oklee, minnesota

Paul Bunyan & Babe the Blue Ox

Our ride started out with really wide shoulders, a boisterous tailwind, and no traffic. And it was like that for about thirty miles. Then we hit big time road construction, eliminating the entire right two lanes of a four lane highway. After we got through the construction, by car, we decided we would pedal to Oklee which is about fifteen miles off of our route. Good idea, make up those construction miles. Bad idea, the wind was from the east and we were going north. The wind tried to blow us right off the road and into the grass next to it. What a fight we had for eleven miles of pedaling! It was a battle just to keep our bikes on the road! But . . . when we turned right onto Minnesota 92, it was an adventure that must have been similar to being shot out of a cannon! The wind just about blew us into Oklee at speeds of 19 to 22 mph with little pedaling. Nice!

 Day 24 of pedaling and we find ourselves in Oklee, Minnesota, a very nice small town boasting a population of 435. We are staying at the Oklee Inn, a motel that once was an assisted living home. (Hope that's not a sign of some kind.) This is the kind of place I'd like to stay for three or four days, not put on shoes, doodle, nap, and just be stinkin' lazy.

This is still agricultural country out here with huge fields and huge equipment. The men and women who farm need to be given a big, big round of applause. They are at this farming stuff, for the most part, 24/7 and 356 days of the year. Our bellies stay pretty full thanks to farmers and ranchers.

With the 54.56 miles we pedaled today, we are now at 1,519.37 miles. Hopefully, tomorrow, we'll still have that mighty rushing tailwind pushing us along to Bemidgi, where, I believe, we'll stay for a rest day. Bemidji is the self-proclaimed "Curling Capital" of the U. S. and the alleged birthplace of legendary Paul Bunyan. I'm not sure but I would think Bemidji would also then be the birthplace of Paul's Babe the Blue Ox. Not sure, just taking a guess. However, I cannot imagine otherwise. We've already been given the heads up on where to eat and what to see from two Bemidji residents, Jess and Lyle, who I met last night at our motel.

I'm going to recognize the heroes of this adventure: Margaret and Gale. They drive while Phil and I pedal. They wait for us at about ten mile intervals so we can get snacks, drinks, and even use the potty in the SnackWagon when necessary. They do all the driving, do the refueling, carry everything in the vehicles, do the laundry, buy groceries, often cook meals, make all the lodging reservations, check us in, check the weather, and keep us on schedule most of the time. So . . . to Margaret and Gale, I say a big thank you.

Proverbs 18:22 says it like this, "The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the LORD." 

Just so you'll know it, the picture may look like Margaret is doing something important on her phone, like making reservations or checking the weather, but she's probably playing a word game. You can tell by the look on her face. Hmmmm. Just a thought.

Thank you, Margaret and Gale.