duluth, minnesota

Day 27 of the ride and we're in Duluth, Minnesota

 John, Paul, George, and Ringo sang a song years ago that started just like this:

It's been a hard day's night

And I've been working like a dog

It's been a hard day's night

I should be sleeping like a log

That was our ride today . . . a hard day. Seventy miles of wind in our faces . . . all day! Wide shoulders but with washboard surfaces. It was tough but we are now in Duluth, Minnesota, seventy miles closer to the Atlantic and just across the bridge to Wisconsin. We are closing in on the east coast but we cannot slack off. We've still got nine states to go. We'll take a rest day tomorrow and on Friday morning we'll begin pedaling across Wisconsin. We will be in Wisconsin for two days and into Michigan's U. P. I'm looking forward to riding the U. P. and hoping for a tailwind all the way.

OK, I'm going to do a summary of the ride thus far and by states:

Washington. The beginning, Anacortes, Pacific Ocean, farmland until Marblemount, Marblemount Diner, The Pass, first climb, Loup Loup Pass, missed a turn and headed to Canada, 5,575 feet of Sherman Pass, first flat, snow, sleet, rain, cold, waterfalls, barns, license plates, lots of climbing, great and tiring feelings of accomplishment, Cascade Mountains, and it's always exciting to get the first state checked off on the map.

Idaho. Bison, Indian cemetery, two Idaho license plates, more barns, bald eagles, mountains, rain, big sky, photo spots galore, Squeeze Inn, farms, Pacific Coast Time Zone, not a real wide state where we pedaled across but filled with the beauty of God's handiwork.

Montana. Loooooooooong, Mountain Time Zone, Big Sky Country, lots of license plates to hang on the garage, riding out of Libby with Andy Parker, Hungry Horse Dam, Huckleberry ice cream, Continental Divide at Marias Pass, East Glacier and Jacobson's Cottages, Dollar Car Rental and supper in the SnackWagon, still on Route 2, Rocky Mountains, first century of 102 miles, Havre, Eugene's Pizza in Glasgow, now over the 1,000 mile mark, Pip's Diner in Saco, the Revelation caboose in Culbertson, wind, cold days and sunshine, and 666.7 more miles out of the way. 

North Dakota. Flat, Minisdah Presbyterian Church, more license plates, two flats, Central Time Zone, windburn, huge farm equipment for huge farms, wind and windburn, more wind, lots more wind, Williston, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Famous Dave's, headwinds all day, Val's Cyclery in Minot, Starving Rooster, the Geographical Center of North America in Rugby, the storm in Devils Lake, Grand Forks Air Force Base, Ski & Bike Shop and Dave's assistance, The Greenway, Darcy's Cafe, and another state finished. Did I mention wind?

Minnesota. Rolling hills and lots of flat farmland, Oklee Inn, windy days, Dairyland in Bagley and lunch with Lauren, Bemidji and a rest day, Mi Rancho, Itaska State Park and the headwaters of the Mighty Mississippi River, Paul Bunyan & Babe the Blue Ox, Herschal from Cass Lake, every third vehicle pulled a boat, fishing, lakes everywhere, Big Fish Restaurant, detours, Duluth and another rest day, Green Mill for supper, the Lift Bridge, huge farms and equipment, wind, and check off state number five. (Tomorrow, Lord willing, we will be in Wisconsin. Nine states to go.)

In all of the sates we've met friendly, kind, and encouraging people who have made the ride memorable. My thanks to all the kindness and encouragement we've received. The Bible says, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” -Ephesians 4:32. And . . . we've experienced that all along this journey across America.

Be kind. It's contagious.