May 27, 2024
Faribault to Northfield
Today’s ride was very short, because sometimes that’s where the towns are. We rode some quiet country roads and another excellent bike trail into Northfield, home to Carleton College and St. Olaf College. I did walk around town a bit but didn’t get to either campus.
![](https://images.cycleblaze.com/8hx2o7n346wm0bd4pzedp47l8a5_2000.jpeg)
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On a short ride like today’s, I wonder if I will see anything noteworthy. I’m seldom disappointed. Today we stopped at the Little Prairie school house, midway between Faribault and Northfield. The building is dated 1885 and was used until the mid 1950s. A church across the road now owns and maintains the school. We weren’t lucky enough to be there on a day when it is open to the public, but inside it looks as if students will be coming in tomorrow. The pump and the outhouse are evident, and if you look closely at the entrance steps, you can see mud scrapers by each door.
This merry-go-round looks exactly like one I remember from my elementary school. And since it was manufactured in Milwaukee, it is quite possible that it is identical, as my village is about 30 miles from Milwaukee. I loved playing on it, although it was more fun to be the pushee than the pusher.
They were built to last longer than evolving safety standards permitted their use.
I spotted this old abandoned mill downstream from a bridge we crossed.
Lunch at Culver’s, one of the few fast food chains I like. It’s probably just as well they are mainly located in the Midwest, as their custard milkshakes are hard to resist. This was our second Culver’s lunch in three days, and I’m sure there will be a few more.
Today's ride: 22 miles (35 km)
Total: 78 miles (126 km)
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3 months ago