Biking with Bill

‘FOLLOW THE SIGNS TO THE PIGGLY WIGGLY’

We had perfect cycling weather today for our 85 mile ride to Fond du Lac, WI. A little breeze kept the 80 degree day very comfortable under partially cloudy conditions. We rode on county roads with initials -not numbers- like CR “N”, and CR “J”. The pleasant Wisconsin countryside has beautiful ridges in the distance and you can see the rolling hills and corn fields for miles on end. We saw mostly agricultural farms with soybeans and corn as the main crops. There were surprisingly few dairy farms on this route.

At the 32 mile mark we cycled past Buffalo Lake outside the town of Montello, a town that appears to have frozen in time 50 years ago. At the SAG we were promised a “beautiful waterfall over granite rock, with swans swimming in the lake below”. It was scenic and relaxing stop.

Keith (IA) and I then pace lined for 15 miles to Princeton, where we ran into road construction and confusing “detour” signs, and mixed signals from the traffic flow. Lisa, asked a native if we could get through the construction on bikes, or if there was a better way out of town? His response was to “follow the signs for the Piggly Wiggly”. This local chain store had posted signs for directions to the store to help Princetonians find it in the confusion of road construction. Follow the signs we did–right to where we wanted to be. Sometimes it just works out right!

After the second SAG in Ripon, WI, “Birthplace of the Republican Party”, according to the sign, Dan and I hammered for 22 miles into Fond du Lac. When Dan can “smell the barn” at the end of the ride–say the last 20-25 miles–he really lets it go. I was hanging on at 19-20 mph right up to the ice cream stop on the outskirts of town.

Our hotel is right downtown–a real city hotel in this attractive town of 42,000 people. The city is located at “the bottom of the Lake” (Winnebago), hence the name of the city in French: Fond du Lac. It has been recognized as the second safest metro area in the US, and is home to the state’s first cheese factory.

We have a group of riders who call themselves; “The Final Four”, as in the last 4 people to finish the ride each day. Annie, Lois, Stew and Abe have more fun with their relaxed style of bike riding–and have been seen just lying in the grass at the roadside looking up at the clouds. They have t-shirts with Final Four on the back. Their goal yesterday was to make it to Route Rap, which is held daily at 5:00 pm. They made it–and received applause from the cycling group. We do have some laughs.

Today Ilkka received word of the birth of a grandchild. Chalk marked words of congratulation were written along our route today. Yesterday, Lois’s sisters and their children placed humorous signs near Wisconsin Dells welcoming her arrival at the hotel.

I’m off to “ mechanic hour” to have a new chain put on my TREK. We have 2550 miles behind us, so it is time for a new one.

Pedaling in Packerland,

Bill

photos: (LtoR) Falls in Montello, Wisconsin faramland, Downtown Fond du Lac.

FLASHLIGHTS IN THE TUNNEL


The first thing we all noticed at route rap yesterday were the3 hugh peaks on the topography chart given to us along with the day’s route directions. Lil (France) said, “This looks like the Pyranees”. The alarm was quieted when we were told: “Don’t worry , we don’t have to climb them. We will go through TUNNELS”.

With flashlights in hand we made our way through these dark, wet tunnels through the mountains, while walking our bikes. The first was 3/4 of a mile long and cut through solid rock. A new adventure on our bicycle trip.

The highlight of today’s 94 mile ride was our 32 mile segment on the Elroy-Sparta Trail–the first Rails to Trails bicycle and walking pathway built in the US, we were told. It was on this trail that we experienced the tunnels, as well as great country riding on a hardpack surface. As with yesterday’s trail in Minnesota, we rode through woods and rural countryside, but today on Elroy-Sparta we saw many families and youth groups out for a morning bike ride. The trail from Sparta passed through the towns of Norwalk, Wilton, and Kendall to Elroy, MN, all with cafes, facilities, and parking for trail users. We all enjoyed the Rails to Trails experience and the change of pace to our daily rides.

