Day Thirty-Three: Swinging into Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Today was Megan's twenty-first birthday, and I had the privilege of being drafted for her birthday group. Now, Megan likes to go fast, and it was her birthday so we my group couldn't disappoint...

So we made it to Sioux Falls well before the heat--despite making today a surprise century by adding on an extra 8 miles due to a wrong turn. WHOOPS. My legs were sore, very sore, but I was alive, accomplished, and had one of the best days on this trip thus far.


Check out views from the route:

Another early start to try to beat the heat.

A local told us that there are about 700-800 windmills in this area.

Sweet, rolling hills...

By this point we were hungry and wanting lunch, but we still had a little ways to go.

After having a delicious dinner and performing a presentation for our hosts, some of us set off to the Palisades State Park. The park was gorgeous. After swimming in the river, I attempted to rock climb. The first attempt went well, as the first rock face was less complex than the other. The other rock face I attempted to climb didn't go so smoothly. I got past the hardest part, which was the very beginning. But about halfway up I realized that I would not be able to get down safely (it actually was possible I just didn't think I could do it). So I started to panic. Mid panic I turned around, sat down on the ledge I was on, and proceeded to cling to the rock and catch my breath. I waited. Eventually Megan came around the corner and was able to help coax me down, like a cat stuck in a tree, going as far as to hold my right foot in mid air while I scaled down the rock face using my left foot.

Views from Palisades:

So I'm not exactly a rock climber. I guess I'll have to work on that.

Climbing to New Heights--Sort Of,
James

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Today was dedicated to the residents of the Minneapolis Hope Lodge, who I thoroughly enjoyed meeting and entertaining. Stay strong, stay hopeful.

Day Thirty-Two: Beating the Heat to Marshall

The hotter it gets, the earlier we awake--and the heat is on the rise. Today we got up with the sun:



That way we're riding in the cooler, more enjoyable weather. The route today was rolling, though the skies were blue and open:



We made great timing, and made it to host before the heat of the day. Of course, getting up early has its drawbacks, like the general lack of sleep that accompanies it and the fact that 12 pm comes to feel more like 5 pm, so your internal clock is off from the rest of society. But you get a lot done early.

Early Bird Catches the Worm,
James

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Today was dedicated to a woman I met in Minneapolis. Her adult son is battling two different forms of blood cancer, one of which is rare and genetic, and the other one which may or may not respond to a bone marrow transplant. To this mother and her son--STAY STRONG. Best of luck on treatment and recovery. Don't lose hope, that's what we're riding for.

Day Thirty-One: The Lovely People of Lake Lillian

Few towns are as lovely as Lake Lillian. You can tell that they were excited for our arrival, just take a look at the welcome sign:



Even the route to Lake Lillian was lovely. This was pretty much the entire route (paved, flat roads):


Plus, two friendly huskies decided to join us at a water stop:


And the night was just as great as the day (except for the mosquitoes):


Today was simply a great day to ride--beautiful weather, a welcoming town, and a route ideal for cycling. I can't help but feel spoiled. Thank you Lake Lillian for the magnificent dinner, live entertainment and hospitality!

Feeling the Hospitality from Our Hosts,
James

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Today was dedicated to the father-in-law of a donor, Jenifer Y., who battled cancer and won an additional 11 years of life before being diagnosed again. We ride so that 11 years of life become many, many more.

Day Thirty: Turning Time to Gold (Rest Day)

In truth, I didn't get to see as much of Minneapolis as I would have liked to, but I did get to meet a really cool community, check out an awesome local lake, and have a productive day helping to work on bikes.

Minneapolis, MN

First off our hosts were amazing--and already apart of the 4K family. Parents of a Team Portland rider, and their friends, were kind enough to host Team Seattle for two days, offering us tons of food, beds, showers, and (my personal favorite) PILLOWS! We were close to the local park and lake, which was nice to walk around and bike through. Team Seattle can't get enough of lakes on this trip. 


Most importantly, today was productive for the team. Everyone got something done, many things that we NEEDED to do, like clean the vans, clean the bikes, clean the coolers, can for donations, route plan, call hosts...the list goes on and on. But we did it, we were efficient, and--dare I say--we learned to turn time to gold in Minneapolis, MN.


