- Day 1 -1 Week
- Day 1 -12 Hours
- Day 1
- Day 2
- Day 3
- Day 4
- Day 5
- Day 6
- Day 7
- Day 8
- Day 9
- Day 10
- Day 11
- Day 12
- Day 13
- Day 14
- Day 15
- Day 16
- Day 17
- Day 18
- Day 19
- Day 20
- Day 21
- Day 22
- Day 23
- Day 24
- Day 25
- Day 26
- Day 27
- Day 28
- Day 29
- Day 30
- Day 31
- Day 32
- Day 33
- Day 34
- Day 35
- Day 36
- Day 37
- Day 38
- Day 39
- Day 40
- Day 41
- Day 42
- Day 43
- Day 44
- Day 45
- Day 46
- Day 47
- Day 48
- Day 49
- Day 50
- Day 51
- Day 52
- Day 53
- Day 54
- Day 55
- The End
- Retrospective
We went to sleep knowing there was little options. No food in town till at least 8, then once on the road the towns and cities are becoming fewer and further between. We left early knowing we have to stop for breakfast and could possibly be going 100+ miles to the next “big” city.
We made our way down the road about 20 miles and found a gas station / restaurant. We went in and had a surprisingly good breakfast.
Our options were Grand Rapids, which would only put us at a 40ish mile day but tomorrow could be a larger day but not too crazy. Or go ape shit today. Or if the place, kind of in the middle of no where calls me back we could stay there and have three reasonable days.
It’s a fine line between planning for tomorrow while looking at the next few days with out trying to screw ourselves in three days. We could, or I guess anyone could plan out the entire trip. However what happens when you hit bad weather, or detours, or you just have a bad day? Do you call every hotel,, motel and push everything back one day? What happens if you see this area is super flat, wind at our back, we’re going go far today? I mean that seams pretty unlikely but, could happen, and then what?
When we got to Grand Rapids I saw that the motel had called me back. We paused for a few phone calls. Looking into hotels availability for tomorrow night, restaurants near the hotels, and how late they’re open. Calling back hotels… It took a few minutes but it looked like we could have a reasonable day today and tomorrow. The only thing we might have to do special would be to get food to bring with us to the motel for tonight. Because when I called the only restaurant near by to ask if they did dinner, they said yes. I said great, how late are you open? And they said 3. AM I questioned. NO. She said sternly, as if to say who eats dinner after 3 in the afternoon?!?!
With our new plan in mind we headed to find food, the pizza deli looked to be the best option. We headed over and knew what ever we get, will be diner, in a few hours. Jerry ordered and the woman said ok, thinks I’ll get this right out to you, and started to walk away. I said ahhhh… She asked, if I wanted to order too. I was very confused, we sat at a table, each looking at menus, walked up to the counter each holding menus. I could speculate as to what she was thinking but I definitely wanted to eat dinner too.
We collected our stuff and headed for our hotel. It was kind of weird having a large break in the middle of the day then getting back on the bikes. It was nice that we knew half of the day was done, and we had dinner already in the bag, literally. But just the long stop, did not leave me ready to go go go.
We started semi slow, but the road was straight and single lane shoulder so before long we were making time.
We crossed the Mississippi!
When we first got to Minnesota we passed a lake and thought, well only 9,999 lakes to go in the land of 10,000 lakes. It has been interesting to see forest and seemingly never ending woods on the side of the road suddenly break open to reveal a lake just over there, and just like that its gone again. I tried, 9,998 lakes left, 9,997… but 99 bottles of beer on the wall is never actually that fun. And it’s kind of hard to keep it going from the thousands. And I’m watching the road, following Jerry’s lead, looking for road kill, cracks and other road hazards… keeping track of which thousands of lake I was on.
But the Mississippi! As far as I am concerned we are now in the west. The mighty Mississippi has always been a informal divid. Jerry pointed out Coors used to not be delivered to the other side of the Mississippi! This puts us on the side of the Rockies! We still have a while to go, and we aren’t even half way of our estimated total milage. But, we crossed the Mississippi!
We got to our turn. It looks like a very unlikely location for a motel but the map says… and at least I spoke to someone today that said we had a room for the night here. As we make the turn the road is only paved for about 100 feet, then it turns to a dirt road. What choice do we have? We pressed on. On the left there is a barn like building with the name of the motel above the oversized door. But this does not look like a building one would check into a motel, let alone where the motel itself might be. As we continued a golf cart approached. We said hello. I asked about check in. He paused long enough to point out a building right on the lake just ahead. As we continued the lake went from a small blue dot on the map to a massive lake we could hardly see the other side. We’ve ridden past three great lakes so far so my lake size meter is changed but this is still a big freaking lake! The building pointed out is an office and they check us in, almost surprised. I think they thought the guys on bicycles would not actually make it. After check in we headed back toward the road to a small building we passed with out much fan fair.
The room was fine, however I am faced with four mosquitos as soon as I enter. Now I have to clear the room before I can do anything else. It quickly became a gross experience. As hotels go this room will be fine for the night, but I had some killing to do.
The satellite TV left much to be desired but it opened up the opportunity for Jerry and I to listen to WFMU.
Soggy sandwich and not so nice salad didn’t make for the best dinner, but The Goddam Dave Hill Show gave us a small comfort of home.
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