Day 13 - Ending at Durand, WI - Wisconsin on the Kick-back

August 17, 2018

Day 13 - Ending at Durand, WI

Rode on Great River State Trail

Up at 4:55am without the alarm. Worked on report, packing, and going. Left at 9:57am. No one stopped by to collect the campsite fee, so I'll mail it in when I get home.

It was a different looking day when I arrived at the trail at 10:02am. Sunshine! The last part of the Great River Trail routes through Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge, and I was there at 10:21am. Along the trail at 10:35am, I stopped to put on sunscreen, since that was one thing I forgot to do earlier. A bird I'd never heard before was singing to me. The ending of the call reminded me of an echo.

At 10:55am, I was at the end of the trail, which is at WI-35. I didn't know how far I'd get today, but had a recent thought that all the way to the camping park in Durand would be good. That would put me back on-schedule (location wise), and give the wet tent a chance to dry out. Highways WI-35 (northwest) and WI-25 (north) are the way there.

Nice wide shoulder on WI-35, which follows the Mississippi River. After I passed the road to the bridge to Winona, Minnesota (at 11:40am), I saw signs cautioning that a running event - a RAGNAR relay - was occurring. There were water stations set up, but they and the runners were using the left lane shoulder.

Noon mileage report: 11.8 miles.

I was looking for a place to eat as I went, and was mostly past Fountain City when I saw World Cup Coffee connected to a bike shop. They were across the highway and down an embankment, so I left the bike on the left shoulder, above where they were. The coffee shop has breakfast items, and I ordered a waffle, with the suggested ice cream topping. Also ordered a "Recovery" drink, after hearing what it was.

Back at it, at 1:09pm I was at my turn-off waypoint for Merrick State Park, where I should have been last night. Now, I can switch over to my waypoints "route K", and see how far I can get. I made it to Cochrane at 2:08pm, Alma at 3:15pm, and Nelson at 4:32pm. All the while, I was being passed by the runners' support vehicles, and occasionally, seeing runners - always in the opposite lane's shoulder, but going my direction.

There was a mass gathering of runners and their supporters ahead in the parking area for Beth's Twin Bluffs Cafe in Nelson. I stopped there anyway, to see what the waiting time might be. None, really. I sat down at the counter and very quickly had the BBQ with Potato Salad special and a root beer in front of me, as well as ice in my Klean Kanteen. I was back on the road at 5:00pm.

A turn north at Nelson put me on WI-25. Another flat highway, since it parallels the Chippewa River. Fifteen miles to Durand. I was at Maxville at 6:00pm, and Durand's city limits at 7:09pm.

I missed one of my turns in town, and that brought me past Panther Drive-In at 7:34pm. So I stopped for a root beer float.

Back to looking for Tarrant Park, the camping place. I found it at 7:53pm, and was at my chosen campsite (in B tent area) at 8:00pm. I'm on a hill, with a river view. And there's electricity! But, there's a notice on the shower house door, stating that it's closed! Anyway, I set up and was in bed by 10:20pm, happy with the day.

Jeff

Spent: $8.50 plus $2 (breakfast/lunch) + $10.44 plus $3 (supper) + $4.38 (root beer float) + $5 (campsite) = $33.32.

Day 13 - Trempealeau, WI to Durand, WI

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+ plus signs indicate pictures added after returning home from the trip +