We arrived in Wisconsin Dells; “the Midwest’s #1 destination” in time for a late lunch. The busy tourist town is located on the spot where the Wisconsin River has cut through miles of sandstone to form the Wisconsin Dells scenic riverway. Boat rides through the “Dells” are available–along with every type of tourist theme park, waterslide, miniature golf etc.

Jessica, a reporter for the Wisconsin Dells “Event” newspaper, came to the Super 8 motel with her young children to interview me this afternoon. The razzing continues from the cycling gang about all the publicity for RTC–except those whose pictures also appear on the TV spots.

Bill

ROOT RIVER TRAIL

At precisely 8:18 am my cell phone rang–as planned. Dan, Keith and I had stopped to take the call along the route just outside of Chatfield, MN. It was the first media event of the day; an on the air interview with Mike Hayes, "Talk radio WIZM", La CrosseWI. We talked about the bike trip, the group of riders, and Rails to Trails Conservancy. WXOW TV and WKBT TV also sent reporters and cameramen for interviews and bike riding footage today for the local La Crosse news shows at 6:00 and 10:00pm. One interview took place in front of the large "Welcome to Wisconsin" sign just before crossing the Mississippi River.
The timing was perfect, as we had a wonderful ride today on Minnesota’s Root River Trail, a RTC bike path from Rushford to Houston, MN. It was a 12 mile interval in our 90 mile route from Rochester to La Crosse, WI. The trail weaved through the shade in the woods , along the Root River, past cornfields, through wildflowers, and over railroad trestles. It was great fun and an enjoyable change of pace from our road riding. We met a cyclist from New Zealand who took photo of (left to right) Susan (staff), Ted (NJ), Dan and me.
The weather --in contrast to yesterday’s severe storms–was a beautiful summer day in the 80's. It was an enjoyable day on the bike!
We came upon a turkey farm along the route. Thousands and thousands of turkeys are getting ready here to feed America on Thanksgiving Day.
We also had the unique assistance of the MN State Police today. As we came down the road we saw 2 black dogs in wait. There was no doubt as to their intent–our ankles! At that moment, coming from the other direction, was the police patrol car. As we both got nearer to the dogs, the trooper put on his siren, stopped, and shielded us from the now confused dogs, who took out their frustration by barking at the trooper. He stayed on to protect riders following us. A real public servant!
The Minnesota countryside –in good weather– has been refreshingly green and scenic. The rolling hills make for good cycling fun, the big expansive farms are attractive, and the huge healthy tracts of corn and soybeans are a marvel of modern agriculture. We have moved quickly across the state with long mileage days.
Tomorrow we ride on another RTC pathway: Wisconsin’s famous Elroy Sparta Trail.
Bill

BARN STORMING


In long distance cycling you never know what you will find up ahead on the route. Or what will find you. Severe weather FOUND US in spades today. I had never been caught out in a thunderstorm of this intensity before. We were right smack in the middle of it. There were heavy winds, whipping rain with pea-sized hail, lightning and thunder and some of the darkest sky imaginable. It turned our 100 mile “century” day upside down.

We left Mankato at 6:20 am and arrived 10 ½ hours later in Rochester, MN. The winds followed us right up to the door of the Holiday Inn. They were relentless all day long. We rode for 50 miles in various stages of rainfall, soaked to the gills.

Hoping to avoid the forecast “scattered” thunderstorms, we rode the first 40 miles under heavy gray skies with a quick and steady pace for a century ride. Just outside of Mankato we had to walk our bikes through sand and gravel over a closed road under construction. Others, having left later were detoured around it.

The unusual events of the day began for Dan and me at the 40 mile mark–somewhere outside the town of Waseca, MN, in farm country. We saw the sky color turn to green before the cloud appeared pitch black. I said, “I have to take a picture of that cloud”. It had appeared quickly and looked violent. Before I could put the camera away (in a plastic bag), the severe storm hit us–squarely! There was no cover and lightning flashes were numerous. A farm lady in a pick-up stopped and told us we could find shelter in her barn 1/4 mile down the road. We found the barn, now occupied by 7 of our cycling friends, and waited out the first thunderstorm. Larry (MA) had his brother on the cell phone giving us updates from the Weather Channel radar. When it looked clear to go we departed, but the lightning returned us to our second one hour barn visit. This farm couple not only opened the barn, but brought us folding chairs and bottled water, and showed off their pet chinchillas (he sells them), and new litter of puppies. They couldn’t have been nicer.

