Appleton WI

About 70 miles n no photos today. 

Amish n Wi, like Tupperware n a tight seal

Got to Stevens Point, about 67 miles(one wrong turn included). Stopped at a road side produce stand to buy a few tomatoes and it was an Amish house. I ate 4 tomatoes while 4 boys(oldest mayb 12) asked me questions about my ride(how many miles n where I started but they were not good with WI geography, let alone Canada) /bike(does it have a back rest like some others that they had seen) /trailer(is it heavy going up hills n do my legs hurt?) /age(they said I was too old to b doing this). I asked if I could take their picture n the oldest one said he was not sure that was allowed(I snuck the picture when I got bk to my bike. Other photo is an Amish wagon going down the highway(I've seen about 5 of these horse n buggies so far in WI).

MN and WI remind me of Italy

Rolling hills, lots of small towns n villages, crop fields, farms. Arr in Neillsville(4L's) 54 miles from bike shop in Eau Claire. Dinner at the N C C(Country Club) and photos of golf rates n a typical dairy farm. 

Live n in color - Go Fly A Kite Returns!!

Hunted since Detroit Lakes for a place to buy dowel(a stick) to fly a kite from. Bought one Mon and installed it Tues AM. A kite does noticeably keep more traffic further away from me and the bike. Rode about 60 miles south and WEST(damn) through the country to Eau Claire to get into a bike shop for a post crash inspection. Tire on the trailer went flat on the way so bike shop for that too. Shoulder loosens up as I ride but ceases like a rusty nut overnight. Photos of kite (v exciting) and cracked helmet which will b replaced. 

No broken bones

Rolling hills on a bike n 96 degrees, sweat pouring off like a leaky tap - u get the picture of today. Started late after a long day yesterday riding in what felt like an outdoor sauna. Innocuous, a bit of grass along the seam of the paved shoulder where it joins the concrete of the driving lane but hiding a one inch lip from view. Turned from the pavement onto the concrete n 2 seconds later I'm road rash with a bruised shoulder. Bike is ok (twisted the handlebars a wee bit but I can adjust them back straight) and the trailer got the brunt of it all. Thank goodness I had a helmet(made solid contact with the concrete) on. In Cameron WI and will decide in the morning whether to stay here longer. Wisconsin has a lot of odd street and avenue numbers?? Photo included.

Breakfast this AM below Turtle Lake photo(namesake of the town)all of this below photos of the crash site including spilled orange juice from my bike bottle.

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Wisconsin America's Dairyland in the rolling hills

I lived in Wisconsin for a year when I was about 18.

Arrived in Turtle Lk WI which is about 70 miles ENE on Minn/StPaul. Covered 77 miles and temperature hit 95 degrees - many stops in tree shade n any AC opportunities! Perspire does not fully describe the giant drip that I was all day. There were dirt (n mud) track snowmobile races on the weekend in Princeton where I stayed last night. Some of the largest trailers had 8 sleds?? I was told that they hit speeds well over 60mph! One snowmobile photo. 

Princeton tonight

Buckman where the bar was.

Well folks, again(I definitely remember coming to the unexpected Sunday Summit after Allison Pass in BC b4 arriving in Princeton) getting to Princeton (MN) was a throw the gauntlet down "test". Forecast was for 20-30mph wind from SSE and 84 degrees. Wind was gusting to at least 40mph and on my nose most of the day n someone's car reading was 89 degrees. I averaged just over 6mph and covered about 63 miles. I met a group of local farmers out for one of their buddies stag. They arrived on tractors at a bar as I was riding by so I stopped to ask about an old John Deere(I had driven a similar but older one on my uncles farm). They invited me for a beer and to join the stag if I wanted to get out of the wind but after the beer I left following paved country road directions from one of them. Low and behold 2 hours later I am going past another country bar and there they r calling me to come in. I waved and yelled that I had to keep going(not sure why in the damned wind). Most photos are tractors today n a picture of the crew in the first bar. Supposed to b 94 tomorrow??!!

Tortuga(Espanol) on the half shell

Note tail n claws on the flipper! Definitely a medium sized snapping turtle.

Corn harvesting

Got a late start - room was facing both the highway n v busy railroad tracks where the whistles blew with each passing train last night. Did a bit of basic maintenance in the morning. 56 miles into headwind all day n finished in Little Falls on the Mississippi R. Photos of Miss R n turtles. I stopped to move the little one to safety but YUK he was glued to the pavement n deader than a

doornail 

"On The Road Again" by Sully, Canned Heat and Willie Nelson

Flew into MSP airport v late Tues n was royally received at the hotel I stayed at flying home on this break. Wed ride metro to dwntwn n dpt bike shop(new tires n storage) n ride S about 10 miles to Jeff n Kara's(cousins) home for a fun filled evening n Mexican food to die for. Left their home about 08:00Thur n forgot my hat-ride back. Visit Jeff's office for a quick Chiro adjustment(fishing injury) n ride E to metro train stn n buy ticket allowing plenty of time to arr at bus depot(reserved ticket) to box bike for 11:15 dpt to Detroit Lakes where I ended my last riding leg - train pulls in n a voice is heard "BICYCLES WITH TRAILERS ARE NOT WELCOME ON THE TRAIN" - HA HA rotten mother!! Now have a metro ticket n am v stressed about making the bus from downtown(10+miles). Push hard n arr at bus stn with less than 15min to departure. Reception lady says "you r too late to box the bike n make this bus" - I plead that I was fooled by the Metro n now she decides to help me make the bus - I coulda kissed her feet(stress does not come in a larger size!). Bus was late which didn't hurt! Rode Detroit Lakes to Wadena 46miles n got a room. Photos of bike outside repair shop, Detroit Lakes, Eastwood Inn Wadena looking W on US10(my route) n a surprise too(bus). 

No flat tires - unbelievable good luck

See photo of back tire with wear indicator (orange rubber from underneath Blk colored exterior rubber) showing on 95% of the tire. This was taken at car rental place at Fargo airport Thur morning. Other photo is flowers at North Dakota State U campus on my way riding to Get the rental car. I was lucky to get a one way rental car in Fargo! Dropped bike to get two new tires n a basic tune up Thur afternoon in Minn MN n will pick up all my stuff there Aug 21 in the morning. Flew home Fri n am on butt rest RnR. 

Never know where I will end my day

After many days, I finally get back on track, as hwy 59 coming S out of MB was my intended route

With my fingertip again dog on it

Arr in Manomen after about 55 miles n learn there is a major 3 day country music Fest in Detroit Lakes(my target destination for tonight) starting tomorrow AND the icing on the cake - there r no car rental agencies there sooo I need after getting to D L to get to any of Fargo(closest at about 60 miles) or Brainerd to the east or MSP to the south. I change clothes in Walmart n make a cardboard sign saying Fargo n go stand by some stop light where all the traffic going west to Fargo must pass. It is about 40 mins to sundown n I'm concerned because I have a load a bike crap BUT a man stops 10 min b4 sundown(he cycles long distances too) and drops me in Fargo. I saw my first squashed rabbit plus two very flattened turtles today. Photo of Sunflower field.