Itasca State Park to 4m north of Walker 110k total to date 555k
The final night at Itasca State Park involved checking out a free concert. Two 10 year olds playing violins, very good and a guy on acoustic guitar. Due to restaurant closing at lodge I didnt stay long. Dined on deep fried chicken.
Back at camp new campers were filling the campsites. A guy and his son about mid 30’s I guess came and enquired about my tent. Conversation arrived at the fact that he had served in Iraq. He informed me that he had some kind of brain damage. "The bombs just kept getting bigger", he said. His son told me they had relatives in Arizona and they were going to visit them. The guy, can't recall his christian name, then said, without malice, that he doesn’t care much for deserts these days. How sad, this stuffs not in the news.
Occasionally when shacking hands on being introduced to someone I will end up not getting a proper grip. Believe me If that had happened with this guy I would have said I would like to do that again after hearing this story. I asked him who he was fighting he said he didn’t know but the best marksmen shooting at them were Serbs.
He said the British SAS were very special guys to work with.
The ride out of ISP was from the northern exit. For the first time I am now using the Mississippi River Trail Guide book. The 30 miles back to Bemidji was the most undulating yet encountered. The smallest cog at the crank has had the accumulated grit removed from the teeth, only briefy I might add. Temp about 13-15. This cold air sapped my energy reserves.
This approach to Bemidji was different from that of my departure to the park. Secondary roads were utilised, with shoulders ranging from good to none. However traffic was very light.
The MR was crossed three times. The first time it was a noisey youngster rushing under the bridge over small rocks. In the time it took to to the second crossing, there were signs it now had the ability to influence its surroundings moving soil and placing it down when it got tired of doing so.
At the 3rd crossing its body was now moving purposely and silently, with the ribbon weed not lazily waving but hanging on for dear life. Those water molecules from Lake Itasca were having a great time, seeing what they could bring along for the ride.
They guys with me, we're gonna have some stories to share when they too get to Venice.
Arrival in Bemidji saw me head straight to Luekins Village foods supermarket, they have a one each end of town. One nice girl there provides me with maps (this is my 2nd time here) on how to get around town. The north one has a food centre, the the best range of salads I have seen. Ate plenty and downed a few coffees before heading off with a stash of fruit and veges.
Service at this supermarket is unrivalled, someone packs your bags other than the CO girl then they put them on a trolley and take them to the carpark and load them for you. Tips not mandatory I’m told. As I set off, my map friend bade me farewill with the words, “See you later my Aussie friend”. I pedalled off thinking only good things.
The weather was ok about 62deg but a cross wind. So made my way out of town to start the Paul Bunyan trail to Brainerd, just the best cycleway, 100 miles, paved, passing 22 lakes and small towns. It’s a disused rail track so an almost level gradient prevails.
The vegetation is lush with Jack Pines (Pinus banksiana), Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera), Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides), Black Locust (Robinia psuedoacacia) and numerous other species occupying both sides of the trail.
Often a glimpse of a lake was caught amid the branches and sometimes in full view.
At about 1800hrs I knew Walker was a few miles off, so the possibility of wild camping was explored, stopping at spots that looked like I could camp unseen from the trail. Unfortunately the terrain though flat track side for some metres, tended to fall steeply down to the shores of Leech Lake. So I’m cruising along still looking for a suitable site. Then on the lakeside, my left, the trees gave way to a mown sward and with small timber buidings about. Almost on the track five guys were playing boules. I pulled up and asked would they mind if I camped here out of the way. They explained they were campers also and that I should go to the office.
They also needed another player to even the teams up. I was their man. Checking in ($18/night), I pitched my tent covered the bike, blew up my air bed and headed over to join the game. Following intros we commenced an end. Immediately the guys offered me a beer. A few ales later, playing to 21 our team was just pipped.
They were staying there in the cabins with friends and family, kids everywhere. It reminded me when we used to get a crew and go camping with the kids.
Following more ales and plenty of laughs. Todd produced a a whipper snipper power head converted into a blender. 1 pull on the starter rope and the marguritas were coming forth, not small ones I might add and most drinkable.
One of these units would be a welcome addition to any garden shed more so than a whipper snipper, especially if you had a very small garden.
Tea that night for me was home cooked meat balls and spagetti cooked by the mum of one of the families. It was my first home cooked meal in 8 days, soo good.
By now I was fairly worn out. All the kids were around the campfire we joined them. Though I soon hit the nest. The fairies visiting almost immediately.
Believe me, thats whats so enjoyable about Minnesota, you could be sleeping alone in the bush (not a problem) or just as easy having a great time with a bunch of people you’ve just met.
Such an enjoyable day with an unexpected evening in such good company.
This Exped down mat is just the best airbed. It blows up in 20-30 breaths, your hip doesn’t touch the ground, it packs to the size of 2 toilet rolls and is so comfortable.
This coupled with a pillow slip full of cloths and an Exped air pillow allows sleep to come easy.
I am running my rear tyre at 45lb and front at 37lb. I’m thinking a little more in the former could reduce rolling resistence even more. Come a fine day I will experiment.
