Into Minneapolis

So, last night I hung out with Sheena until nearly 1am and I was much too tired at the end to make a blog post. My sleep in the hammock the night before went much better than it had the previous night. I only woke up to resituate myself once. And waking up only once in the night while camping I consider to be doing extremely well. I think with some more practice I could get accustomed to the hammock. ...But I still think in the long run, I'm going back to a tent. Having trees the right spacing is a hassle that limits options, I would be concerned about keeping my back warm if it were truly cold, and, well, there's no privacy when homeless gentleman decide to invade your space and duck under your tarp to talk to you at 10pm...

He of course conversed with me again in the morning, eyed and asked about my bike, asked for the umpteenth time where I was going and why, gave me a granola bar (which I checked the seal of), and took my picture, again, and told me he was going to contact the paper and tell them about me. I just let him be him, smiled and nodded, until I was packed and ready to go.

I biked the Luce Line Trail about half the ride in yesterday. It's beautiful, and I kept stopping to take pictures...and then wishing I hadn't, as I'd get swarmed by bugs. It's all blacktop until Winsted...where it abruptly just ends, blacktop one moment, grass with faint lines of torn up rail the next. By chance, a guy had just parked there and was hopping on the trail with his recumbent (the fast kind, not the trike kind), and he explained, in quite excessive detail, how to meander through town to get back onto the trail where it picks up again. He actually told me to mark our present latitude on my GPS if I could, because that's what I'd need to get back to, and just generally making it sound horrendously complicated. ...When of course all I actually had to do was just listen to the Google and follow where it told me to go. You take a little gravel road and meander through town and then hit the trail again, where it's no longer blacktop but crushed gravel. It's still easy going though, and it's gorgeous all the way, through woods, by rivers, marshes, and lakes. I saw so many geese couples with goslings, but for my efforts, I only got a good (read, passable) shot of one of them.

I was sad to get off it. I could have rode it all the way into the metro, but I decided I'd rather head north and avoid going into the city as long as I could. Biking into major cities is usually my least favorite part of touring. But Minneapolis is different. I got off the Luce Line, with only a little meandering was in Baker Park, then on the Lake Independence Trail heading straight North. I was a little amazed that even though the highway had a nice wide shoulder, there was still a bike trail parallelng it. I got off the trail, followed another road with a decent enough shoulder...and next I knew I was in the metro. But it only took a little uncomfortable navigating and sidewalk riding (and goodness, many of those sidewalks are so wonderfully wide), before I was on bike trail.

...I've never seen bike trails like Minneapolis has. They're whole networks. There are sign posts and crossroads, short local trails and extensive regional trails, trails running along major roads, trails through woods that make you forget you're in a major metropolitan area, trails that cut across more efficiently than the roads so you can get places as fast or faster on bike. And drivers are crazily polite! I would come to roads where I had a stop sign, and the cars would stop for me. In Lincoln I've had cars run the lights for trail crossings so constantly I just expect it at this point. It's like a cycling Mecca here. ...I guess I could always forget my tour and Pittsburgh and just stay here. They've got a bazillion bike shops; I'm sure I could find a job.

...Probably not going to do that. But I'm certainly going to enjoy my stay here at the least, and having averaged almost 70 miles a day for 8 days (550 miles), the rest will be good too. I can't express how good it was to reach the house, be greeted by Ren at the door (with Sheena at work and Brad out) and after getting my stuff in, being able to take a shower for the first time in four days. The Christiansen's have made me feel right at home, just as when I rented their basement, and I'm really excited to see them again, and in this really cool city. I've already been able to see Sheena's shop, Trailhead Cycling (which while not the Bike Rack by any means, does have a neat atmosphere to it), play Munchkin (and eat way too much candy and drink way too much root beer) with the family, and this morning, see Anna Schwinn practicing at the velodrome (which is some crazy biking you will never catch me doing). And while I'm adamantly taking today off from biking, I'm sure I'll explore some more of the trails before I leave town. I have some logistics to take care of too, planning my route and figuring out stays, some bike maintenance, getting myself some sun protection for my face, restocking food, and all that, but that can also wait awhile. Today I just chill.

