Today was another great day for riding a bicycle. There were light winds, clear skies and cool temperatures. Fog was hanging over the road and fields as we left Redwood Falls, Minnesota.
We rode on a gravel road for about 15 miles. It was smoother than the cracked pavement that we had earlier in the morning. Our first stop was at Buffalo Lake. As in many small towns, the grain elevator dominates the skyline.
In Hutchinson we got on the Luce Line State Trail. It was paved and well maintained.
We also had a lot of our fans come out to see us.
Hutchinson had a Sculptor Stroll. They have 12 permanent sculptures and 13 rotating ones. This one is called Shark! and if you want it for your garden it can be yours for $55,000. I probably should not have leaned my bike against it.
We exited the trail near Silver Lake, Minnesota. It was on Silver Lake.
After Silver Lake we got on the Dakota Rail Trail. Another nice paved trail. There were people walking their dogs that were also enjoying the sunny day. The dogs were not on leashes. A Golden Retriever ran into Joe’s front wheel and he took a tumble. Fortunately, both Joe and the dog are okay.
The highlight of our day was visiting Herb’s son and family in Minneapolis. Nicole drove to our hotel and picked us up – no small feat since we were 45 minutes away.
Their nearby neighbor is an artist and the “Ark of the Anthropocene” is on display in his front yard. It is a biosphere and was created to float in Lake Superior. It sank a day after it was released.
A great day of cycling, a home cooked meal and spending time with Isaac, Nicole and their kids – it doesn’t get much better than that!
Stats
- Redwood Falls to Waconia, Minnesota.
- Distance: 97.1 miles (156 km)
- Climbing: 1954 feet (596 m)
- Temperature: 41 – 68°F (5 – 20°C)
Sundry
As we ate homemade apple crisp this evening we learned that Honeycrisp apples originated in Minnesota. Wild rice also originated in Minnesota and is the state’s official state grain.
Adventures of 4 MAMILs* 