RC Trans Northern Tier Bicycle Tour

Northern Tier Day #27 June 16, 2019 La Crosse, WI to Frontenac State Park, MN 100 Miles Ride Time 7:51 Tour Total 2179 Miles details at: https://cyclemeter.com/058ffe3224dd3702/Cycle-20190616-0755-60655 I slept great last night in my king-sized bed at the hotel. It had rained heavily throughout the night, and I had made a good call to go into La Crosse. The hotel had been busy last evening. There was a lot of activity outside my ground-level window with several wedding parties and at least one Little League team. This morning the rain had ended, there were no chirping birds, and my laundered clothes were dry. The pavement was still wet when I started cycling. It was in the mid 50’s, the air was cold, and it was cloudy. I was wearing my cycling shorts, my short sleeve jersey, and my Bouré sweater. I had washed my gloves last night and they were less stinky than usual. Back over on the Minnesota side, in La Crescent, I stopped at the Kwik Trip. I had an egg sandwich,

Northern Tier Day #28 June 17, 2019 Frontenac State Park, MN to Stillwater, MN 68 Miles Ride Time 5:41 Tour Total 2246 Miles details at: https://cyclemeter.com/058ffe3224dd3702/Cycle-20190617-0728-23234 I slept great last night in my tent in a secluded spot in Frontenac State Park. It was getting chilly when I went to bed, and there were fireflies and mosquitoes out. The park was located on a large bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. From where I was camping I couldn’t see the river. I was surrounded by grass, scrub, and trees. It was a cart-in camping site. Motorists park their vehicles and obtain large wheelbarrow-like carts to tote their gear to their campsites. The sites were nice and well separated. It was very quiet, and I could barely hear Highway 61, although I did hear a freight train. The birds started chirping early. It was definitely a little warmer out today. I noticed a chipmunk as I was packing up. Rain was in the forecast for the afternoon.

Northern Tier Day #29 June 18, 2019 Stillwater, MN to Dalbo, MN 89 Miles Ride Time 7:10 Tour Total 2335 Miles details at: https://cyclemeter.com/058ffe3224dd3702/Cycle-20190618-0939-96411 I had a little too much fun last night with Sam and Scarlet, and I got off to a late start this morning. I woke up early, but spent about 90 minutes getting yesterday‘s report together. The field notes were in shambles. I got all my gear packed, and almost forgot my ground cloth. I had a crappy hotel breakfast, the worst one yet. There was really only Fruit Loops and Raisin Bran, and the cheap dispenser was impossible to operate. I adjusted my front brake cable before I left the hotel. I was anxious about State Trunk Highway 36 and the bridge over the Saint Croix River. It was basically an expressway. I went the wrong way from the hotel and had to turn around and backtrack. Because the highway was divided, it was easier to use an overpass as a motor vehicle would do. The temper

Northern Tier Day #30 June 19, 2019 Dalbo, MN to Royalton, MN 58 Miles Ride Time 3:58 Tour Total 2395 Miles details at: https://cyclemeter.com/058ffe3224dd3702/Cycle-20190619-0730-25147 I slept great last night at the Bicycle Bunkhouse in Dalbo. It was great to have a shower and a place to spread out and sleep. I enjoyed having it to myself but it would have been more special to share it with others. My bunk mat was a little hard but I slept great regardless. In the middle of the night, when I got up to use the bathroom, I hit my head on my room’s low door frame. The bunkhouse was over-the-top handmade, and definitely a creation of love. On the photo wall were pictures of individual cyclists, a cyclist with their dog, and ACA groups. There was another photo gallery inside the old-fashioned silo out front. I admire these silos from the road and it was a treat to enter into one. I had an early start. The plan was to meet Sam at Royalton, a small town 56 miles to t