Michael's Excellent Adventure

Day 16, 7-1-2002

Burbs

Expecting headwinds, we set out of Little Falls early. John and I met with less resistance than expected, and hit Saint Cloud in good time. Then we got a long, nice road southeast in the form of county road 75, which goes between I-94 and the Mississippi, which took us to Albertville, right on the edge of the metro area. From there on, we were on the local Twin Cities map. At the last minute before the bike trip, I had called up Calhoun Cycles to get a bike map of the cities, and it proved to be a very good move. North of Plymouth, things were a little hairy, with the shoulder waxing and waning even on designated bike routes, but once we got south of highway 12, with the map's guidance, John and I sliced through the streets like we had been riding them all our lives. Especially nice were McGinty, Baker, and Rowland streets around Lake Minnetonka — descending, roller-coaster streets, swooping turns, and thick arboreal cover that all made for some incredibly refreshing riding on a very hot day. It was a fantastic way to close this leg of the trip. Steve Flagg and his wife Mary Henrickson received us incredibly graciously, and welcomed us into their home for a hard-earned and well-deserved two day furlough. Um, I think it was 130 miles for the day, but not sure.

Well, it's late, and I've got riding to do in the morning. It's been a wonderful couple days in the cities. I'm not sure when I'll get to send out the next update; maybe not until Boston. Many, many thanks again to Steve and Mary. We hope to spend tomorrow night in LaCrosse. Wish us luck!

—Michael