Day 43  Monday, July 12

Valley City to Fargo

As we enter into week 7, I realized that I have finally overcome the urge to quit and go home. The past 2 weeks I have made it through without any melt downs! It surprises me how long it took to get into the routine and be at a point where I want to finish this journey. 

It was an early start day today; or at least an attempt at an early start. I was up just before 5 and ready to go around 5:45. The hotel offered breakfast starting at 5, so Terry and I did that, but Ross got ready and left and went to McDonald’s. Even though we had to go uphill for a few miles leaving Valley City, it was good weather and low wind. The route turned into “mostly flat” and for the first 37 miles all seemed good. Only 11 miles left on the interstate after a short break, but the winds kicked in big time and I struggled. The shoulder kept switching from the rumble strip at the edge of the road to rumble boxes in the middle of the shoulder every 12 feet maybe? I couldn’t ride next to Terry where I could get the wind block. 

Wind drains me…

We got off the interstate at Marblemont with 14 miles to go to downtown Fargo. The last 14 were easier than the previous 11 - Terry could block for me. We made it to our hotel around 1:45. 62 miles is a long day for me and 2 days in a row should be interesting. We shall see how the legs are tomorrow!

Day 44 Tuesday, July 13

Fargo to Fergus Falls

Every day a combination of factors weighs in on how my day goes. 

The wind, sun/heat, comfort on the bike, and the terrain all affect the ride. Today was supposed to be a mostly flat ride with winds at our back for a change. It was also supposed to be in the upper 80’s and sunny. I prefer to start early so I can avoid the heat in the afternoon. But, after day drinking in Fargo, the boys weren’t too interested in an early start. We left the hotel  about 8:15 and worked our way out of Fargo. We stopped at a Holiday station for breakfast food before getting on Old Hwy 52. The road was nice - started with a good shoulder for the 1st 25miles or so, low traffic, so it was quiet, mostly flat, and the wind was at our backs!!  Being the 2nd day with over 60 miles, my legs tuckered out fast, but as long as it was flat, I was ok. The hills that did come rolling up were slow for me though. The 2nd half of the day, after a lunch break at a cafe, was hot. With the wind at our backs, there is no breeze to cool us from the front. I struggled for a bit with being too hot, but was able to stay hydrated and made it to Fergus falls. My average speed was over 11, so I guess I did ok, it just felt slow even tho the wind was pushing us.

Shorter day tomorrow will be nice!

Day 45 Wednesday, July 14

Fergus Falls to Alexandria 

It was a trail day today. So as for the factors that determine whether my ride is good or not; 1) the terrain was mostly flat and the trail was decent. Although sometimes those cracks in the surface can literally be a pain in the ass. 2) The temps were mild and it stayed hazy/cloudy all day, so that was good for me 😊 3) Since I wasn’t doing any climbing, the saddle sores weren’t an issue. 4) And although the wind was not behind us today, it wasn’t an issue. So good on all 4!

We got started shortly after 6:30 and worked our way through Fergus Falls to the trail. The day ended up being 50 miles, but it was a good day. We ran into the Alpaca group again, we thought they would be way ahead of us. Always good to see them and chat! We also talked with a couple of other cyclists headed east on their cross country tour. It’s nice to get some insight for things to come! 

Day 46 Thursday, July 15

Alexandria to St Cloud

I don’t like high mileage days, especially consecutive high mileage days, but, being on the bike path was considerably easier than on the roads, so that was good. I like to keep track of how far we’ve gone and how many miles are left for the day, so the mile markers on the trail are nice. My hip started bothering me this afternoon, but I don’t think I can blame it on the weather. After a couple days in a row of higher miles, my hip just gets sore from peddling so much. When it’s mostly flat, it’s a more constant peddling- no downhills to coast. My hands have also been bugging me - they start going numb and I have to shake them to get the blood flowing. I must be hanging on too tightly! 😬

I’m looking forward to some lower mile days and a rest day!

Day 47 Friday, July 16

St Cloud to Monticello; no, wait, to Rogers

It was meant to be a short day today. 30 miles. No need to get started early, especially since we were planning on camping. We left the hotel around 8 and went to a cafe for a sit down breakfast. We got on the road just before 9 and went about 5 miles before stopping for a bathroom break. We continue on the MRT (Mississippi River trail) getting to Monticello around 12:30. We checked out the campground before heading to a cafe for lunch. During lunch we decided we could go another 17 miles to Rogers and get a hotel there. 

The MRT is not all bike path, it is a mix of roads and trails. The roads were a bit rolling at times, so not necessarily “mostly flat” today. The wind wasn’t an issue today, but my legs are definitely gearing up for a rest day. Very tired on the uphills. I was ok on the flats. I was so tired, my heart just wasn’t in the ride today. The Monticello to Rogers section actually felt better than St Cloud to Monticello.

Short day tomorrow- this time it’s guaranteed!

Day 48 Saturday, July 17

Rogers to Minneapolis 

Yes! A short day today! We were just short of 29 miles and mostly on the MRT and bike paths, so not a bad ride. We got breakfast at Dunkin Donuts right next to our hotel in Rogers and then headed out of town. The miles seem to go faster when you’re working your way through populated areas. We got to the Renaissance hotel around noon and were able to check in right away. A big thank you to my nephew Joel and his wife Becky for taking care of us this weekend! Tomorrow is a rest day 😊

Day 49 Sunday, July 18

Rest day

Great to spend time with Joel and Becky yesterday and a bit more today!

So good to see our good friends Deb and Dave and Mark from Rochester. Thanks for taking time to come to Minneapolis!!