Go DO Something,
James

Day Twenty-Nine: Making it to Minneapolis

Few routes on this trip are better than the trail routes. I love riding on trails. There are no cars to worry about, no stoplights and few stop signs.We can go quicker, smoother and farther.

Today's travel to Minneapolis was mostly trail:



Though there were some roads that we had to ride along (as long as it's not an interstate we're usually OK to be riding on it)



Riding through St. Paul to Minneapolis along the Mississippi River Trail, we stopped to climb some sand stone that built up under a bridge, and leave our mark:



Minneapolis lingers on  the horizon as we cross the river:



Roads like the one below are the best to ride on--smooth, open, and clear. Today was a great day for cycling, and I'm so excited to spend the day in Minneapolis tomorrow.



See You on the Road,
James

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Today was dedicated to Mary from That Place in Utica and her friend/business partner for their awesome company and hospitality. Today is also for Mary's niece, a young adult cancer survivor.

Day Twenty-Eight: Early Morning Climb

This morning I awoke with 12 other riders at 4 in the morning. We didn't have to get up this early today, but we were on a mission. The goal was to reach the top of a hill, a point overlooking the Mississippi. A local told us last night about the location, and that it was a sunrise that we shouldn't miss.

How could we say no to that?

We left later than we wanted to--4:45 am to be exact, and pedaled swiftly over bridges, across state lines (officially crossing into Minnesota) and down streets. After a wrong turn (we soon realized we had gone the wrong way) we found ourselves at the base of the climb.

Prior to this excursion I had never rode my felt before sunrise, nor had I climbed an ascent at such speed. The clock was quickly ticking as color began to appear in the sky and the hour of sunrise--5:20am, loomed over our heads. Pushing as fast as we could we reached the top with 6 minutes to spare. Our efforts were rewarded:

The rest of the day did not go as planned. We didn't get to meet up with the other half of the riders until lunch, and we were forced to stop and get breakfast, which was about 50 miles from the sunrise spot because, as we have found, the towns out Midwest are far and few between. One could argue that there's a reason for the way the day unfolded, though. In Utica, MN we came across the first open place that we had spotted for miles. It was a curious building, with giant stuffed animals tacked to the roof and a cat to greet us on the porch. As we pulled up the gravel driveway to the door, a wonderful, boisterous woman appeared in the doorway, warmly greeting us with open arms and an exclamatory "Welcome!"

The result of our early-morning excursion--a lunchtime nap!

Mary was one of the owners of That Place in Utica, a second hand shop where all clothing and shoes are only $00.25! The shop, which recently opened this year, is entirely non-profit, and donates all profits back to the community, choosing a new event or organization to sponsor every month. We loved That Place in Utica, we loved Mary, and (if I do say so myself) she also loved us. If you ever have a chance to go, do stop in at That Place in Utica.

After a long day, finally arriving in Rochester.

Who Knows What You'll Find,
James

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Today was dedicated to Earl Jones, my step-mother's father who I was never blessed to meet. He was an amazing man, retired 1st Sargent from the military after serving for 23 years through Vietnam. Earl was intelligent, having skipped two grades in his younger years, and everyone's favorite uncle. He suffered from colon cancer. I think my step-mom sums up his cooking best: "if I could, I would resurrect that man just to ask him for his mac-n-cheese recipe." Today's early rise, military-like push to the top of the hill was for him.

Day Twenty-Seven: Tunneling to La Crosse

One path, three tunnels, and a beautiful day. This was our ride to La Crosse, WI:

The light at the end of the tunnel. It looks manageable from outside but by the time you are in the tunnel's center it is pitch black and not safe to ride without a head lamp. I don't own a head lamp but I used my phone as a flashlight, holding it with one hand over the handle bar. It worked better than most headlamps!

The last picture above is the view of the Mississippi River from a host who opened his home to us for dinner. It was a wonderful evening filled with kayaks, hot tubs, and a pool. The Wisconsin-Minnesota-Mississippi River area has been kind to us.

Tomorrow we cross the river and head into Minnesota, heading westward.

Making Ground,
James

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Today was dedicated to my grandfather, Donald Schwabacher, who stuck through my grandmother's side through all of her life, including her cancer battle.