MN Mini-Tour: Day 4
Rose Petal Trail Head outside Austin, MN
to LeRoy, MN: 21 miles
Saturday, September 24, 2016
Just the right length for today's ride.
Out of Austin with our bikes on back of
Fred's van. Covering those miles,
Tricky instructions
Via local motor,
Very helpful.
Funny story Fred told:
That back-up camera on van
Doesn't like bike rack.
When van backs up
With rack on rear,
Warning system squawks whole time.
At trailhead we met
Peggy Prowe from Northfield.
Peggy had asked to ride with us,
Drove down this morning to do so.
Peggy's advocacy for bike trails
Has been strong and effective for
Decades.
Thank you, Peggy!
She has lots of stories to tell about
People and efforts for trails.
I rode, listening, learning,
And appreciating.
Water was standing on parts of trail—
Probably a couple of days ago,
Too deep to ride through.
We made it,
Riding carefully.
Had we been about nine years old,
We'd have ridden as fast as possible
Over and over,
Making lots of spray and splash!
Stopped in Adams
For Peggy to have short visit with friend in
Nursing home rehab:
A farmer whose encouragement
Prompted cooperation of area farmers
For this "Shooting Star Trail."
Bob and I rode down street during those 20 minutes.
Saw house on fire.
Really on fire!
Firemen keeping adjacent structures
Wet.
While waiting for house to
Burn to ground.
Ride was tiring— into wind.
We stopped to rest, nibble snack,
Drink water.
Bob said at that rate
We would arrive after dark.
Not so.
Left at ten a.m.
Arrive LeRoy two p.m.
Found lunch in bowling alley,
And were glad to have food.
Peggy wears a high-viz construction style vest
To be seen as bicyclist.
Little girl in bowling alley
Attending birthday party
With chocolate cupcakes,
Asked Peggy if she worked on roads.
We are housed in old 1898 hotel.
Refurbishing is pretty good.
Bathroom is very modern and up to date.
Looks like much business comes
To their dining room.
We'll go there for dinner with Peggy,
And a Le Roi couple:
Trail activists.
We five will have dinner together—
Different end of ride day for Bob and me.
Good adventure day.
Hugs,
Lin
Today's Limerick:
We rode our way slowly through water,
Thinking that we really ott-er,
Ride through with a dash,
Creating a splash,
Shout, "Oh yes, I see that I got-her!"
Biking along the somewhat watery trail.
Peggy Prowe, who joined us for today's trail tour, and Lin. (Peggy is a giant in making the politics of trail creation happen in our home area.)
No place for the water in Taopi
Between Taopi and LeRoy
We happened on a house fire in Adams.
Norwegian-style shelter at high point of Shooting Star Trail commemorating its founders.
Our bedroom in old local hotel
Day 4 Room View (from deck)