I probably won't be posting daily while I'm here, and instead will make one big post on the Twin Cities before I head north.

Moving Along

I slept rather horribly in my hammock last night. I squirmed around constantly while trying to get to sleep. I couldn't get my pad, my sleeping bag, and myself all aligned properly. I felt like I was constantly going to fall out. My back got frigid. It all just felt wrong, and awoke several times to attempt in vain to make it better.

But eventually, morning came to relieve me of my attempts to sleep. I tried to curl up in a fetal position in my bag and hide from the light, but that just resulted in me almost falling out. I got around, ate a bagel and some trail mix, and went in search of water. I find a sign directing me to "drinking water" but upon filling my camelbak I discovered it was not at all the color (which is essentially none at all) that water should be. I dumped it out promptly.

I headed up to Fort Ridgely, because it felt wrong not to being so close, and also out of hope for water. No water. But the fort was cool. I happened to be there at the same time as several buses full of school kids, which meant both that there were some neat demonstrations I got to hear a little of, and that I couldn't get as close to things as I'd like as I didn't want to get in the way. I also had one of the park personnel following me about everywhere I went, as if she expected me to be some sort of predator or miscreant. I guess after a week on the road, I have that look about me? I took in stride, and figured I might as well ask a few questions about the fort if she was going to be following me anyways. It wasn't in use long, was never expected to see combat, and when it did proved poorly positoned with ravines the Sioux were able to sneak up on them by in the Dakota Wars. I didn't stay long, not wanting to look like a creepy person after all, and headed back down the bill and onward, hoping for water. The town of Fairfax wasn't far, and I was able to fill up at the park there.

It was easy going most the day. I stopped in Buffalo Lake, got me some lunch of champions, a big blueberry fritter and a Pepsi, and restocked on granola bars. I ate my food on the sidewalk right outside the store, and had a pleasant conversation with a lady who approached to ask where I was from and where I was headed. It was a little less pleasant when she told me about a friend who wrote a book about his touring experiences and how he'd been robbed and assaulted. I said I didn't think that was the common experience touring. People are generally kind.

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful. I made good time most the day. Though I did about ten miles of gravel which were a fair bit slower. I really don't like gravel, I just do it when the situation calls for it. You never know what you're going to get with gravel roads, from one mile to the next. I was on some today that was well trodden and easy as could be, and others that were so fresh I was struggling the whole time not to sink. It can be nice to be out on a gravel road feeling truly alone and away from most any traffic, and I see why it appeals so much to some. But the stress my hands, the high focus I have to keep on the road right ahead, getting everything dirty, how rough I imagine it is on equipment, and when cars do pass, having that cloud of dust in my face...it's just not my thing. I also got chased by three farm dogs at one point. I got off the bike to keep them from coming after me. And a lady from the farm came out on her golf cart, grabbed one by the scruff and told me that he was the leader, the others wouldn't follow as long as I had him and that I should get on my bike and go while she held him back. I did as instructed, and sure enough the other two didn't chase. It was kind of funny really.

I got on the Luce Line Trail toward the end of the day. It's gorgeous. I'm excited to be biking mostly it for the distance tomorrow. ...Minneapolis! I'm almost there. I'll be seeing Sheena soon. I can't believe I've been on the road a week already...and at the same time it feels like there was never a time I wasn't.

I got in early enough to have plenty of time to mess around with getting my hammock, as well as my tarp over it, set up at hopefully a better angle, distance, what have you. It's not perfect, and I'm still uncertain I shall like it, but I think I shall sleep better than last night.

