Had a very good nights sleep indeed!
Was up at about 7:30 am to try get myself organized for the day ahead.
Was glad I didn't have a super long day planned. Having had a good breakfast I got ready to get going. Dan offered to drive me to the paved road so I didn't have to struggle through the gravel, for which I was very grateful.
Darlene send along some thick slices of banana bread slathered with peanut butter- my favourite!
I was sad to leave this couple who made me feel so comfortable and at home.
The day quickly grew warm and windy from the south east, which just so happened to be the direction I was going that day.
I was pleased to see gentle rises in the road and more trees appearing in the landscape.
After about an hour and a half I stopped and set up my audiobook so I could take my mind off the monotony of endless miles of highway riding. That helped pass the time. The next 3 hours I rode and enjoyed the book since there wasn't too much traffic to drown it out.
Then I neared the city of Benmidji. I opted to stop at Starbucks rather than McDonalds for wifi and a chance to cool down.
Every time I go to Starbucks I feel stupid for spending so much on a heavily iced drink, but I remind myself I'm paying for wifi and a chance to sit in their air conditioning, and then it's okay. Next time I'll probably opt for McDonald's again :)
I had randomly noticed on Google maps that there was a statue of Paul Bunyon and Babe and was curious enough to go to check it out. He's one of the characters I read about as a child and I had good memories of him (and his blue ox :)
What I didn't realize was that he was such a tourist attraction, and apparently the third most photographed statue in the United States!
I'll be honest, I wasn't super impressed. I think Paul was better looking and Babe way cuter than they made them out to be, but I took some photos anyhow.
Found a spot in tshade to journal for a bit and then found my way to the Paul Bunyon trail, which I was wonderfully surprised to find was shaded and even better, paved! So I enjoyed getting away from traffic and enjoying the peaceful shady trail for the last section of the days ride before reaching my next host. I think today was the first really decent day, maybe because I slept well and my body to s adjusting to the new normal.
The lane way went way back and into the woods.
It's hard to know just what to expect sometimes, although I usually can get a vibe from the Warmshower profile and feedback previous guests have left. I'll admit I was a tad unsure about staying with retired military Joe.
No one was around, which made me feel a bit like an intruder, but I knew Joe would want me to make myself at home. I found his cat and made friends as I awkwardly wondered what to do next. I tried looking past the disaster zone of a house... After all he was a bachelor, what did I expect? There were flowers and tomatoes growing in pots on the deck that cheered the place. It wasn't long before I heard a car up the drive and Joe was back from doing errands.
He seemed a nice enough guy, a bit talkative perhaps. I was happy to be shown where I could shower and sleep and have time alone to refresh myself. It was one of those days I was glad I'd stopped earlier to journal.
We had pizza for supper, which I enjoyed since its been awhile.
Joe noticed my cross necklace, asked if I was religious and, being an atheist himself and seeming he engaged me in something of a debate. It's hard to defend my faith and belief with someone intent on proving me wrong. So as intellectually stimulating as our conversation was I was glad when we changed the subject!
Went for a walk around the perimeter of the forested property on mossy paths with all manner of wild mushrooms growing. Really nice. Joe's Ex wife stopped by to chat for a bit since she's the one who got Joe on WarmShowers, having done a cycling trip herself. Nice to see they were on good terms. She was a sweet lady.
I sure was ready to go to bed after all that :)
Will head to Grand Rapids Minnesota where I'll likely camp. A bit of rain in the forecast for later today.
- Eritia
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