Day 13 – The Wind Wins… again.

Date: Sunday, 24 July 2016 (Bunny’s Birthday!!!!!!)

Time on Bike: 5:00:32

Total Travel Time: 6:50:07

Miles Covered Today: 61.13

Total Trip Miles: 784.8

Average Speed: 12.1, Maximum Speed: 24.2

From: Hackensack, MN

To: HW 58 x HW 129, Becker County, MN

(Uploaded from Fargo, ND on 26 Jul 2016)

We woke up at 6 AM today as we had ~2.5 hours to get to Friday’s stopping point. It was a long day. We got back to the hotel in Fargo, ND after 7 PM. And after all that, I still only got in a little over 60 miles today. A lot of hours for a relatively short number of miles biked. Nothing you can do. We had to come to Fargo on Friday to find a place to stay, so all that extra car traveling was the price!

A lot of traffic on the road this morning. Mostly travel trailers and RV. Must be either everyone going home or moving to a new location!

We stopped in Akeley, MN to get a picture of Woz sitting in Paul Bunyan’s hand. Little did we know we would be back at this exact same spot in about 3 hours as it was also on the Heartland Trail I was planning to ride.

Started my cycling in Hackensack, MN where I left off on Friday. Seems like ages ago. Got a chance to look around a little bit before I mounted my Trek. It was a pretty area. I was on my bike at about 10:15 AM. Most of the morning was already gone…

I like the morning hours… even though it wasn’t early in the day anymore by the time I mounted my bike. Light is low. Makes for good pictures. And the heat & wind haven’t picked up yet.

My legs were not as fresh and rested as they were after our first rest day in Minnetonka, MN. I again was cycling on the Paul Bunyan “Bone Rattling, Ball Breaking” State Bike Trail.

You know, sometimes I think too much. Since we got such a late start this morning, I was looking for any way to make up some time. I spied a shortcut on my map on the Paul Bunyan State Bike Trail by taking HW 50.

But I soon found out on my shortcut there was no longer any protection from the wind and the road was winding. I almost turned back after a mile or so on it. And then… the road went from asphalt to dirt! And there was a sign that said “Next 5 miles” I had already committed by then. No turning back.

I was very happy to finally find the Paul Bunyan State Bike Trail again when it crossed HW 50. I would soon be on the Heartland Trail where I would cycle for another 27 miles today until it ended in Park Rapids, MN.

So I finally got the story on all the trees being down from a local cyclist. You can just see her riding out of the picture below. She explained to me that they had really bad storms on Wednesday night… probably a tornado with all the destruction. And she said it seemed to follow the bike trail as there were so many trees down on the trail. She was right about that!

Note tree to top right missing top

I took a left on the Heartland Trail.

First stop was Akeley. Again. Got my picture with me & my Trek.

Next was Nevis, MN. Home of the world’s largest (fiberglass!!!!) Tiger Muskie. Ya can't make this stuff up!!

That has been known to bite off cyclists' heads!!

Met up with Bunny & Woz at the end of the Heartland Trail in Park Rapids. Mickey D’s. I have become partial to the 2 for $3 deal. I got a cheeseburger & fries! We recently notice they have 69 cents ice cream cones!!!!

Then I was out on open roads. And the wind started to pick up. It was smack in my face. I was cycling at 10 MPH or less. Much less on uphills. After a few hours of this, Bunny surprised me with a visit in Two Inlets, MN. I needed it! It wasn’t planned, but she knew I was suffering.

I was already pretty mentally & physiologically beat up by Two Inlets. But I felt I needed to make my final destination some ten more miles up the road.

As I think I have said before, traveling by bike is 50% mental. And when you have lost that mental motivation, you are done!

I was pretty demoralized by the wind. Bunny only went up the road some 5 miles or so to help me out. Once I could see the Prius on the side of the road, it took all my energy to just make it to our car. And once I finally got there, I was finished for the day. I was physically & emotionally spent.

Ended up finishing up my day at the intersection of HW 58 and HW 129 in Becker County, MN. It was about 10 miles shy of where I had planned to end my day.

I would try and make that up somehow tomorrow.

We still then had about one and a half hour drive back to the hotel in Fargo. Iced my knees on the way back & drank my chocolate milk. Stopped at the grocery store near the hotel and then called it a night.

Tomorrow will most surely be a better day!

More pictures.