MN Mini-Tour: Day 6

Sunshine, beautiful countryside, vistas,
Then all those things with WIND!
In our faces.

Out of Caledonia via bluff
Swoops and climbs,
Lots of high bluff-top riding.

One point having climbed several hills in sunshine,
Stopped to take off layers.
Next were two miles of downhill swoops
In shade side of road.
Chilly to the bone.

Down to Misissippi River
Ride five miles upstream looking for wildlife.
Saw scores and scores of white pelicans
Settled on river, feeding
Before continuing migration south.

Many, many garter snakes on road shoulder.
Little—about diameter of pencil—
Soaking in heat of pavement.

Their unpredictable slithers
Kept us weaving to dodge
Wildly arcing movement.​

It was as we turned up river,
Wind blasted our progress.

Five miles up, turn.
Still directly battered by wind.

Exhausted, demoralized, shredded energy,
In Houston, MN we were directed to
Trail Head Nature Center.

They have short list of volunteers who will SAG cyclists.
Usually it is groups leaving car lot,
Wanting to be taken some distance with their bikes
To ride back to trail head and car.

We were a different request:
A request from worn-out riders.

Nice guy with little yellow pickup
Got Bob and me, bikes, panniers,
Drove us to Rushford motel.

He will have other passengers.
He will never have two more grateful
To be rescued!

So here we are tucked into our motel.

We asked for help,
Found the possibility and asked.
Feels good to have done that.

Hugs to all,
Lin