A little sun, a little humidity, a little dirt

Today we entered into the state where the women are pretty, the men are good looking, and the children are above average...welcome to Minnesota.  Everyone was smiling this morning as we had a relatively short day of only 70 miles and the weather was forecast to be pretty good.  We'd be hard pressed to order any better riding weather than we had today albeit a little humid...our first case of sweat for a long time.  The highs today were in the mid 80s, the winds were not in our face, and the sun was bright. 

The word of the day was "Green."  It's a sharp contrast from what we were seeing in South Dakota where the rolling rangeland and large wheat fields were mostly brown.  Every where you looked today all you'd see was green...If it wasn't corn or soybeans standing in perfectly straight rows that stretched all the way to the horizon, it was tall grass that gave a different hue to the green patchwork that dominated the landscape.  It's really nice to be back into country that looks fertile again and according to National Public Radio, these farms are run by Norwegian Bachelor Farmers...mostly (ever heard of Powder Milk Biscuits?).  I think we are going to see a lot of corn and gently rolling terrain for the next few days...you betcha.

The South Dakota highway on our early miles had a nice shoulder for us, but when we got to Minnesota we lost the shoulder.  The saving grace was there was little traffic to contend with and the drivers that we did encounter were courteous.  Our only detractor was some road construction on our route just after Adrian.  I've been doing this ride for 7 years and we've always had to divert around construction on this road.  They've been doing the construction in sections and every year it's a different section, but the results are always the same...we've got to divert sideways and pick up a dirt road around the construction or ride 12 extra miles to get to pavement.  That was the case again today.  Luckily, I was near the front riding with Daco and Karen and was able to help folks around the mess.  Barb had gone ahead and marked a 12 mile detour on pavement but I and many other riders decided to ride a gravel road for 6 miles. 

This 4-12 mile detour took riders through Minnesota corn fields. The farms along the route were impeccable, each situated in a grove of trees and having a neatly painted house and outbuildings, flower beds, and nicely tended lawns.  No extra cars or farm equipment lying about.  Each farmhouse again sitting in the midst of vast cornfields . . . vaster even than those in South Dakota.  The gravel detour was a diversion and a bit sketchy, but all who rode it was able to get through OK.  All in a day's work on the road.  Wonder where we'll have to detour next time?

After insuring everyone got through the construction OK, it was back to business...ride to Worthington.  Before Karen and I could get back on route, I happened to talk to a guy while he was refueling his van.  He saw the our van go through and now all the riders...seeing the Long Distance Bicycle Tours sign on the side of the van he asked what that meant.  He described a long distance tour as being to the other side of town, but when I told him where we came from and where we were going, all he could say was, "Ya shure, that's a long way!"  That's the usual reaction we get.

It's amazing what a little sunshine and nice weather will do for a group of bicyclists.  I guess another thing that most are enjoying is there are no hills to speak of so far in Minnesota.  Everyone got in by 3:00 today...even with the detours and confusion in navigation.  Tomorrow we ride to Mankato...102 miles...that will get their attention.  Tune in again tomorrow...we'll see you then...you betcha...