Day 0 - Cannon Falls, MN - TOM

June 15, 2024

Day 0 - Cannon Falls, MN

Dodging the Rain

In case you’re wondering, Ed’s not here. A good bit of the registration fee for TOM covers the meals they provide. Why pay for food I won’t eat, Ed the Vegan is quoted as saying, so he’s sitting this one out.

I drove 767 miles yesterday from Oklahoma City to my niece’s house in Rochester, MN, where I spent the night. There being a high rain chance today, especially in the afternoon, I wanted to time my arrival in Cannon Falls (about 40 miles from Rochester) to get my tent set up before the rain arrived. When I woke up this morning it was already raining a little, but it stopped and looked like it might hold off for a few hours. I left Rochester about 10:00 am in a light rain that stopped again before I got here.

Camp tonight is at the Cannon Falls fairground. When I arrived at 10:45 it was a ghost town. No one here yet. No signage to tell me where to camp. Over the next hour or two several more cyclists showed up, none of whom knew where we were to pitch our tents. We warily watched the weather radar and the sky, and when those two indicators went on red alert at about 12:30 and the drops started to fall, we took matters into our own hands and made up our own minds. Just as we started to pitch our tents Doobie (yes, that’s his name) the ride organizer showed up and confirmed we were in an acceptable spot.

I hastily pitched my tent and threw my gear inside, then drove off to find a sandwich for lunch. It’s been raining almost continually since then, sometimes heavily. I came back from my sandwich hunt and found a few spots of water in the tent, but I think the water came in with my gear. I hope.

In case you can’t tell, that’s a muddy gravel road at the fairground. Folks are slowly showing up. And yes it’s raining.

My tent is pitched right next to the road. Did I mention it’s raining?

It’s 3:30 right now and I’ve just picked up my ride packet, the most important part of which is my wristband for meals. I’m off to go to 4:00 pm Mass then find the local brewery before dinner.

What to do on a rainy evening???? Oh, look, it’s a brewery. Good news…it’s not raining inside!

I’m not too impressed with the brewery’s offerings. I settled on the Belgian golden strong ale.

Just looked outside. It’s pouring down now. Guess I’ll find out if those water spots a few hours ago in the tent were an issue or not.

TOM has a 7:15 pm orientation meeting this evening. From the radar it looks like there may be a break in the monsoon about then.

Scientific evidence. I could be home in Oklahoma City right now where it’s 92°. It’s 65° here right now. Trade-offs are real.

Moved down the block to the Mill Street Tavern to find some food. Found an IPA from Surly Brewing in Minneapolis on tap. Today’s beer encounter was redeemed.

Back to the fairground for the meeting.

Tent city, for those who are paying to rent a tent for the week and have someone else set it up and take it down each day.

Hallelujah, there will be a shower truck here tomorrow! And the municipal pool down the street will be open to us, though it’s normally closed on Sunday. More showers! I was beginning to worry.

It starting to rain again. I’m secluded in the tent for the night, with pots and pans set out for the leaks.

‘Night all.

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Nancy GrahamOh drat! A leaky tent. I sure hope you can resolve that somehow along the way. And doubly hope you get a dry sleep this first night out. Will miss Ed’s two cents along the way, but glad to have your journal for some entertainment.
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5 months ago

Ed ChimahuskyMaybe I won’t use that fancy tent sealer you used. It obviously doesn’t work.🤣 For those reading the comments, I just closed on a new house Friday so could not have gone on the ride anyway.
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5 months ago

John ChimahuskyTo Ed ChimahuskyIn using my 20 year old REI tent, not the Big Agnes that I sealed.
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5 months ago