 No two alike  Crow Wing SP in shut down mode  Some of Minnesotas contribution to more recently one wonders.  Desert Storm hardware  The kids off for a dip Royalton camp ground |
 'I'd like to book 3 sites Please"  Friends at Sleepy Hollow, V8 Nissan in background  Something a MASH unit didn't want to see  Little Falls, no fish ladder visible  Campfire scene Royalton CG, with MR in background. Incidentily the unofficial wildlife emblem of Minnesota is the mosquito not the Loon. |
1/07/11, Crosby to Royalton 109km, Total 1348.30℃ northerly
Arose early to a clamy day about 26℃ at 0700hrs. Made a brew and decided to get rid of the thick black oil on the chain, the problem with using engine oil. Purchased some degreaser at the servo and emptied the can during the process. Clean as a whistle. It was re lubricated with the product designed for the job.
Sought local knowledge on the best place for brekky and ordered a steak etc. By now it was 1000hrs and hot. Luckily 4 coffees and a few glasses of iced water were consumed for this leg, they were needed.
Riding though producing bulk sweat was aided by the tail wind, the heat from the black top was unreal. Being July 4 weekend traffic heading south was light, however north bound traffic was bumper to bumper as people were leaving the twin cities for their cabins, no one was going to state parks because of the state shutdown. The enterance to Crow Wing SP had road closed signs up as you left US251.
Fireworks are big time here for independance weekend, upon approaching a place selling them I thought I would check it out. Whilst chatting to the woman I demolished 2 cans of mountain dew, didn’t even touch the sides. Believe me I have never consumed so much pop drink before. The sugar helps. The woman and I were having a chat when the subject of dogs came up. I told her about my spray. “I have got something better than that”, she said and showed me these little numbers about 30mm long and as thick as a pencil, you only have to throw them on the ground and boomfa, went off like a .22 rifle. She kindly gave me a packet. Come on the next pooch I thought, this will be fun.
Still on US 251 with temps in the low thirties, keeping the fluids up was paramount. About 1400hrs a sign ahead of me announced the if I turned left I would be in Sleepy Hollow, classic. This road was bounded on the left by Crow Wing Lake with houses along its shore, trees were abundant on each property very inviting. As I progressed along the road, I came across a guy on his ride on and enquired was it possible to access the lake, he kindly said come in here , as he owned both properties .
Stopped for a graze at Fort Ripley servo and checked out their museum. This fort is tank training base. Companies from all over the US put their tanks on trains and rail them here, create havoc and promptly rail them home. They come from as far away as the most southern states. Sierra and here parents told me even though they are miles away the rounds belched from the tanks shake the windows in their cabin.
A great display of iconic military hardware was on display
I enjoyed a meal of fruit, his wife and daughter came and chatted, and kindly gave me a couple of bottles of mothers milk – chilled water. I stopped here for the best part of an hour chatting with the family. Really enjoyable, these were holiday cabins.
Interestingly they had a V8 Nissan, Pathfinder kind of car with a towing capacity close to 4.5 tonnes. Haven’t seen one like this in Oz.
Severe thunderstorms had been forecast, it was a classic mid north coast day with that kind of forecast, the north wind was getting sucked into the low pressure down south and I was getting sucked along with it cruising at 33km. The sound of thunder and dodgey clouds off in the distance.
Sure enough the temp was falling and big spots of rain started pelting me .Pulling over I checked for anything that was of no use wet and endeavoured to stop it from getting so and headed for Royalton. The day though only 1700hrs was dark, all on coming vehicles needed to light their passage. Rain was now coming down in quantities, bugger I was going to get drenched.
The sign showing Royalton came into view and within 10 minutes I was inside a servo chatting with the staff and bringing up the radar on their I phones, there was plenty on the way. A guy on a Harley pulled in for a break and a durry. We had a yarn, he was heading for Minneapolis 1 hr away. He didn’t have a helmet with him, from that prospective the only thing in his favour was the rain was falling on his back.
Upon a break in the rain he fired up his bike, sunnys as his only head protection and flitted of with that now very familiar noise left in his wake.
The crew in the servo were filling me in with info about turkey shooting which works on a ballot system and kindly photocopied some more legs from my guide book.
It was still rainig heavily with lightening parallel to the ground displaying itself across a broad sky. The camp ground on the river was 4 miles away. I figured there was no point going there, so cycled around town, pop’n about 120 looking for some shelter for the night in case this didn’t let up.
