Day 108 - ending at Zumbrota, MN - The Great Plains Trail - Sort Of

August 30, 2023

Day 108 - ending at Zumbrota, MN

Day 108 - Prior Lake, MN to Zumbrota, MN

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Critters in the wooded area next to the tent kept waking me up last night with their running through the brush. The breeze started also - I could hear it in the tree tops. However, the temperature was perfect for sleeping. I got around at 6:22am this morning. No work on posting yesterday's report - I hoped to do that with wifi where I'd have breakfast. Except I didn't know where that would be, so I ate a cookie. I had eaten one last night also, so there's only one left. I walked down to the lake before I left, which was at 8:19am.

Today's destination was the campground in Covered Bridge Park in Zumbrota, Minnesota. My at-home routing had it at 65 miles, riding on roads going south and east. The wind today was predicted to be from the southeast. I would need to keep moving.

My first goal was to get from Cleary Lake to Elko New Market. Seems a strange name for a town. I arrived there at 9:55am, and decided to eat breakfast at New Market BP, which used to be Fish Rock Country Market. I missed seeing that they have breakfast sandwiches, so went with pizza. I'd decided by then that I didn't have time to post yesterday's report right then, so moved on at 10:44am.

I was on CR-86 when I passed over interstate I-35 at 11:24am. Noon arrived not long after. 18.0 miles today. I'd stopped in front of a road closed sign, so was using my noon break to figure out what to do about that as I ate my last cookie. I was supposed to go through Cannon Falls, I think to ride on some trails there. The only practical detour for me was to go through Northfield instead. So that's what I did. Besides the wind slowing me down today, there were hills. None that had to be walked (except one), but my speed was lower riding up them. I was shifting gears a lot.

I arrived in Northfield at 1:35pm. There are lots of places to eat in this town. I decided to have another early supper today, this time at Quarterback Club Family Restaurant. Their special was turkey with mashed potatoes, which is what I had.

I was constantly referring to Google Maps today, since I was off-route. That routing got me through the downtown area of Northfield and on my way east. I arrived in Dennison at 4:09pm. The few miles before I had arrived in town had been flat. I was hopeful the roads would stay that way, but they didn't. There was a huge downhill getting to the next town - Sogn, with an equal uphill east of town. I had to walk that, partly because there was traffic and just a gravel shoulder.

At 6:16pm, I was at the intersection with US-52. I was supposed to keep going east, and some south, to get to Goodhue-Pioneer State Trail that goes into Zumbrota. But highway US-52 goes diagonally straight to Zumbrota. Considering the time, I got on US-52.

There is a nice, wide, brand new shoulder on this highway, so I didn't need to keep looking at my mirror. At 6:25pm, I hear, fairly loudly but in a friendly voice, "Hello there." I checked my mirror then. A state trooper was pulling up behind me. He had used his car PA system to get my attention. He walked over and said it was fine that I was riding this highway here, but beyond Pine Island it's controlled access, and bicycles aren't allowed. Checking my map, I would reach Zumbrota before Pine Island, so that would be OK. We talked some about my trip, then both of us got back to what we had been doing.

What the trooper didn't tell me, was the southbound lane was closed ahead. Both southbound lanes merged, and crossed over to the left lane shared with northbound traffic. The shoulder I was on was closed, along with the road. The northbound shoulder was still there. I got over on that and rode against the traffic for several miles all the way the Zumbrota. I was so happy to be off that highway! That was at 7:33pm.

City streets and a bike trail brought me to Covered Bridge Park at 7:50pm. I checked-in with the camp host, paying the $10 extra for a site with electricity. I recorded today's mileage before shutting off the GPS units. Only 58 miles instead of 65. I'm sort of glad I didn't follow my route today.

It's getting dark earlier now, but I got the tent set up and loaded without using a flashlight. It's predicted to be 52F tonight. I think I'll wear a set of clothes to bed.

Jeff

Spent: $8.80 (breakfast items) + $13.84 plus $2 (supper) + $30 (campsite) = $54.64