"There is an emanation from the heart in genuine hospitality which cannot be described, but is immediately felt and puts the stranger at once at his or her ease." ~ Washington Irving

Saturday, July 14, 2012 (Day 38)
Jim and Karen's Beautiful Country Home, Loganville, Wisconsin
Miles:  84  MPH:  13.5  Max:  41  Total:  2292

Our lives continue to be blessed with new friends along our path.  Yesterday, I sent an email to the Pastor at Grace Reformed Church in Reedsburg, Wisconsin asking if we could sleep in the Church's basement!  Pastor Christian called and graciously offered his camper. Amazing!!  (He also said that my email wins for creativity - I'm not really sure that was a compliment :-)

No longer can I keep up with Jack.  He pushes me, but my legs can't pedal any faster!  Today took us on a rode through beautiful Wisconsin farmland -- so much like home -- even complete with several Amish buggies!  Some big hills (near the Mississippi the hills are called bluffs!)  and even switch backs leading up to Wild Cat Mountain.  Who knew that Wisconsin had mountains?

New Friends in Reedsburg!

Arriving in Reedsburg we met Pastor Christian and Kelly's beautiful family -- 5 young, adorable children.  Pastor Christian then told us that members of his Church offered us their guest house!  Jim and Karen welcomed us as friends.  It was an amazing gift to spend the night in their guest apartment, a converted barn that is a peaceful and beautiful retreat overlooking their pond and farmland.  Karen invited us for an incredible dinner.  Kindness and generosity continues to shower down on us.  God is so good!

Pastor Christian, and Jim and Karen who welcomed us to their guest home!

Incredible guest apartment!  We wanted to stay forever!

View from Guest Apartment

Cutie Pie!

Sunset at Jim and Karen's!

"If you don't do it this year, you'll be one year older when you do." ~ Warren Miller

Friday, July 13, 2012 (Day 37)

The Guest House Motel, Lacrosse, Wisconsin

Miles:  60  MPH:  13  Max:  29  Total:  2208

Getting closer to home!  We crossed the Mississippi River and entered Wisconsin!

We biked across the Mississippi River!

Root River Bike Trail

Before leaving Minnesota, we rode the beautiful Root River Trail.!    Tried stopping at the Famous Pie shop -- folks had been talking about it for days -- but we were too early! 

Minnesota's mosquitoes win for the most vicious!  They ate us alive!

Hills increased as we neared the Mississippi!  Felt incredible as we pedaled across the bridge into the town of Lacrosse!

Visited the beautiful Riverside Park and ate home made ice-cream at The Pearl - Espresso-Oreo -so good! 

Getting excited as we get closer to home! xoxo



Mississippi River!

"The greater the obstacle the more glory in over coming it." ~ Moliere

Thursday, July 12, 2012 (Day 36)

Brewsters Red Hotel, Lanesboro, Minnesota
Miles:  76  MPH:  13  Max:  27  Total:  2148

Jack is a great navigator.  Every night he studies the map.  If he tells me the route is 65 miles, I know that as my odometer turns to 65, we'll be turning into our stop for the day.  Today was the first day we had route problems.  There are so many gravel roads in Minnesota and we also found out, "No more riding the interstates!!"  haha!  I guess we are not in the Wild West any more!  Delays plagued us all day!  In the morning, a "quick" stop at McDonalds for a cup of coffee took almost an hour!  "Help" forgot to show for work!  Then "The Diner" in Grand Meadows was packed as we stopped to grab lunch.  Bob and Betty told us, "You can sit here (at their table)."  An enjoyable lunch but much longer than anticipated. 

Gravel roads popped up everywhere.  We looked and looked for The Root River bike trail to finish our day's journey.  Finally, looking above, we saw the overhead bridge - it was our trail!  To get to it meant, trespassing, climbing a fence, and sneaking through a small opening in another barbed wire fence -- all with our bikes and gear!   The trail was paved -- crazy state  -- paved bike trail and gravel roads -- gotta love it!!   Finally, arriving at the "Old Barn" - a hostile, we were ready for some ice water and a comfortable chair!  Our joy at finishing a tough day was delayed when we were told that no "bunks" were available -- they were full!!

Root River Bike Trail

No internet and cell service added to more delays.  The only recommendation was a motel 6 miles away -- 6 miles West -- we were not back tracking!  When we asked about continuing East, a woman looked at me in my dirty sweaty clothes and helmet hair that is long past due for a cut and told me that the next town was Lanesboro--one of the top 3 tourist destinations in the WORLD.  She then told me with her perfectly manicured nails and toes that if I was LUCKY to find something available that it would be at least $200 - $250.  She said we really should turn back West and that Lanesboro was not for us!!  haha I know I look like a hobo but what happened to "Minnesota nice?"

Planning to have a kitchen at the hostile, we had picked up chips, cheese, and olives to make nachos.  Hungry and exhausted in our tiny room in Lanesboro, Jack and I discussed what we could do for dinner since we didn't even have a microwave oven and most shops were closed for the day.  I told him we could still have nachos.  He asked how without an oven......Easy......we just pretend I told him as I spread chips and cheese on a paper bag on the bed!

"The faster we go, the more life slows down."

Our Friend Jen

Wednesday, July, 11, 2012
KOA - Albert Lea & Austin, MN
Miles:  69  MPH:  15  Max:  24  Total:  2072

Thought we were all alone in the Church last night, when I ran into Bret in the kitchen!  He is cycling from Chicago to the West and up to Canada!  He too stopped at the bike shop and they set him up to sleep at the Church!  Crazy!

