June 26, 2017
Callaway, Minnesota to Itasca State Park, Minnesota: Equlibrium
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Marg and I agreed that last night qualified as a "middlin'" night's sleep. We were pretty cosy, and even though there was no shower to be had we didn't feel a strong sense of disgust with ourselves. We fought hard to stay awake until dusk (which here "way the hell up north" doesn't happen until 10 PM, I swear!) and we fought to a draw with the sunset. After sleeping for an hour Callaway's tornado siren went off for about three seconds and then slowly wound back down. Let me tell you, a random tornado siren will activate your adrenal system hard. After we realized that there was no wind, no rain and no "frieght train" sound (thus no tornado) we both drifted back off to sleep but that did take a while. At some point in the deep AM an actual frieght train roared past on the outskirts of town. Since any point you might select on the outskirts of town is no more than 75 yards from the heart of town you cannot help but hear that train loud and clear, so that was another happy distraction from achieving REM sleep.
About 6:30 AM I realized that my night of sleep was over and dragged myself out of the tent to fire up some water for coffee. Marg pushed the tent's ejection button about 15 minutes later. Groggy grunts turned to coherent conversation after two coffees and the standard oatmeal breakfast brought us up to ramming speed to do what needed to be done.
We were rolling at 9:03 AM which was far better than anticipated, but we then frittered away any advantage by stopping at the Food Desert Gas Station and then ogling the great murals on the side of the ex-Elementary school that was now housing a local Native American radio station. There is an Indian Reservation just north of Callaway (or perhaps it incorporates Callaway too).
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The day was unremarkable ... but that is a good thing. The wind was favoring us almost the entire way, and just a few northerly segments helped us fully appreciate how wonderful it was to be continuing east. At one lonely crossroads there was a run down convenience store where we stopped and bought some vittles. Margaret got her dog fix there, and there was a bonus animal for me as well.
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Along the way with so many lovely scenes, I had to ignore the urge to take a picture of each of them, or we would have been out there all day.
The idea last night was to arrive at Itasca State Park and camp there. There appeared to be no reason to deviate from that plan of action because it had been a pretty sweet day, and not too hard a grind. When we arrived at the park gate the woman manning it asked if we'd be camping. I was about to say "yes" when Margaret said, "Well, what kind of other options are there?" When the woman said there was a historic lodge with rooms available Margaret looked at me with her eyebrows raised and a smile on her face. I think I also detected an almost imperceptible nod of her head.
Hey. C' Mon. I'm a veteran husband with 31 years experience and I know how to read my Euchre partner when she gives me a look across the table that says, "Don't trump that ace." So I replied, "Heck yeah! Let's do it." I'm writing the journal from the lodge lobby and Marg just air dropped me today's Art Card from the room upstairs. She fashioned it from the circular place mat at the little restaurant we ate a hour or so ago. Tomorrow we ride to Walker, Mn.
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Rose: Marg - Sunshine, beautifully breeze off our left shoulder, beautiful views, a bed in a historic lodge. Mike - That I took my first shower in 48 hours just a few minutes ago
Thorn: Marg - Skimpy road shoulders for most of the day Mike - For 36 hours all the food we ate was contained in a plastic container of some kind.
Bud: Marg - Seeing the headwaters of the Mississippi tomorrow Mike - Back on bike trails for some of tomorrow. A nice change of pace
Today's ride: 60 miles (97 km)
Total: 409 miles (658 km)
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