Northern Tier Day #32 Pine River, MN to Lake Bemidji State Park, MN
Northern Tier Day #32
June 21, 2019
Pine River, MN to Lake Bemidji State Park, MN 76 Miles
Ride Time 5:18
Tour Total 2558 Miles
details at: https://cyclemeter.com/058ffe3224dd3702/Cycle-20190621-0823-34144
All things considering I had a good nights sleep in the primitive campsite in the middle of nowhere. To my knowledge I wasn’t bitten by mosquitoes or ticks. No one needed to get down the skinny path that I had camped in the middle of, or if they did, they silently walked around my tent. I woke up early with the birds as usual.
The first order of business after going to the ‘bathroom’ was fixing my tent. A reader suggested that I fix the gaping hole with duct tape, but I travel with nylon thread. I fixed it right. I’m entitled to take it back to REI and I might, if I get to a store before July 29th. My surgery was aided by my Petzle headlamp on it’s bright setting and my reading glasses for a perfect stitch. My next order of business was to finish yesterday’s report. I had two bars out there in the bushes.
I packed up and headed down the trail. I saw a a crane sitting on the rail of another wooden plank bridge. I stopped at a Holiday station for an egg and bacon on a croissant sandwich, a Starbucks Frappuccino, and an orange juice. It was overcast, cloudy, and cool. I was wearing my cycling shorts, my long-sleeve jersey, and my sweater. It seemed like it was going to rain, but the weather forecast said not until tomorrow.
A maintenance worker let me in to the Pine River visitor center before it opened, so that I could buy some more postcards. A day cyclist tried to race me out on the trail, and he had no idea what he was getting himself into. A man was walking a small dog on a long leash. He almost lost his dog when it darted out in front of me. The weight of my fully-loaded bike would have crushed the poor little thing.
The trail pavement was wet, and it had obviously rained last night. Luckily there was no precipitation where I was. This weather stuff is like threading a needle. Today is the summer solstice and the longest day of the year. It’s also the shortest night. Because of the extra mileage I peddled yesterday, I expected an easy ride to Bemidji. I was worried, though, about tomorrow’s rain forecast.
Riding to Backus the trail was perfectly straight, but a little bumpy. Highway 371 was immediately to my right, but there was a strip of trees in between. The sun seemed like it was trying to come out. With a name like Backus, I was expecting a 24/7 bacchanal. I was looking forward to overflowing wine and a drunken orgy. When I got to town I was a little disappointed. It had a nice park next to the trail with bathrooms, picnic tables, a pavilion, and a drinking fountain. There was a laundromat with nearby bars and restaurants. It would have been a good place to camp, but I’m not sure if it was permitted. That’s one area of improvement that I‘d recommend for the Paul Bunyan Bike Trail. There should be free camping for cyclists in the small towns like they offer on the Erie Canal Towpath. Cyclists shouldn’t have to make the stark choice that I made last night. I’m spending money every place I stop, and the towns would benefit. Just yesterday I had to visit an ATM to refill my coffers.
A second personality from last year’s Trans Am tour might be making a TNT appearance in Montana. I’ll keep my readers posted. I saw another crane, and passed 2,500 miles on my odometer. The trail took me away from 371 and I rode through woods and alongside several lakes. Aside from the gravel mining operation, it was very peaceful. Coming into Hackensack I passed a man out for a morning jog. Wait, I thought Hackensack was in New Jersey. Did the tribe of native Americans who got kicked out of New Jersey briefly re-settle here before Paul Bunyan showed up and gave them yet another boot?
The path was filled with thousands of dragonflies. Another giant crane flew up into the sky above me and opened it’s wings right into the wind. There was definitely some wind from the east today, even through the trees. The closer I got to Hackensack the more hikers I passed on the trail. I pulled over and asked a jogger about the wildlife I’d been seeing. She mentioned that there were bear in the woods and an occasional wolf.
Hackensack is the home of Paul Bunyan’s sweetheart Lucette Diana Kensack and birthplace of Paul Junior. A friendly gentleman by the name of Pete offered to take my picture in front of Lucette. He asked about my trip and told me that he used to drive trucks in North Dakota. He shared some pretty harrowing stories. I’m glad that I’m going to be avoiding the tar sands area. I’ll be south of a lot of that bad truck traffic.