The final night at Itasca State Park involved checking out a free concert. Two 10 year olds playing violins, very good and a guy on acoustic guitar. Due to restaurant closing at lodge I didnt stay long. Dined on deep fried chicken.
Back at camp new campers were filling the campsites. A guy and his son about mid 30’s I guess came and enquired about my tent. Conversation arrived at the fact that he had served in Iraq. He informed me that he had some kind of brain damage. "The bombs just kept getting bigger", he said. His son told me they had relatives in Arizona and they were going to visit them. The guy, can't recall his christian name, then said, without malice, that he doesn’t care much for deserts these days. How sad, this stuffs not in the news.
Occasionally when shacking hands on being introduced to someone I will end up not getting a proper grip. Believe me If that had happened with this guy I would have said I would like to do that again after hearing this story. I asked him who he was fighting he said he didn’t know but the best marksmen shooting at them were Serbs.
He said the British SAS were very special guys to work with.
The ride out of ISP was from the northern exit. For the first time I am now using the Mississippi River Trail Guide book. The 30 miles back to Bemidji was the most undulating yet encountered. The smallest cog at the crank has had the accumulated grit removed from the teeth, only briefy I might add. Temp about 13-15. This cold air sapped my energy reserves.
This approach to Bemidji was different from that of my departure to the park. Secondary roads were utilised, with shoulders ranging from good to none. However traffic was very light.
The MR was crossed three times. The first time it was a noisey youngster rushing under the bridge over small rocks. In the time it took to to the second crossing, there were signs it now had the ability to influence its surroundings moving soil and placing it down when it got tired of doing so.
At the 3rd crossing its body was now moving purposely and silently, with the ribbon weed not lazily waving but hanging on for dear life. Those water molecules from Lake Itasca were having a great time, seeing what they could bring along for the ride.
They guys with me, we're gonna have some stories to share when they too get to Venice.
Arrival in Bemidji saw me head straight to Luekins Village foods supermarket, they have a one each end of town. One nice girl there provides me with maps (this is my 2nd time here) on how to get around town. The north one has a food centre, the the best range of salads I have seen. Ate plenty and downed a few coffees before heading off with a stash of fruit and veges.
Service at this supermarket is unrivalled, someone packs your bags other than the CO girl then they put them on a trolley and take them to the carpark and load them for you. Tips not mandatory I’m told. As I set off, my map friend bade me farewill with the words, “See you later my Aussie friend”. I pedalled off thinking only good things.
The weather was ok about 62deg but a cross wind. So made my way out of town to start the Paul Bunyan trail to Brainerd, just the best cycleway, 100 miles, paved, passing 22 lakes and small towns. It’s a disused rail track so an almost level gradient prevails.
The vegetation is lush with Jack Pines (Pinus banksiana), Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera), Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides), Black Locust (Robinia psuedoacacia) and numerous other species occupying both sides of the trail.
Often a glimpse of a lake was caught amid the branches and sometimes in full view.
At about 1800hrs I knew Walker was a few miles off, so the possibility of wild camping was explored, stopping at spots that looked like I could camp unseen from the trail. Unfortunately the terrain though flat track side for some metres, tended to fall steeply down to the shores of Leech Lake. So I’m cruising along still looking for a suitable site. Then on the lakeside, my left, the trees gave way to a mown sward and with small timber buidings about. Almost on the track five guys were playing boules. I pulled up and asked would they mind if I camped here out of the way. They explained they were campers also and that I should go to the office.
They also needed another player to even the teams up. I was their man. Checking in ($18/night), I pitched my tent covered the bike, blew up my air bed and headed over to join the game. Following intros we commenced an end. Immediately the guys offered me a beer. A few ales later, playing to 21 our team was just pipped.
They were staying there in the cabins with friends and family, kids everywhere. It reminded me when we used to get a crew and go camping with the kids.
Following more ales and plenty of laughs. Todd produced a a whipper snipper power head converted into a blender. 1 pull on the starter rope and the marguritas were coming forth, not small ones I might add and most drinkable.
One of these units would be a welcome addition to any garden shed more so than a whipper snipper, especially if you had a very small garden.
Tea that night for me was home cooked meat balls and spagetti cooked by the mum of one of the families. It was my first home cooked meal in 8 days, soo good.
By now I was fairly worn out. All the kids were around the campfire we joined them. Though I soon hit the nest. The fairies visiting almost immediately.
Believe me, thats whats so enjoyable about Minnesota, you could be sleeping alone in the bush (not a problem) or just as easy having a great time with a bunch of people you’ve just met.
Such an enjoyable day with an unexpected evening in such good company.
This Exped down mat is just the best airbed. It blows up in 20-30 breaths, your hip doesn’t touch the ground, it packs to the size of 2 toilet rolls and is so comfortable.
This coupled with a pillow slip full of cloths and an Exped air pillow allows sleep to come easy.
I am running my rear tyre at 45lb and front at 37lb. I’m thinking a little more in the former could reduce rolling resistence even more. Come a fine day I will experiment.
"Hang on!, here we come" . Looking upstream Highway CR7. Third crossing
Second crossing. The ability to bring things along for the ride
Crossing 1,just a sprocket
Barn, a la Minnesota
100 miles of this, the milk of the mother.
