Birchwood, WI to Glidden, WI $17 :: pizza, beer, grocs 83.11 mi :: 6.55 hr :: 27.2 mph :: 11.9 mph :: 3611 mi Finished the Journals of Lewis & Clark today. It has influenced the trip in a hundred ways, imparting to me some of the boldness, endurance, and intelligence that went into their…

Marina on St. Croix, MN to Brichwood, WI $41 :: Lunch, ice cream, grocs, campsite 97.27 mi :: 8.16 hr :: 34.6 mph :: 11.7 mph :: 3528 mi Very humid all day. Hazy & overcast morning & afternoon, clear & hot midday. Some tailwinds today. Developing a serious Dairy Queen habit. Wisconsin is hilly,…

Northfield, MN to Marina on St. Croix, MN $61 :: Brake pads, back tire, Japanese gardens, lunch, lots of ice cream 84.91 mi :: 6.53 hr :: 28.5 mph :: 12.3 mph :: 3430 mi Hugs and goodbyes outside the Sudermann’s shortly after 8 and a yummy BF of fruit, cereal, coffeecake. Then those crazies…

Northfield, MN A day in the family of David & Mary Sudermann. The day went by quickly, doing lots of little tasks interspersed with many questions, esp. from Martha. She has a way of getting right to the heart of things, asking about the most sensitive topics. Does smoking make my mom a bad person?…

Excelsior, MN to Northfield, MN $2 :: snacks 61.82 mi :: 5.10 hr :: 31.9mph :: 11.9 mph :: 3346 mi Took a chance & slept w/o the tent. Had a few mosquitoes but slept pretty well. Began my navigations after another good hot BF. For a while lots of turns made it interesting –…

Ann Lake, MN to Excelsior, MN $5 :: lunch, snacks 89.84 mi :: 7.04 hr :: 26.5 mph :: 12.6 mph :: 3284 mi A much more interesting day. The adventure crept back in. Part of it was leaving the Adventure Cycling route. Those maps are so damn good – sometimes they don’t leave enough…

Big Sandy Lake, MN to Ann Lake, MN $28 :: BF, campsite, ice cream 91.57 mi :: 7.16 hr :: 23.7 mph :: 12.5 :: 3194 mi Most events disagreeable today. Mosquitoes were waiting this morning as I guessed. Was ready to cook BF anyway, but the lighter was wet & didn’t work. So I…

Grand Rapids, MN to Big Sandy Lake, MN $172 :: BF, phone card, coffee, box, bike parts, postage, lunch, tape recorder, campsite 42.1mi :: :: :: :: 3102 mi Tired. Big day for errands. Bike running beautifully after cleaning, adjustments, repacking front hub, new rear derailleur cable. Bike shop let me use their tools in…

Lake Itasca St Pk, MN to Grand Rapids, MN $50 :: Lunch, ice cream, room 123.01 mi :: 8.28 hr :: 31.1 mph :: 14.5 mph :: 3060 mi Fun day. Waded the Mississippi headwaters, then followed the river all day. More beautiful backroads. In Bimidii, blew my chance to talk w/ an attractive lone…

Callaway, MN to Lake Itasca St Pk, MN $26 :: lunch, campsite 68.2 mi :: 5.47 hr :: 27.6 mph :: 11.7 mph :: 2937 mi Had planned on a lazy morning. Slept ‘till 7, was going to cook oatmeal for a change but packed up instead I remembered I was out of gas. Ate…