I had to sit it out, so headed to one of two bars in town, someone told me the Log Bar was the most friendliest. They had a shelter on the side, a few guys and girls were smoking under it. I pulled in ask did they have room for one more. Immediately we all started yakking, I locked the bike up and went inside to get a beer.
Very few Aussies or Kiwis ever come here, so they were interested in life down our way. They were still talking about Crocodile Dundee. I laughed and said shit you guys that was bloody 20 years ago!! They to laughed and the subject of Fosters came up. I informed that we have to export because it is shit no one will touch it at home.
The great looking bar girl Tera was out drinking with us, this young guy Graham and I were alternating buying beers. We went inside and parked ourselves at the bar and continued talking about all manner of stuff with Tera. All the while I was a bit uneasy about the bike being outside, Graham said a few guys get a bit dodgy when they’ve had a few, Tera allowed me to bring the bike in, so I put it in the kitchen. I was much more relaxed and enjoying proceedings much more. About 1030hrs, after a fair few ales and a clearing sky with my request to sleep in the bar declined I thought while I was in some kind of shape I should head off to the park. There were shelters there, I could just fall asleep under one and bail early. The alcohol would offer me the luxury of being able to crash anywhere ,I did not want to pitch the tent.
I headed off towards the park in a state better suited to idle chat at the end of a good night. There were some people on this rural road having a few beers, as I went past someone yelled what the fuck was that, I laughed. I arrived at the park and had a reconnoitre looking for a spot to crash. A guy and a girl said “Hi,why dont you join us” around the fire. I was introduced to a big crew of mums and dads with kids, an ale was immediately planted in my hand. This was great, the fire was comforting like the hospitality afforded to me. We yarned away laughing and swapping lifestyle differences. I told Dale I would just crash in his big camp chair, anyway his daughter said why dont you grab our tent as we are heading back to our house for tonight.
Its fine was my reply, anyway about 0200hrs I fell asleep in the chair. It was not fine, at some hour the cold set in big time, my damp towel and rain coat offered little warmth and the drink was relinquishing its hold on me. I headed to the vacant tent hoping I had the right one, arriving at someones tent unannounced and unknown at that time of night is not desirable. I had it the right one and collapsed on the floor, pulled a scrot across me and next thing I knew the sun was up.
The overwhelming generosity of these people further typifies my travels in Minnesota so far . Roll on tomorrow.
In the back of my mind however, is that during the passage south, change is to be expected. I am hoping to embrace it with the same enthusiam that has inspired me so far.
Arose early to a clamy day about 26℃ at 0700hrs. Made a brew and decided to get rid of the thick black oil on the chain, the problem with using engine oil. Purchased some degreaser at the servo and emptied the can during the process. Clean as a whistle. It was re lubricated with the product designed for the job.
Sought local knowledge on the best place for brekky and ordered a steak etc. By now it was 1000hrs and hot. Luckily 4 coffees and a few glasses of iced water were consumed for this leg, they were needed.
Riding though producing bulk sweat was aided by the tail wind, the heat from the black top was unreal. Being July 4 weekend traffic heading south was light, however north bound traffic was bumper to bumper as people were leaving the twin cities for their cabins, no one was going to state parks because of the state shutdown. The enterance to Crow Wing SP had road closed signs up as you left US251.
Fireworks are big time here for independance weekend, upon approaching a place selling them I thought I would check it out. Whilst chatting to the woman I demolished 2 cans of mountain dew, didn’t even touch the sides. Believe me I have never consumed so much pop drink before. The sugar helps. The woman and I were having a chat when the subject of dogs came up. I told her about my spray. “I have got something better than that”, she said and showed me these little numbers about 30mm long and as thick as a pencil, you only have to throw them on the ground and boomfa, went off like a .22 rifle. She kindly gave me a packet. Come on the next pooch I thought, this will be fun.
Still on US 251 with temps in the low thirties, keeping the fluids up was paramount. About 1400hrs a sign ahead of me announced the if I turned left I would be in Sleepy Hollow, classic. This road was bounded on the left by Crow Wing Lake with houses along its shore, trees were abundant on each property very inviting. As I progressed along the road, I came across a guy on his ride on and enquired was it possible to access the lake, he kindly said come in here , as he owned both properties .
Stopped for a graze at Fort Ripley servo and checked out their museum. This fort is tank training base. Companies from all over the US put their tanks on trains and rail them here, create havoc and promptly rail them home. They come from as far away as the most southern states. Sierra and here parents told me even though they are miles away the rounds belched from the tanks shake the windows in their cabin.
