Total miles biked today is 42 miles - sunny skies, northwest winds 10 to 15 mph when we started out at 6:10AM this morning. Increased to 15 to 20 mph by 10:00AM.
When we got up this morning we enjoyed pancakes, eggs, venison sausage, coffee, and tomato juice, compliments of our host. Believe me you haven't experienced true hospitality and generosity until you have visited the Midwest. Thanks again to Ole and Vicky - we had a wonderful visit and enjoyed the delicious food and conversations with the two of you.
After our delicious breakfast we headed west at 6:10AM. Last nights weather report had indicated that there would be a 40% chance of rain and 15 to 20 mph winds today but we had clear skies and the wind. We thought that western Minnesota was flat, and it is, but this is as flat as the water in a indoor swimming pool without kids in it. The first little town that we came to was Hope, ND and because it was Sunday there was nothing opened so we continued on. 2 hours into our ride we were fortunate enough to be at the right place at the right time and to be entertained by a crop duster that would give the Red Barron of Germany a run for his money. It was obvious that he was a experienced pilot - hope he has good life insurance. He did an amazing job of ducking under powerlines, over the highway, and between power poles to apply the spray to the fields.
When we got up this morning we enjoyed pancakes, eggs, venison sausage, coffee, and tomato juice, compliments of our host. Believe me you haven't experienced true hospitality and generosity until you have visited the Midwest. Thanks again to Ole and Vicky - we had a wonderful visit and enjoyed the delicious food and conversations with the two of you.
After our delicious breakfast we headed west at 6:10AM. Last nights weather report had indicated that there would be a 40% chance of rain and 15 to 20 mph winds today but we had clear skies and the wind. We thought that western Minnesota was flat, and it is, but this is as flat as the water in a indoor swimming pool without kids in it. The first little town that we came to was Hope, ND and because it was Sunday there was nothing opened so we continued on. 2 hours into our ride we were fortunate enough to be at the right place at the right time and to be entertained by a crop duster that would give the Red Barron of Germany a run for his money. It was obvious that he was a experienced pilot - hope he has good life insurance. He did an amazing job of ducking under powerlines, over the highway, and between power poles to apply the spray to the fields.
Also between Hope and Cooperstown we paralleled a wind farm with maybe as many as 100 wind generators.
About 5 miles before Cooperstown we came across one of the sites of the Ronald Regan Minuteman Missile site. We spent about 45 minutes there. It was a very interesting and informative but down right terrifying to think of the destruction these missiles could cause. At the height of the cold war there were as many as 150 of these missile sites in the U.S. and each missile carried a nuclear warhead 25 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Thank goodness our world leaders came to there senses and realized that no one could possibly win a nuclear war.
We arrived in Cooperstown around noon today and checked into the Coachman Inn. Kathi feels quite beat up from the winds today and is looking forward to a relaxing afternoon before we head out tomorrow morning to Pekin, ND which is only approx. 35 miles away. Hopefully the winds will die down.
We hope to be in Minot, ND by Thursday evening. We may spend a day or two in Minot and then our plans are to rent a vehicle (take a week of biking off) go to Medora, ND (John and I were there on our honeymoon 38 years ago) and then meet Matt and his family in Custer Park in South Dakota on the 14Th or 15Th of June.
Total miles for the trip as of today is 1,176 miles.
Happy trails!
About 5 miles before Cooperstown we came across one of the sites of the Ronald Regan Minuteman Missile site. We spent about 45 minutes there. It was a very interesting and informative but down right terrifying to think of the destruction these missiles could cause. At the height of the cold war there were as many as 150 of these missile sites in the U.S. and each missile carried a nuclear warhead 25 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Thank goodness our world leaders came to there senses and realized that no one could possibly win a nuclear war.
We arrived in Cooperstown around noon today and checked into the Coachman Inn. Kathi feels quite beat up from the winds today and is looking forward to a relaxing afternoon before we head out tomorrow morning to Pekin, ND which is only approx. 35 miles away. Hopefully the winds will die down.
We hope to be in Minot, ND by Thursday evening. We may spend a day or two in Minot and then our plans are to rent a vehicle (take a week of biking off) go to Medora, ND (John and I were there on our honeymoon 38 years ago) and then meet Matt and his family in Custer Park in South Dakota on the 14Th or 15Th of June.
Total miles for the trip as of today is 1,176 miles.
Happy trails!
Wow! For comparison, that is the distance from Superior, Wi to Atlanta, Ga!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat's this rent a car b.s. Coooome oooonnnnn! Oh,I suppose. It's kinda like the guy that moved from the south up to Wisconsin and loved shoveling the snow....at first.
ReplyDeletelol....Ron