Day 30 (Tues, July 19th) Worthington to Mankato, MN (104 miles)

Today was another long and hot ride over the flat and prosperous farmland of western Minnesota.   This is the third day of a heat wave in the midwest.   To get a headstart on the heat, we departed at 6 am.   It was just great to saddle up (as always) and get out in the early morning air.   By 1 pm it was wilting hot at 95 degrees.   We worried a little bit about heat stroke, drank lots of water, worried some more.   Ultimately, we made it in by 3 pm to our lodging at the City Center in Mankato, MN, just in time for a jacuzzi and a swim in the pool.  I also took Curt's advice and put the new Specialized Armadillo Elite tires on the Black Rocket, who is now very happy with new dancing shoes.

Here are some pics of the day:

Starting at sunup to beat the heat (leaving Worthington, MN)

Pumping tires for the long day ahead!

We have a little tailwind this morning.   We are making good time!

We arrive at the first SAG stop in two hours (pretty fast)

As we are arriving the SAG, Leslie Blankenship is leaving.   Leslie is from the Napa, Va and has a small winery near Rutherford.  Some of us are going for a visit and a wine tasting after the ride is over.   Leslie is one of our faster riders. 

Many Minnesota farms have grain storage units like the one shown here.

And modern farmhouses like this one and often with American flags flying  (note the strong westerly wind that helped our cycling)

An impromptu SAG stop (for water) on a farm owned by John and Edna Rideer

I parked the Black Rocket against a tree overlooking the Rideer's Barn

And spent some time talking to the Rideers about their farm.  John and Edna have farmed here for 50 years.   They told us about their 15 feet of snow last winter.  They were intrigued with our bike trip.   After some small talk, we thanked them for their kindness.   Edna promptly said, "Well of course, that's why God put us on the earth, to help other people".   See, these mid-westerners have it right!   Very impressive.   Now if they had had some rhubarb pie, this would have been stellar!

As we move into mid July, the corn is starting to tassel

Even the cobs are starting to form.   (See the corn silk below)  By late July, we will be eating fresh corn!

We stop for the second SAG Stop and some Lunch in St James, MN

Barry and I stop for pie and coffee in the Hometown Cafe.  No cherry or rhubarb on today's menu.  We'll just have to try again tomorrow.  (Ha)

It's now 1 pm and getting really hot.  Time to pick up the pace and get to Mankato!

As we get on the freeway (60E, here are some huge grain storage bins.  Lot's of wheat, rye, barley, soybeans, corn from Southern Minnesota

Loading grain into freight cars to ship east

Here are Jan and Connie (from the Netherlands) making tracks for Mankato

We arrive at our Lodging in downtown Mankato, MN

(Colin and Montreal Mike in the pic)

And we jump immediately into the jacuzzi (Lucy, Montreal Mike, Jeff and Lucy's young friends)

It was so hot today, we were just trying to survive on the way in.   We poured water onto our helmets to cool off.   I accidentally poured gatorade on my helmet, so my hair got a little sticky.   

One of the things we have learned is we can't do anything about the weather.   We just live with it.   When it cools off, the cycling will be a lot more enjoyable and we will have more picture opportunities.

We are learning the bane to most cyclists is the 4H Club.   Heat, Humidity, Hills, Headwinds.   Any two are OK.   You get 3 or 4 and it can be a tough day.

Tomorrow we have a 103 mi ride from Worthington to Rochester, MN.   We expect the heat to be the same or greater.   The good news is we can always check ourselves into the Mayo clinic (if we need to) as we go by later tomorrow afternoon.

Tired tonight....hard to keep eyes open,

More tomorrow,

Love to All, 

ME