By 12:30 we still had 50 miles left to complete the ride to Rochester. In the wind and rain Dan and I trudged on. Many chose to ride in in the vans. Who could blame them. It was a miserable and at times dangerous day.

We had to ride right into the downtown area of the city of Rochester, passing the Mayo Clinic in rush hour traffic.

It was not an enjoyable ride –the weather was too extreme–, but I felt great satisfaction in having DONE IT.

Bill

ps The buffalo photo was taken in Reconciliation Park in Mankato. It symbolizes “Peace” between the Indian and white man. Mankato is the site of the execution of 38 Dakota Indians for their role in the uprising of 1862, which launched a series of Indian Wars. It is the largest mass execution in American history.

FRONT PAGE NEWS?


The razzing began before 6:00am this morning as the Worthington, MN “Daily Globe” newspaper was passed around at breakfast. There-ON THE FRONT PAGE- was a picture of me and my TREK and the headline: “Cyclist stops in town on way to New Hampshire”. The story told the details of our cross country tour, and my efforts to raise funds, awareness, and increase membership in the Rails to Trails Conservancy.

Unfortunately, the kidding continued after one of our gang overheard a group of senior citizen ladies at the McDonalds in Windom, MN ask: “Which one is Bill?”, when some ABB cyclists entered the restaurant. Our first SAG stop happened to be in that McDonalds parking lot–30 miles from Worthington. Apparently the “Daily Globe” is read far and wide, and it is also evident that there is a real lack of serious news in Southwest Minnesota on this day.

Today’s challenge was a 102 mile ride to Mankato,MN. I think many of us worried about today more than we had to. There was concern about the wind after we learned that the gusts were actually 30 mph yesterday, and that it had blown Jim off the road on his recumbent bike. The record heat in the area was also on our minds. But, once underway this morning it was just “forget the worries and DO THE RIDE”. The milder winds were mainly cross winds and the heat was never a factor. It was a beautiful blue sky day in rural Minnesota. We saw enough corn and soybeans in fields today to feed China.

We started and finished our ride on Rt 60 East, a busy divided highway. In between, we enjoyed the peace and scenery in the farm belt on quiet county roads. The town of St James seemed like a comfortable and attractive place to live. At Madelia (“Pride of the Prairie”) we ran into road construction, but detoured ourselves out of town. Dan, Keith and I helped Nancy repair her flat tire along the route–after all she is a Team RTC member, and probably needed a little help.

Dan and I biked into the town of Lake Crystal hoping to find some lunch. We did. We also found Dave (CA) and Jim (Hawaii and CO), our biking friends who were classmates at Annapolis and are doing this trip together. Good guys.

Another 100 mile day is tap for tomorrow, but I am not going to WORRY about it. I have no control over the weather.

Bill

WINDSURFING IN WORTHINGTON, MN


Monday morning. Back to work. With the rest day behind us, we had a 74 mile bike ride ahead of us to Worthington, MN (“You’ll Come To Love Us” is their slogan). Worthington is famous for WINDSURFING (“Put some speed in your sails”, they say) and holds an annual regatta on its Lake Okabena, which we could see as we came into town early this afternoon. It was no surprise to any of us who had cycled today’s route that WIND would put Worthington on the map. We were in 20-25 mph winds most of the morning. The mainly cross winds rattled the cornfields. It forced us at times to lean into it on the bikes, and it whistled through our helmets and the soybean fields.

We began our ride out of Sioux Falls, SD at 6:30 am and rode casually for 10 miles through beautiful Falls Park along the Big Sioux River on a curving bike path. Keith (IA) mentioned that it was “the prettiest real estate since Mt Rushmore” with woods and playgrounds and acres of trimmed green grass. It was that.

