Life On A B-I7

Route

• Winona, MN to La Crosse, WI

Metrics

• Miles: 43
• Average Speed: NA mph
• Ride Time: NA hours NA minutes

Notes

• Today was a combination of paved roads, crushed limestone path, dirt road, and single track. Obstacles included getting lost on the trail and encountering a bridge out, which forced me to detour.

Thought #17

• What is your purpose? Your purpose is to find your purpose. Let your Creator help you do that.

I woke this morning to heavy dew on my tent. I was surprised. It looked like it had rained, but it hadn’t. I looked out over the river, and there was a heavy mist on the river. Overhead the sky was foggy. Visibility was limited. Welcome to camping alongside the Mississippi River. It’s beautiful, but be prepared to deal with some moisture.

No surprise, it’s also chilly. This morning I had to break out my cold weather clothes. I am getting smarter though. I took my clothes up to the campground’s shower house to get dressed. I did that because I was up before dawn and the shower house was lighted and heated. When I registered at the campground, the Camp Host had recommended a coffee shop in town, so that’s where I headed next. I had a couple cups of coffee and read the Minneapolis paper.

The objective today was to take a river trail from just outside Winona all the way to La Crosse. That plan fell apart when I saw a sign that said bridge out 7 miles ahead. About 2 miles later I saw a couple of cyclists coming toward me. I asked them about the bridge and they confirmed that I would have to detour around it. They gave me good directions that I was able to partially follow. I never quite made it back on to the trail. I ended up taking a combination of back roads and highway into Onalaska and La Crosse.

I’ve been waiting until I got to Wisconsin to try my first cheese curds. I got my opportunity at lunch today. They are a little bit chewy, but they’re good. Much better than fried pickles.

After lunch, I saw three westbound cyclists. Usually I stop and greet other cyclists on the road to talk about where they’ve been and where they’re headed. They were heads down and moving, and I was outnumbered, so I waved and just kept going. I know they weren’t on e-bikes because they waved back. I was able to judge by the gear they were carrying that they were definitely touring.

My detour fiasco was fortunate because I was able to find a bike shop in Onalaska which otherwise I would have missed. I decided to stop in and talk to them about my rear tire. The tire has been having trouble holding air for a few days. I asked the mechanic what we could do about the air situation, he recommended a new tube. I was down with that. When he took a closer look, he said, “you need a new tire too.” All the weight I’m carrying on the bike is hard on the tires. He got me all set up and out the door in no time.

Outside the bike shop, as I was putting my gear back on the bike, a gentleman stopped and asked me about the straps I use to tie the dry bags to the rear rack. On his way out of the bike shop he stopped again and we chatted some more. After a few minutes, it became clear he was a retired physician. I shared an interesting Washington Post article I read recently about the benefits of exercise. He took a few minutes to share with me some great back exercises I can do while I’m on the road. Just one more example of the kindness I receive from people on almost a daily basis.

Also in the health department, I haven’t taken an ibuprofen in over two weeks!

Crossing the Mississippi river at Winona.

The trail offered a little bit of everything.

Itinerary / Maps