A great display of iconic military hardware was on display
I enjoyed a meal of fruit, his wife and daughter came and chatted, and kindly gave me a couple of bottles of mothers milk – chilled water. I stopped here for the best part of an hour chatting with the family. Really enjoyable, these were holiday cabins.
Interestingly they had a V8 Nissan, Pathfinder kind of car with a towing capacity close to 4.5 tonnes. Haven’t seen one like this in Oz.
Severe thunderstorms had been forecast, it was a classic mid north coast day with that kind of forecast, the north wind was getting sucked into the low pressure down south and I was getting sucked along with it cruising at 33km. The sound of thunder and dodgey clouds off in the distance.
Sure enough the temp was falling and big spots of rain started pelting me .Pulling over I checked for anything that was of no use wet and endeavoured to stop it from getting so and headed for Royalton. The day though only 1700hrs was dark, all on coming vehicles needed to light their passage. Rain was now coming down in quantities, bugger I was going to get drenched.
The sign showing Royalton came into view and within 10 minutes I was inside a servo chatting with the staff and bringing up the radar on their I phones, there was plenty on the way. A guy on a Harley pulled in for a break and a durry. We had a yarn, he was heading for Minneapolis 1 hr away. He didn’t have a helmet with him, from that prospective the only thing in his favour was the rain was falling on his back.
Upon a break in the rain he fired up his bike, sunnys as his only head protection and flitted of with that now very familiar noise left in his wake.
The crew in the servo were filling me in with info about turkey shooting which works on a ballot system and kindly photocopied some more legs from my guide book.
It was still rainig heavily with lightening parallel to the ground displaying itself across a broad sky. The camp ground on the river was 4 miles away. I figured there was no point going there, so cycled around town, pop’n about 120 looking for some shelter for the night in case this didn’t let up.
I had to sit it out, so headed to one of two bars in town, someone told me the Log Bar was the most friendliest. They had a shelter on the side, a few guys and girls were smoking under it. I pulled in ask did they have room for one more. Immediately we all started yakking, I locked the bike up and went inside to get a beer.
Very few Aussies or Kiwis ever come here, so they were interested in life down our way. They were still talking about Crocodile Dundee. I laughed and said shit you guys that was bloody 20 years ago!! They to laughed and the subject of Fosters came up. I informed that we have to export because it is shit no one will touch it at home.
The great looking bar girl Tera was out drinking with us, this young guy Graham and I were alternating buying beers. We went inside and parked ourselves at the bar and continued talking about all manner of stuff with Tera. All the while I was a bit uneasy about the bike being outside, Graham said a few guys get a bit dodgy when they’ve had a few, Tera allowed me to bring the bike in, so I put it in the kitchen. I was much more relaxed and enjoying proceedings much more. About 1030hrs, after a fair few ales and a clearing sky with my request to sleep in the bar declined I thought while I was in some kind of shape I should head off to the park. There were shelters there, I could just fall asleep under one and bail early. The alcohol would offer me the luxury of being able to crash anywhere ,I did not want to pitch the tent.
I headed off towards the park in a state better suited to idle chat at the end of a good night. There were some people on this rural road having a few beers, as I went past someone yelled what the fuck was that, I laughed. I arrived at the park and had a reconnoitre looking for a spot to crash. A guy and a girl said “Hi,why dont you join us” around the fire. I was introduced to a big crew of mums and dads with kids, an ale was immediately planted in my hand. This was great, the fire was comforting like the hospitality afforded to me. We yarned away laughing and swapping lifestyle differences. I told Dale I would just crash in his big camp chair, anyway his daughter said why dont you grab our tent as we are heading back to our house for tonight.
Its fine was my reply, anyway about 0200hrs I fell asleep in the chair. It was not fine, at some hour the cold set in big time, my damp towel and rain coat offered little warmth and the drink was relinquishing its hold on me. I headed to the vacant tent hoping I had the right one, arriving at someones tent unannounced and unknown at that time of night is not desirable. I had it the right one and collapsed on the floor, pulled a scrot across me and next thing I knew the sun was up.
The overwhelming generosity of these people further typifies my travels in Minnesota so far . Roll on tomorrow.
In the back of my mind however, is that during the passage south, change is to be expected. I am hoping to embrace it with the same enthusiam that has inspired me so far.
