Day 47 - Bena, MN to Grand Rapids, MN - Two Far 2020 - NTF (Not Two Far) - CycleBlaze

July 16, 2020

Day 47 - Bena, MN to Grand Rapids, MN

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Up and ready to get on the road this morning!  We have only 35 miles to ride, but this is not the place for a long, leisurely morning - just pack up and get out.

Resort view this morning
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Leaving Denny's Resort - our "Last Resort" place to stay, according to our clever friend Alain.
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Our route today was entirely on US 2.  There wasn't much to see.  We crossed the Mississippi just once today.

Train trestle across the Mississippi
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This looked like an equestrian facility. My pictures didn't capture it well, but it was beautiful from the road.
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A timber tract regenerating after being harvested.
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Rajala Timber Company just west of Deer River.
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More of the Rajala Timber Company. This is the largest sawmill we've seen on this trip so far.
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Our only stop was in Deer River.

This was the only thriving business we noticed on the highway. There are popular parks and lakes in the area.
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A man at the convenience store in Deer River warned us that there was a severe storm behind us headed our way.  The sky ahead was still blue, but it was black behind us.  We took advantage of the flat terrain and decent highway shoulder to ride a bit faster than usual to get to Grand Rapids.  I have lightened up the pictures considerably so you can see them, but it was pretty dark.

A long string of intermodal cars on a siding near Cohasset. Probably staged for use by the ports of Duluth & Superior.
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Pokegama Dam, just outside of Grand Rapids.
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The Mississippi River at Grand Rapids - we didn't cross it.
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Blandin Paper, located just outside downtown Grand Rapids. It produces glossy magazine paper.
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Public art in Grand Rapids

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Mike ObermeyerAwesome, love the art work.
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4 years ago
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We arrived at our hotel before 12:30, but were able to check in to our room - fully stocked will all the customary furnishing and linens!  It is a recently restored and updated 1950's roadside motel and it really nice.  It also has an onsite bar and restaurant, so we are set for our day off tomorrow.  And, about that storm - it rained a few minutes after we arrived, but was all over in maybe ten minutes.  So far, no severe storm, but we're safe and dry no matter what happens!

Today's ride: 35 miles (56 km)
Total: 1,362 miles (2,192 km)

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Neil BratneyGreat job! US 2 is a busy road. Some of the dams up here were built by the mills, and others were built by the USACE for flood control on the Upper Mississippi
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4 years ago
Rachael AndersonGlad you missed the storm!
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4 years ago
Kathleen JonesType your comment here
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4 years ago