I rode by 10 Mile Lake and then entered the Chippewa National Forest. I passed two old telegraph poles that were associated with the old railroad. I thought about the insulators that I collected last year on the Trans Am in eastern Colorado.
There were thousands of dragonflies sunning themselves on the asphalt pavement. I would startle them when I approached, and they would then fly up either in to my spokes, my chest, or my face. Some of them were as big as hummingbirds and the face smacks would hurt.
Coming into Walker the trail left the old railroad grade, and got twisty-turny with small rolling hills. There was even a a short steep hill that got my heart pounding. I saw my first ever Bicycle Downhill warning sign. I was now on the Shingobee Connection Trail. I crossed the causeway to Shingobee Island and was once again riding along side Highway 371. The Shingobee connector trail had nice pennyfarthing themed signs.
In Walker I switched to my next map section, Northern Tier # 5. This would take me to Fargo North Dakota, which is where the crazy begins- or so I believe. Walker was a very nice resort town located on Leech lake. I met local cyclist Steve, who was part of Bike Across Minnesota. He’s active with the bike trail system around here. I thanked him for the great Paul Bunyan State Trail, but shared that it would be better if cyclists could camp in the city parks.
I stopped at Benson’s where I ordered a cheeseburger and a couple of Red X’s From Bemidji Brewery. I left Walker and picked back up the Paul Bunyan State Trail which has got to be one of my favorite bike trails of all time, if anything for its length. It’s the longest continuous rail trail in the country.
Everyone I talked to in Walker seemed to realize the economic benefits of a long distance bike trail. I loved it because I could fly! I rode alongside Leech Lake which was huge! Leeches are one of my greatest fears. The ticks here have been bad enough.
A lot of the roads that the smooth asphalt bike trail crossed were gravel, including Highway 371. I was definitely on the best route. The latest forecast was calling for rain between midnight and 6 AM.
I’ve noticed aspen trees for the past couple of days. I had no idea they grew in this region. In Laporte there were about 20 day cyclists taking a nap in the grass next to their bikes. I noticed lots of signs along the trail advertising bars and cafes.
Between Laporte and Nary the amazing perfectly smooth and awesome Paul Bunyan State bicycle trail paralleled a gravel road for motorized traffic. The tables were turned and I couldn’t have been happier!
I was crossing over this huge ravine that had been earth filled for the railroad grade from the excavated cuts on both sides. They did this instead of building a bridge. I was thinking about the engineering and a giant Whitetail deer galloped across the trail in front of me.
Between Guthrie and Nari I passed two entitled cyclists sitting in the middle of the trail, legs extended, taking a break. There was barely any room to pass. It was tight but I flew right through. Those douche bags need to develop some respect.
All of the county roads out here were gravel. I was so lucky to be on this amazing asphalt surface. Outside of Nari I saw a deer really taking its time to cross the trail.
I had to pull over and adjust my saddle which had come loose. That’s always such a sensitive adjustment. I hate when it leaves the sweet spot. I neglected to apply chamois butter this morning. The douche bags went zipping by me while making my adjustment. I tried to catch them but couldn’t.
Coming into Bemidji the trail was lined on both sides with aspens. In the distance I could see Highway 2, which meant that I was getting close to town. I made a wrong turn and rode over the bridge that crossed Highway 71. I should have taken a left, adding a half mile. I was now in a town of 14,000 and no longer by myself in the middle of the woods. There was a lot of traffic that I was now going to have to contend with. Damn! I’m going to miss the awesome Paul Bunyan State Trail. It’s one of my favorite cyclist trails of all time!
My first stop was the Bemidji Brewery for a few more pints of Red X along with chips and salsa. The Brewery let me put an official tour sticker on a column near the bar.
I went to Bar 209 for dinner where I had walleye fish tacos. I learned about pull tabs, which are kind of like scratch-off lottery tickets. I rode the Paul Bunyan Trail along lake Bimidji to Lake Bemidji State Park. The air was thick with mayflies. I showered before going to bed to maintain cleanliness level one.
