Sisters To St. Paul
Day 16

Date: August 10, 2005

Route: Little Falls to St. Cloud

Distance: 26 + 15

Ride Time: 2h 45m

Elevation Climbed: 350’

Weather: +/- 80 degrees

Log

I planned a short day so we didn’t hustle up and out. We drove from Lake Waukenabo to Little Falls in order to see the Lindbergh House and state park. Although this stretch of the road follows the Mississippi, it is all freeway, and I was glad to be in the car. I left the Lindberg House on a sleepy county road thinking about this famous aviator, and remembering passages from Gifts from the Sea written by his wife, Anne Morrow Lindbergh. I caught glimpses of the great river as I wound my way south through the peaceful countryside. This is the hard working, prosperous America one reads about in school. In every town the Lutheran and the Catholic churches vie for center stage. Judging by the city names, Catholicism seems to dominate here. Moderate temperatures, sun with occasional clouds, a light breeze, and flowers bordering my path … what a great morning!

 

Jon met me on the outskirts of St. Cloud at about 11AM. Since it was early, we decided to do some sightseeing. I had read about the church at St. John’s Abbey in one of my Minnesota books and it was only about 30 miles west. The design by Marcel Breuer, an Orthodox Jew, was selected by the monks of the Benedictine Abbey. It was completed in 1961 and for years received more visitors than the state capitol. I can understand why. The famous bell banner can be seen for miles protruding above the trees. It stands 112’ above the pavement and is 100 feet wide at the top. 2500 tons of concrete were used in construction and the footings extend 20 feet into the ground. The sanctuary is unadorned and pillar-free with walls and ceiling of exposed poured concrete. The largest stained-glass window in the world illuminates the interior from behind an implausibly cantilevered and freestanding balcony. The feeling is light, airy, and astounding.

Minnesota is rightly proud of its system of paved bike trails. We were near the Lake Wobegon trail so we cycled to Freeport for lunch at Charlies’, Garrison Keillor’s model for the Chatterbox Café. We had to carry our bikes through this mess and watched a rock as big as a Chevy being pushed aside. The water tower just kept smiling!

I needed a break on the return trip. Minnesota sure knows how to treat its visitors. Ya, you betcha!