Here in St. Paul: Halfway haven

Last night I made it to St. Paul, Minnesota, which makes 2,362 miles (!!). This is the symbolic and I think actual mid-way point for my journey. Yow! I can't really internalize the scope of this thing, still - but it feels like a big deal to have made it here.

Pam & James & Pat & Todd's and now my friend Jon, who lives here, drove out to Hutchinson and then rode his bike in with me yesterday, and now I'm staying with him a couple of days to rest up, do laundry, get re-supplied and then head out for the Wisconsin & Michigan legs of the trip.


Crossing into Minnesota was exciting but kind of grueling: cross-winds and head-winds that day, and a very narrow shoulder with rumble strips, gravel, and lot of traffic. I was very stressed by the combination, plus the heat & humidity. There were a number of great moments on the road, though (armed gnomes!), and I really loved the city campgrounds in Montevideo and Hutchinson. They even had showers!

The real blast was riding from Hutchinson into St. Paul - nearly 80 miles, all of it on car-free bike trails. Along the way the trail changed from tractor tread-marks through a corn field, to fine gravel, a paved trail, and then an urban bike path with lovely signs. The twin cities of Minneapolis & St. Paul have an incredible, complex set of pedestrian/bike paths - it's really amazing. Even though it was so hot there was a heat advisory (meaning: avoid strenuous activities, d'oh), it felt relatively easy & relaxing, just from not having to worry about traffic blasting by me. (Or into me.)





















And then - lucky me, yet again - only after we'd safely gotten here, taken showers and headed out to dinner, another tremendous thunderstorm hit. We sat in a restaurant by the window, watching the lightning and sheets of rain blowing across the street...













I'll be heading for Wisconsin on Saturday, on track (I think) to meet up with my sister Peg in central Michigan on August 12th...