Day 104 - ending at St. Cloud, MN - The Great Plains Trail - Sort Of

August 26, 2023

Day 104 - ending at St. Cloud, MN

Day 104 - Melrose, MN to St. Cloud, MN

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This morning was all about packing and getting an early start. My destination was St. Cloud, and I wanted to be there early enough to get cleaned up before I went out to dinner with Joetta. My plan had me camping at St. Cloud Campground and RV Park this evening. But I've been giving some thought to getting a motel instead. I also noticed on my plan sheet that if I'd stuck to my schedule, I would be arriving home today. I'm still 11 nights away, that is if I don't take any more days off.

I left the campground at 8:39am, heading off-route a little to get to True North Marketplace for breakfast. I enjoyed my meal there. When I was about done, my waitress came over and said someone who'd left already paid for my breakfast. What?! And I don't have a chance to thank them? Wow!

I left the restaurant at 10:12am. I was back on Lake Wobegon Trail a short time later. I paused to take a few pictures. A bicyclist passed and then made a U-turn. I think he thought I was homeless and hadn't had a meal in a while. He said, "Are you doing OK? Would you take a twenty?"

I had 37 miles to ride to get to St. Cloud, but the northeast wind was slowing me down. It was easier in the daylight to figure out the towns I was going through: Freeport at 11:32am, Albany at 12:20pm, Avon at 1:06pm, and St. Joseph at 2:03pm.

The noon report is 11.6 miles.

Just before I got to St Joseph, I had a pleasant conversation with a local bicyclist who rides the trail often. He's thought about doing a bicycle tour. Of course, I told him it's doable one day at a time.

By the time I'd reach the end of Lake Wobegon Trail in the middle of St. Cloud, I decided it was going to be a motel night. One factor was the low was predicted to be 50F overnight. I did a lot of sidewalk riding to get to Nights Inn Motel on the east side of town. I was at my room, #124, at 4:00pm. I sent a text to Joetta, then we got the evening plans finalized. She and her husband Kevin would pick me up at 5:45pm for dinner at a restaurant. I got a shower and was ready just when they arrived.

Kevin drove while Joetta and I talked. She'd been busy most of the day cooking with apples that she'd picked earlier from a tree at a friend's house. She'd brought me a piece of apple pie, which I hoped I'd remember the take when I got dropped off back to the motel. Joetta and I were discussing my itinerary for getting back home. When I said I was going through Iowa, She told me about a grotto made with rocks just across the Minnesota boarder in Iowa that they'd visited. That sounded to me like the grotto in West Bend, Iowa that I'd visited during my "Straight Story" bicycle trip. I pulled up the journal page for my visit there. Joetta said, "That's the place!"

Joetta said we were going to a hibachi restaurant, if that was OK. Kevin got us through and around construction area traffic to Fuji Steakhouse. There was about a 15 minute wait, which gave us more time to talk. I'm amazed at all the activities Kevin and Joetta are involved in. And all of it is directed to helping others.

I'd never been to a hibachi restaurant before. Joetta explained to me how it works. The food's cooked on a flat grill in front of the dozen customers who are sitting around the grill. The chef puts on quite a show and is certainly skilled at both cooking and entertaining. While we were eating we got to hear stories from others sitting around the table. Joetta is good at getting those types of conversations started. Even though I pointed out that she'd already provided me two meals back in North Dakota, Joetta said they were going to buy using a gift card they'd received.

What a wonderful evening I had. I hated to say goodbye to these two wonderful people when they had me back at the motel. With a handshake from Kevin and a hug from Joetta, I let them get on their way. I did remember to grab the container with my piece of apple pie. Now the question is would I be able to wait until tomorrow morning when it makes more sense to eat it.

I got to thinking about this day. I had two big meals, and money offered to buy another. Yet I spent zero on food today. Minnesota is sure full of generous, caring folks!

Jeff

Spent: $5 (tip for breakfast) + $117.93 plus $5 (motel room) = $127.93