Almost there!

[marni]

We are still Meandering up the Mississippi River to the headwaters but 1 more day of riding, a day off and then two longish days in a row and we will be there, hopefully with enough time to get photos and explore before they load us onto a bus the next morning for the drive to the airport. The day going into Prairie du Chien had some pretty brutal climbs, not as steep as others, mostly about 8 % average, but long long long.

Coming out of Prairie du Chien we had a couple of climbs after the 47 mile mark and have had subsiding numbers of climbs and steepness and length since. Yesterday had just a couple of short and nasties but today's ride made up for a lot. Out of the 60 miles, 37 were on a lovely bike trail (which doubles for snowmobiles in the winter) and the rest were on a generous and decently paved shoulder on a fairly quiet highway. The Minnesota drivers seem to be aware of riders and will often stop and wait for the group to swing into the left lane or cross from one side of the road to the other. The school buses however are another story and have been our only source of close calls for the past couple of days.

We are all feeling a bit weary, each of us has our assortment of scratches, bruises, tender lady bit and saddle sore. We are all beginning to feel a bit nostalgic that it is almost over and almost wishing it would go one a few more days- but not really.

I have noticed an definite improvement in my cruising speed and suspect that it has to do with the fact that granny gear keeps dying out on me so I have been doing all the climbs on the middle ring with as easy a resistance as I can wring out of the bike. The bike is creaking and groaning almost as loud as I am on the climbs. Hopefully it will flatter for the last three days of riding and then Bebe can have a nice visit with the boys at the bike shop and Eric, my favorite mechanic has promised me he will do everything personally.

I haven't been blogging muich as by the time I finish the daily ride, all I can think about is a nap, dinner and then bed. Like a young child, I go to sleep while the sun is still up. I will get caught up on the day after tomorrow when we have a day off. Until then, a few photos will have to do.

They are:

an amish buggy parked next to a truck going out of Prairie du Chien. The hos=rses were thethered off to the side along with three other buggies.

A bike cleaning party going on in Wabasha after having ridden all morning in the rain

Turtle Crossing sign- indicating the presence of big snapping turtles or so we were told, didn't see any but thought it was kind to remember these unloved beasties.

sign in a coffee shop in Lake City (where water skiing was invented- "hey guys watch this!") and the widest point of the upper Mississippi

Sunrise Prairie Bike Trail which ran for almost 40 miles, straight as an arrow from outside Stillwater to Stark MN

[goride]

Just wanted to say how much I have enjoyed seeing the pictures and the notes from your ride. Thank you for sharing them with us.

BTW: Is that Sunrise Prairie Trail fully paved?

[marni]

yes in 15 foot blocks with cracks, mostly filled in, in between each block. It wasn't all Roman Road straight as in the photo but mostly straight.

I would love to have the luxury of bike paths aaround where I live, but the country roads are about equivalent in terms of straightness, and honestly once I get 10 miles out theonly traffic is sporadic and local so it's pretty much the sme thing. I think I nbeed the little frisson of adreniline that comes from having to ride with the traffic. It certainly keeps me more alert.