds, politics, differing views of world events, the thing they first asked us was, "can I offer you anything, how can I help?" We have a list of names and phone numbers of folks who wanted to insure we were not in need of any help should we find ourselves in trouble. They offered us rescue, sleeping quarters, food, transportation, direction, but most of all, they offered us their time and themselves. They offered a chance to experience their lives in their communities. They wanted us to know how they lived, experience their experiences and share their lives. They wanted to rub shoulders with us in their reality, stuff you don't get when you are cruising by on the interstate at 80 mph. 

There are some other observations to be noted:

In general the trip exceeded all my expectations. We pedaled most days. Even on our rest days, we had some pedaling to do. Bikes were our only means of transport. I never thought we could ride a bike day after day. Less than a month into the journey, I woke each morning with anticipation of riding my bike. So we did, for nearly 3,700 miles and nearly 130,000 feet of elevation gain, in 14 different states. In addition to the people, as mentioned above, I was awestruck by the beauty found in each state. Even the Tall corn grown in Indiana. I love the Pacific NW, but there is something about the midwest that is appealing.  I look forward to riding in Minnesota and the rolling hills of Wisconsin again. I loved Michigan, the UP and west coast of lower Michigan. It was fun to relive some history in Ohio and ride the Erie Canal of New York. Speaking of which, when I thought of NY my mind always saw the city and the hordes of people. The Adirondacks were gorgeous and as I've mentioned before, I imagined them not much different than they were 50-70 years ago, except the cars don't sport wooden side panels and the canoes on their tops are made of kevlar and not cedar strips. It is another place I want to revisit. 

I love Lobster. Who would have thought. I'm not much of seafood junky, or so I thought. 

Return to the Heartland 

Riding through the Minnesota during last year’s Northern Tier cross country tour was a highlight. So much so, we are returning next week to ride a loop through the heartland. 

This journey started 60 years ago when my mom and dad took me to Bemidji, MN where I met Paul Bunyan and Babe, the Blue Ox. My only memory of the trip is a photo of my dad lifting me up to pet Babe. I hope to reintroduce myself. 

After visiting my dad, we hope to drive to Lake Bemidji State Park where we will load our bikes and begin a counter clockwise route using several on Minnesota’s awesome trails. We will ride portions of the Paul Bunyan Trail, the Soo Line, the Lake Wobegon and the Central Lakes Trail to Fergus Falls. From there we will cross country through some lake country back to Bemidji. 

Stay tuned. Departure date is planned for July 5.