Day 19

Wednesday, 26 Jun 2013
  Hutchinson, MN to Elk River, MN
68.2 miles, 5h25m, 12.6 mph
Elapsed Time: 6h48m, Max speed: 25.5mph
Total Cimbing: 785ft, Max elevation: 1095ft
Total mileage: 1135.6


Copyright 2002 DeLorme. Topo USA. Data copyright of content owner.



Just two days to go!


It was muggy when I rolled out of Hutchinson at 8am on the Luce Line State Trail.
It threatened rain on and off all day, but I felt only a few drops. A pretty nice day.


The trail ends near the town of Winsted--which is not famous for anything, but is the site
of the 2nd tallest flagpole in the US (208 feet). It is on the grounds of the Millerbernd Corp--a manufacturer
of steel light poles.


Looking back at Winsted across one of Minnesota's 10 billion lakes.
It was a wonderful 12 minutes I spent there.

My front tire developed a slow leak. I decided to just keep pumping it up until I got to the hotel. I had to add air three times--at Montrose, Buffalo, and Monticello. Later I found that the metal splinter that had caused the last flat was still in the tire. I found it my running my hand around the inside of the tire and cutting myself on it. This time I got hold of it with plyers and yanked it out. I patched the tube and jammed it back in there. If it still holds air in the morning I will declare success.


Much later. I'm looking across Buffalo Lake at Buffalo, MN. Strangely, there is another
city elsewhere in Minnesota called Buffalo Lake that is not on a lake at all.


I had lunch in Buffalo. I didn't have wings, I had fruit salad. And root beer.
Don't know about the plant.


Some sort of bison-fish in front of the cinema.


Ten miles later--crossing the Mississippi. This is RB's 16th crossing of the River by bicycle.
Mine too.


A few miles later, we crossed back--17th crossing--on 17 different bridges.
Tomorrow I'm going to cross the river a whole bunch of times just to run up the score.


This is what I look like these days. Pretty scruffy.

Tomorrow's the last day. Linda is flying out and she'll meet be somewhere on the road in the morning. Then I'll ride unencumbered into Minneapolis and St. Paul.

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"Great Plains Tour 2013" Copyright © 2013 By Bob Clemons. All rights reserved.