June 21, 2019
Pine River, MN to Lake Bemidji State Park, MN 76 Miles
Ride Time 5:18
Tour Total 2558 Miles
details at: https://cyclemeter.com/058ffe3224dd3702/Cycle-20190621-0823-34144
All things considering I had a good nights sleep in the primitive campsite in the middle of nowhere. To my knowledge I wasn’t bitten by mosquitoes or ticks. No one needed to get down the skinny path that I had camped in the middle of, or if they did, they silently walked around my tent. I woke up early with the birds as usual.
The first order of business after going to the ‘bathroom’ was fixing my tent. A reader suggested that I fix the gaping hole with duct tape, but I travel with nylon thread. I fixed it right. I’m entitled to take it back to REI and I might, if I get to a store before July 29th. My surgery was aided by my Petzle headlamp on it’s bright setting and my reading glasses for a perfect stitch. My next order of business was to finish yesterday’s report. I had two bars out there in the bushes.
I packed up and headed down the trail. I saw a a crane sitting on the rail of another wooden plank bridge. I stopped at a Holiday station for an egg and bacon on a croissant sandwich, a Starbucks Frappuccino, and an orange juice. It was overcast, cloudy, and cool. I was wearing my cycling shorts, my long-sleeve jersey, and my sweater. It seemed like it was going to rain, but the weather forecast said not until tomorrow.
A maintenance worker let me in to the Pine River visitor center before it opened, so that I could buy some more postcards. A day cyclist tried to race me out on the trail, and he had no idea what he was getting himself into. A man was walking a small dog on a long leash. He almost lost his dog when it darted out in front of me. The weight of my fully-loaded bike would have crushed the poor little thing.
The trail pavement was wet, and it had obviously rained last night. Luckily there was no precipitation where I was. This weather stuff is like threading a needle. Today is the summer solstice and the longest day of the year. It’s also the shortest night. Because of the extra mileage I peddled yesterday, I expected an easy ride to Bemidji. I was worried, though, about tomorrow’s rain forecast.
Riding to Backus the trail was perfectly straight, but a little bumpy. Highway 371 was immediately to my right, but there was a strip of trees in between. The sun seemed like it was trying to come out. With a name like Backus, I was expecting a 24/7 bacchanal. I was looking forward to overflowing wine and a drunken orgy. When I got to town I was a little disappointed. It had a nice park next to the trail with bathrooms, picnic tables, a pavilion, and a drinking fountain. There was a laundromat with nearby bars and restaurants. It would have been a good place to camp, but I’m not sure if it was permitted. That’s one area of improvement that I‘d recommend for the Paul Bunyan Bike Trail. There should be free camping for cyclists in the small towns like they offer on the Erie Canal Towpath. Cyclists shouldn’t have to make the stark choice that I made last night. I’m spending money every place I stop, and the towns would benefit. Just yesterday I had to visit an ATM to refill my coffers.
A second personality from last year’s Trans Am tour might be making a TNT appearance in Montana. I’ll keep my readers posted. I saw another crane, and passed 2,500 miles on my odometer. The trail took me away from 371 and I rode through woods and alongside several lakes. Aside from the gravel mining operation, it was very peaceful. Coming into Hackensack I passed a man out for a morning jog. Wait, I thought Hackensack was in New Jersey. Did the tribe of native Americans who got kicked out of New Jersey briefly re-settle here before Paul Bunyan showed up and gave them yet another boot?
The path was filled with thousands of dragonflies. Another giant crane flew up into the sky above me and opened it’s wings right into the wind. There was definitely some wind from the east today, even through the trees. The closer I got to Hackensack the more hikers I passed on the trail. I pulled over and asked a jogger about the wildlife I’d been seeing. She mentioned that there were bear in the woods and an occasional wolf.
Hackensack is the home of Paul Bunyan’s sweetheart Lucette Diana Kensack and birthplace of Paul Junior. A friendly gentleman by the name of Pete offered to take my picture in front of Lucette. He asked about my trip and told me that he used to drive trucks in North Dakota. He shared some pretty harrowing stories. I’m glad that I’m going to be avoiding the tar sands area. I’ll be south of a lot of that bad truck traffic.
