Sisters To St. Paul
Day 18

Date: August 18,2005

Route: Lake Wobegon Trail St. Joseph to Sauk Center

Distance: 70 miles round trip

Ride Time: 5 hours

Elevation Climbed: 555’

Weather: Scattered showers 70s

Log

I scapped my plans for continuing on the Great River Road into the Twin Cities. The route was becoming increasingly urban and I felt uncomfortable not knowing alternatives to avoid the busy highways. Jon and I will drive the Mississippi River Road into St. Paul tomorrow. Instead, I decided to ride the entire Lake Wobegon Trail to Sauk Center, hometown on Sinclair Lewis and setting of Main Street and, with the enticement of lunch in a local café, Jon decided to accompany me.

 

We headed out under cloudy skies but soon I was taking off my shirt and putting on my sun-glasses. We cycled past farms, fields, lakes and gardens without worrying about traffic, directions, or pot holes. We stopped and talked with a group of 4 local recumbent riders. Jon and I were expressing our amazement and appreciation of the bike trail and one of the cyclists explained that a good portion of the snow mobile registration pays for the building and maintenance of the trail system. Now I understand this sign! After passing through 4 small towns, each announced by its water tower, we arrived at Salk Centre. We had a delicious lunch at the Ding Dong Café where every table was filled and we were the only “tourists”.

The weather deteriorated just as we were leaving. My glasses were so obscured with raindrops that I didn’t see the pile of sand and dirt on the path. I skidded sideways into Jon and ended up on the pavement. I bent a spoke in his back wheel and bumped my knee but, wonder of wonders, no road-rash!

Our ride ended with another garden stop and one last picture … a special Lake Wobegon black eyed Susan.