At least in regards to the hammock... As I've been writing this I was interrupted by the homeless gentleman living in a little pop out trailer in the space next to me. He came over, ducked down under my rain tarp and started asking me about what I was doing and why (having already done so earlier), and upon saying repeatedly that he would leave me be, he would then duck back down and keep asking questions. He then told me some uncomfortable things about being special, and asked to take my picture. I told him he could in the morning if he wanted to. He said he'd leave me be...then went back over to his trailer, and snapped a couple pictures with flash anyways. I think he bears no ill intent and seems quite friendly, really, but I also don't think he's terribly stable and it does unnerve me a little. I'm not using my earplugs or sleep mask tonight.

Changing Course

I slept well enough on the picnic table last night. My feet and my head had to compete for space some, with one or the other winning at different times of the night. One of the times I woke up, I took some time to stare up at the Big Dipper, directly over my head, clearer than I'd ever see it in town. I love seeing stars. I had slightly achy shoulders in the morning, but nothing terrible. I took my time getting around. It turns out I probably shouldn't have.

It was all well and good heading east, which was most of the first thirty miles. Then it came time to head north, and only then did I realize that Boreas, the north wind, still had it out for me. ...And I said the hell with it. If the wind didn't want me going north, then I wasn't going to. I need to go north AND east both to get to Minneapolis, and with the wind coming out of the north and the west, I decided today I would just stick with east, having it even help a little rather than be nothing but hindrance. And according to the forecast (we'll see) the wind should change direction tomorrow, start coming from the south. So it just made sense all around. ...Save of course that it meant I was no longer heading to the same campground, and had to figure out a new one halfway through the day.

Nothing availed itself save for Fort Ridgely, another 60+ miles beyond the 30 I'd already done. I had the wind marginally on my side, and was able to move right along rather than slog at 8mph, but to do it I turned today into another 90+ mile day.

And while I did see some pretty sights on the way, there was also a hell of a lot of nothing. And while I was able to go mostly East, there was still some North to be done. A couple times the nice paved road I was following would turn to gravel and I'd have to go up a mile or two to get back on pavement (I even went south a little at one point to keep off gravel...for which I knpw Sheena would be ashamed). And every time I had to go north into that wind the going turned from easy to arduous. Wind makes all the difference, I've found, more than anything else. For going north a few times here and there, I put most the northward part until the very end (you know, when I was already exhausted and least able to handle it). It was also on a fairly busy highway (thankfully with shoulder) where the semis could slap me around, after being lucky enough to be on some of the deadest roads I've ever been on most the rest of the day (Earlier I'd had some people stop and tell me about a supposed trail headed for Marshall, though I could find no indication of its existence, telling me I could get away from the traffic that way, and I thought to myself, "What traffic? You're about the only car I've seen").

That last slog North was tough. I had to go to mind palace to get through it, hah. But toward the end I got to race down a wjnding road to the Minnesota River, and for just a flash, I remembered the me who had biked up and down mountains. It gave me a new resolve. ...Which was good, because then I was really reminded of that mountain climbing as I then had to go back up, rather steeply, to come into Fort Ridgely.

At nearly 6:30, I was more than ready to be done for the night. I finally set up my hammock. It turns out I'm camping at a reservable, and more expensive site, which I totally underpaid for and didn't reserve properly. But screw that, because there's one other campsite being used. I ate some bagels and a cold can of ravioli, and spilled some tomato sauce on my shirt in the process like a dope. And then I used the last of my water to try and rinse it out as best I could...before then learning there is no drinking water available here right now. Yep. I totally have no water left. But that I will adress tomorrow. It's getting toward bedtime...err, hammock time.

Oh, and I noticed this morning my protective sticker came off and my cables have rubbed clear through a good sized section of the paint on the front fork. Not having any better ideas, I decided since she had an ouchie, that the best thing was to put a bandage over it. So now this frame has one of her first battle scars and a big grey bandage over if to boot. I tell myself every mark she gets just makes her more mine.