I rode by 10 Mile Lake and then entered the Chippewa National Forest. I passed two old telegraph poles that were associated with the old railroad. I thought about the insulators that I collected last year on the Trans Am in eastern Colorado.
There were thousands of dragonflies sunning themselves on the asphalt pavement. I would startle them when I approached, and they would then fly up either in to my spokes, my chest, or my face. Some of them were as big as hummingbirds and the face smacks would hurt.
Coming into Walker the trail left the old railroad grade, and got twisty-turny with small rolling hills. There was even a a short steep hill that got my heart pounding. I saw my first ever Bicycle Downhill warning sign. I was now on the Shingobee Connection Trail. I crossed the causeway to Shingobee Island and was once again riding along side Highway 371. The Shingobee connector trail had nice pennyfarthing themed signs.
In Walker I switched to my next map section, Northern Tier # 5. This would take me to Fargo North Dakota, which is where the crazy begins- or so I believe. Walker was a very nice resort town located on Leech lake. I met local cyclist Steve, who was part of Bike Across Minnesota. He’s active with the bike trail system around here. I thanked him for the great Paul Bunyan State Trail, but shared that it would be better if cyclists could camp in the city parks.
I stopped at Benson’s where I ordered a cheeseburger and a couple of Red X’s From Bemidji Brewery. I left Walker and picked back up the Paul Bunyan State Trail which has got to be one of my favorite bike trails of all time, if anything for its length. It’s the longest continuous rail trail in the country.
Everyone I talked to in Walker seemed to realize the economic benefits of a long distance bike trail. I loved it because I could fly! I rode alongside Leech Lake which was huge! Leeches are one of my greatest fears. The ticks here have been bad enough.
A lot of the roads that the smooth asphalt bike trail crossed were gravel, including Highway 371. I was definitely on the best route. The latest forecast was calling for rain between midnight and 6 AM.
I’ve noticed aspen trees for the past couple of days. I had no idea they grew in this region. In Laporte there were about 20 day cyclists taking a nap in the grass next to their bikes. I noticed lots of signs along the trail advertising bars and cafes.
Between Laporte and Nary the amazing perfectly smooth and awesome Paul Bunyan State bicycle trail paralleled a gravel road for motorized traffic. The tables were turned and I couldn’t have been happier!
I was crossing over this huge ravine that had been earth filled for the railroad grade from the excavated cuts on both sides. They did this instead of building a bridge. I was thinking about the engineering and a giant Whitetail deer galloped across the trail in front of me.
Between Guthrie and Nari I passed two entitled cyclists sitting in the middle of the trail, legs extended, taking a break. There was barely any room to pass. It was tight but I flew right through. Those douche bags need to develop some respect.
All of the county roads out here were gravel. I was so lucky to be on this amazing asphalt surface. Outside of Nari I saw a deer really taking its time to cross the trail.
I had to pull over and adjust my saddle which had come loose. That’s always such a sensitive adjustment. I hate when it leaves the sweet spot. I neglected to apply chamois butter this morning. The douche bags went zipping by me while making my adjustment. I tried to catch them but couldn’t.
Coming into Bemidji the trail was lined on both sides with aspens. In the distance I could see Highway 2, which meant that I was getting close to town. I made a wrong turn and rode over the bridge that crossed Highway 71. I should have taken a left, adding a half mile. I was now in a town of 14,000 and no longer by myself in the middle of the woods. There was a lot of traffic that I was now going to have to contend with. Damn! I’m going to miss the awesome Paul Bunyan State Trail. It’s one of my favorite cyclist trails of all time!
My first stop was the Bemidji Brewery for a few more pints of Red X along with chips and salsa. The Brewery let me put an official tour sticker on a column near the bar.
I went to Bar 209 for dinner where I had walleye fish tacos. I learned about pull tabs, which are kind of like scratch-off lottery tickets. I rode the Paul Bunyan Trail along lake Bimidji to Lake Bemidji State Park. The air was thick with mayflies. I showered before going to bed to maintain cleanliness level one.
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