7/31/13 Day 1 - Minneapolis --> Osceola, WI --> 64 miles
I started the day at the Comfort Inn a little cranky because the wi-fi was essentially useless. When I brought this to the attention of the front desk person, he merely shrugged and said they did not have fiber optic yet and not a problem for people that don't need it. I responded that most people today do use the Internet and I could not recommend his hotel to anyone traveling on business. Also, seems a misrepresentation and overcharge for someone who needs use of the Internet.
We were picked up at 9:00 am by Loudes - a staff person with the Minneapolis ALS office. She took us to the Amtrak station to pick up our bikes. She pointed out various points of interest along the way and told us a little of her background. Lourdes lost her husband to ALS several years ago and we talked about how it affects so many people.
After assembling our bikes, Randy and I headed out for the 7 mike ride to the Minneapolis ALS office. One thing I did not realize about Minneapolis, that Lourdes told us was that it was ranked as the #1 bike friendly city in the U.S. That was soon evident as we started riding. There are, what I would describe as, prominent little bike highways. Paved, divided 2 lane paths specifically for bikes. There are usually additional paved paths running alongside for pedestrians. And at every intersection, motorists always stop for you to cross. There is an obvious awareness and consideration of bikers. In fact, we got a couple of stares when we would stop and hesitate to cross because of our cautious nature around cars.
We also saw our first evidence of other touring bikers. There were 4-5 fully loaded touring bikes propped up alongside the bike path running adjacent to the river/downtown area. Didn't see the bikers themselves, so wasn't able to connect and get the story as to their travels. But, all the signs were there. I suspect we will see a lot of other bikers on this ride since Randy and I are pretty much following the Adventure Cycling route maps. At this juncture, we are likely to encounter a lot of cross-country riders on the Northern Tier route.
We arrived at the Minneapolis ALS office around noon and were enthusiastically greeted by approximately 10-15 staff members. We told them about the ride, answered questions and posed for a group photo outside the office building. Walked to a sandwich shop and picked up lunch to carry back to the ALS office. I had a delicious grilled cheese sandwich. No sweet potato fries available, so settled for chips. At the conclusion of lunch, Randy and I "officially" started the Tour of the Leaves ride at approximately 1:30 pm. Much thanks to Kristin Skaar (Special Events Coordinator for the ALS Association, MN/ND/SD Chapter) and her staff for the great send off.
Leaving downtown Minneapolis, we backtracked towards the Amtrak station to pick up the little "bike highways" out of town. Just past St. Paul we got on the Gateway State Trail, a beautiful fully paved path that traverses approximately 15 miles of gorgeous terrain. Little ponds and vast fields line the path. The weather was perfect for biking - in the 70's with a nice breeze. No vicious headwinds here. Only helpful tailwinds on occasion. When we would stop, Randy and I would just look at each other and say "Wow - doesn't get any better than this."
We did encounter a couple of challenges where the way off the the trail was not clearly marked, and we went too far. However, we adjusted quite nicely on the fly and connected back with the route through alternative state highways.
Our goal destination for the night was Osceola, WI. The ride through the countryside the last 10-15 miles was stunning. Since we got off to a late start, it was early evening and the shadows as the sun was lowering in the sky were gorgeous. Gentle rolling hills. Cornfields lined the road. The corn stalks and, in fact, all the vegetation was lush and green. Healthy and vibrant. Last summer we ran into so many corn fields where the stalks were brown at the base because of the drought. These corn fields just made you feel good and healthy looking at them. There were a number of beautiful old rustic barns.
At approximately 7:00 pm, we crossed into Wisconsin, and arrived in Osceola shortly thereafter, a town with a population of approximately 2500 people. I was a little concerned that camping might be in the cards, but miraculously the River Valley Inn appeared. A very clean and reasonable motel that takes pride in being biker friendly - even had an Adventure Cycling Northern Tier decal on the door. The rooms were spacious and the bathroom had a large tub for soaking.
Randy and I met for dinner at the restaurant next door. Had vegetable medley Alfredo that was delicious. As in the past, food will be a big deal on this trip. I ate my way across America last summer and somehow still lost 10 pounds, which I have pretty maintained. So, I really don't want to lose much more weight this summer. Guess I will just have to indulge.
This first day could not have been better. A great send off, perfect riding conditions, terrific company to share the ride with in Randy. I am tired, but overall feel strong and very happy to be back out on the road. Still acclimating a little to riding, but everything seems to be coming back to me quite nicely.
I am extremely blessed to have this opportunity to do what I love and share it with others. Del - you are in our thoughts and right here with us.