It was quite a transition from the city’s bike path to Rt 140 East and big farm country. We cyclists say that on a bike you not only SEE America, but you can also SMELL it. Today’s passing of pig farms was a good (or bad!) example. Our views were exclusively corn and soybean fields bent in the constant wind. On two occasions we saw wind mills in the fields generating electricity.

We passed through the town of Brandon before crossing the State line into Minnesota. We had our only SAG stop in the lovely town of Laverne, and rode through Magnolia, Adrian and finally into the Dairy Queen in our destination city of Worthington. A good ride day.....maybe a little windy!

The media parade for Rails to Trails has heated up considerably. My appearance yesterday on KSFY (ABC TV affiliate in Sioux Falls) was the first with a film clip on the 5:30 and 10:00 pm local newscasts. It showed the interview and my story of the cross country bike ride dedicated to support Rails to Trails Conservancy. The clip must have been well edited, as I believe it came off quite well–on and off the bike–and wearing my RTC jersey.

Today I was interviewed and photographed (in the jersey) for the July 18 edition of the Worthington Daily Globe newspaper (www.dglobe.com). WIZM radio in La Crosse, WI has asked me to be interviewed “on the air” on Thursday morning for the “ride to work “ crowd at 8:20 am while enroute on the bike. I accepted. I hope it is positive publicity for RTC.

Windsurfing through Minnesota,

Bill
(Photo shows roadside grass blowing in the wind)

REST DAY

Activities:
Breakfast with the gang, a brief look at the Tour de France, thoroughly clean and lube the bike, write and post my blog the the hotel with wireless internet next door, wash biking clothes in the bathtub (no laundry in this "luxurious" Super 8 ---and I'm not walking a mile to a laundramat), shopping center visit for necessities, catch up on phone calls--(now that I am connected to the Cingular world with a few bars), meet with local ABC-TV reporter at the hotel--set up by Rails to Trails, .........etc.

Bill

BENT PRAIRIE GRASS


South Dakota is the only place on earth where you can get heat rash and a wind burn in the same day. Both were available today for the cyclists on the Across America-North ride.

But first the RODEO! Twelve cyclists in cowboy hats, rodeo caps, and rodeo t-shirts were on hand for “one of the top 5 rodeos in the country” held last night in the outdoor arena outside Mitchell, SD. A patriotic crowd of 2400 was on hand for the singing of God Bless America and the National Anthem before the festivities and competition began. The “fragrance” in the air from the horses and cattle was not subdued by the delicious smells from the barbeque tent. We were excited to be a part of this “Badlands culture” and enjoyed the nights events along with the local farming and ranching crowd. Bucking broncos, steer wrestling, and the clowns were our favorites. It was an event we will remember fondly.

The ride to Sioux Falls, SD (pop 123,000) was 75 miles “in the elements”; that is heat and winds. We received a call on our cell phones at the rodeo from ABB that luggage load and breakfast in the morning would be earlier than planned, as the weather report (accurate) was for 20-30 mph winds and 100+ temperatures. The winds were from the SSW, so fortunately we experienced mainly heavy cross winds, but for several stretches of the route we plowed directly into them-slowing the pace and increasing the work load.

However, we had only 75 miles to the oasis of a REST DAY. The mood was upbeat, the route was calm country roads through large farm tracts of mainly corn. Not a person in sight, except the occasional passing pick up truck.

We traveled Rt 262 and SR42 East through the small farming communities of Alexandria, Emery, and Canistota where a town parade with floats was being organized. In addition to the regular stops for SAGs, many of us are now more religious about stopping at a convenience store for cold Gatorade and something to eat on these long days in the heat.

We lose 9 riders here in Sioux Falls. They have completed their course as planned and depart after 2000 miles. We will miss them all: the Swiss father (Franz the Dr) and his athletic son, Ben, who is off to college, Mike (CA), covered in zinc oxide and wearing a long sleeved shirt on his recumbent bike, and especially my 4 cross country mates from the 2004 ride. My good friends Tim and Kathryn (ME), Dale (AZ), and Joyce (MA) leave us here. They are all very special people to me, members of Team Rails to Trails, and more than riding buddies. God Bless!

Bill