Six Hours On the Paul Bunyan Trail Told In Eight Haikus and Twelve Pictures

June 23, 2016

Crow Wing State Park, Minnesota

PART 1: The Haikus

The Bunyan's secret
Is not the paved trail itself
It is the small towns.

Monotony rules
Miles and miles of view-blockers
It all looks the same.

But then there's the towns
They welcome the bike riders
With parks and statues.

They play up the theme
Of the Paul Bunyan legend.
Tourists bring money!

Also there are lakes
Scattered about here and there.
Blue amongst the green.

This blogger rode hard
The trees were the punishment
The towns the reward.

His companions too
Had to get in on the fun
The bike and G-2.

Fiberglass statues
They were goofy fun en route
To riverside camp.

PART 2: The Pictures

In the town of Hackensack, my bike gets the spotlight in front of Paul Bunyan's girlfriend, Lucette. Birch Lake is behind her.

My bike takes a break with Colonel Cobber in the town of Backus.

I couldn't read this sign any better than you can, but apparently Colonel Cobber was a business associate of Paul Bunyan's.

All pick-up trucks in the Backus financial district.

I got in on a picture too--me with some kind of giant duck.

There's Paul Bunyan himself in the town of Jenkins. Both G-2 and my bike horned in on this photo.

These well-preserved footprints in Pequot Lakes are proof positive that Paul Bunyan roamed this part of Minnesota.

Sixty-five miles into my day and the view-blockers continue.

The Mississippi River at Crow Wing State Park. It has gained a lot of volume since Lake Itasca.

Today's ride: 78 miles (126 km)
Total: 1,103 miles (1,775 km)

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