About 30 miles into our ride, we passed a "Road Closed" sign!  Not having a better plan, we ignored it!  When we reached the barricades, we flagged down a car who volunteered to drive on through and come back to let us know if a bike could get through the construction!  We got through!

Stopping for ice-cream, sixty miles into our ride, we see Jen again!  She was in Albert Lea to visit her grandmother and recognized our bikes!  What are the chances that she would drive by just as we stopped? 

Greener farmland and rolling hills are now filling a landscape that is reminding  us of home.  We have left America's Great Plains.

Home at the KOA campground!

One of Minnesota's 10,000 Lakes

Sun set over Minnesota Corn!

"Life is full of surprises and and serendipity. Being open to unexpected turns in the road is an important part of success. If you try to plan every step, you may miss those wonderful twists and turns. Just find your next adventure-do it well, enjoy it-and then, not now, think about what comes next." ~ Condoleeza Rice

Tuesday, July 10, 2012 (Day 34)
Grace Lutheran Church, Fairmont, Minnesota
Miles:  68  MPH:  13  Max:  23  Total:  2003

Beautiful bike day......Just a few days ago I had asked Jack if he thought we would ever have an "uneventful" day.  The miles passed quickly and other than our lunch stop (roadside) we didn't make any other stops, and I hadn't taken a single photo before we arrived in Fairmont!  haha!  I was sort of happy for the "boring" type of day.

Jack and new friend, Jen

Grace Lutheran Church - home for the night!  xoxo

As we neared Fairmont, MN a motorcycle stopped and told Jack that his Uncle owned the local bike shop.  He told him to stop in whether or not he needed anything.  I found Jack sitting outside the shop on the Lake, drinking a cold bottled water, talking to Jen and Larry.  Larry handed me a cold water and some shipping boxes.  He told me that I was going to break a spoke if I didn't send some of our stuff home.  Jen made a phone call to her church and here we are staying in the beautiful youth room at Grace Lutheran Church for the evening.  Pastor Steve was so kind and generous and gladly opened the church to us!  We are sleeping in the Church's youth room on comfy couches! Wow! Wow! Wow!!  I just continue to be amazed at all the kindness and generosity along the road!  Jen gave us a grand tour of Fairmont.  Larry's band is playing in the park tonight, so we hopefully can go and hear him! 

Channel Inn burger with Swiss cheese, mushrooms and green olives -- the best burger of the trip!  Out to explore!!
xoxo Missing Home!

Good coffee is a pleasure good friends are a treasure. ~ Sign at "The Perfect Cup" Coffee Shop

Monday, July 9, 2012
Travel Lodge, Worthington, Minnesota
Miles:  69  MPH:  12  Max:  24  Total:  1935

Can't wait to find out why they say, "Minnesota Nice!"

Falls over the Sioux River

Got a late start - spent a lot of time packing, unpacking, packing, unpacking, switching our new bags from bike to bike.   A quick detour to see the falls before leaving town and finally, we were on the road East.

Entered Minnesota --  only a small sign  -- no band or welcome committee!!  Oh well, perhaps Wisconsin will have a band to welcome us :-)

Mixed feelings as we said Good-bye to the Wild West!  We are glad to be getting closer to home but the West is a special place so glad we got to experience it from the seat of our bikes!

A much greener landscape with lots of corn and soy  beans filling the fields.  Windmills also dotted the rolling hills.  Jack mapped our route--due EAST..  I had us wondering up, down, up, down!!! It's the engineer in him--straight line! Actually it was a beautiful route--light traffic, smooth surface, rolling hills, through small towns, no turns, ---just perfect for the bike!  Just love the small towns and stops in the coffee shops!!

Landscape - corn, soy beans, and wind mills!

Many signs that we are further East.  We saw more police cars than we saw in our entire first half of the trip - at least 3 people were getting speeding tickets!  More signs of the East -- saw a taxi, saw a country club, folks honked at us to move out of the way, and we didn't feel safe running into WalMart and leaving our bikes with all our stuff!! 

If it's not RED, keep it in the SHED!!!!

Will dream about what Minnesota will bring!  Miss home greatly!!!  xoxox

" I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.” ~ Jack London

Sunday, July 8, 2012 (Day 32)
Super 8, Sioux Fall, SD
Miles:  82  MPH:  12  Max:  23  Total:  

Rain overnight!  Soggy start as we had hung towels and shorts out to dry overnight!

Pushed hard for 82 miles to get to Sioux Falls before the bike store closed.  Yes, they had the correct tire for the trailer.  But, we told Kyle at Spoke-n-Sport Bikes that what we really would like is to ship the trailer home.  He said he could help do that!  WooHoo!!  So we are sporting new panniers for Jack's bike and are minus our trailer and tent and sleeping pads!  Tonight we are living big at the Sioux Fall's Super 8 -- hair dryer, air conditioner, in room shower (what has happened to me!)

Thank-you Spoke-n-Sport Bikes!

The ride was tough today.  So after the excitement at the bike shop we had a great dinner but didn't really get a chance to see Sioux Falls.  We'll stop at the park and see the famous falls before leaving in the morning.

Tomorrow we say good-bye to South Dakota - we loved SD!!  Looking forward to riding without the trailer and to seeing why they say "Minnesota Nice!"

Sporting new bike bags!

xo Missing Home!