A wet ride back to Grand Rapids

May 18, 2019

The forecast for today was cold, wet and windy and it did not disappoint. Fortified with oatmeal and an English muffin with peanut butter, I was ready to embrace the 40°F temperature and steady rain. The saving was that the wind would be at our backs, or at least over our right shoulder. Due to the conditions and the fact that we had passed this way two days before, we did not stop for pictures. In fact, we barely stopped at all and then only for a few minutes. The ride was fairly uneventful save for the ungodly squeaking of my disc brakes. At one point I thought that a train was approaching! Greg did drop a chain on one of the uphills, providing the only en route photo of the day.

We arrived back at the car a little after 1 pm and peeled off our wet outer layers before heading back to Dottie's for lunch. Two hot chocolates were the first order of business, one with and one without whipped cream. I couldn't resist the "home cooking" of Dottie's and ordered meatloaf with real mashed potatoes - definitely welcome comfort food.

Greg succeeds in putting his chain back on

Completion of one leg of my spring fling. A great trail through an area rich in the past and present of rural America.

I'll take my hot chocolate without whipped cream. Yum!

It had stopped raining by the time we left Dottie's and after dropping Greg in the Twin Cities I headed for home. The downpour renewed as I reached the Iowa state line, which kept me alert for the remainder of the trip. I took my bike in today for a good brake pad cleaning and I'm readying things for my next midwest fling - to the Flint Hills of Kansas for a 3 day ride over Memorial Day weekend. While it should be warmer, I just hope the weather settles a bit and we can have a tornado-free ride. Stay tuned.

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Today's ride: 43 miles (69 km)
Total: 150 miles (241 km)

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Kathleen JonesWhat a nice ride. As much as possible we go for the unsullied beauty on our rides, don't we? Mining isn't pretty and the effects on the land and towns aren't good, but it's part of what's made our modern life possible. So I enjoyed seeing what the Iron Range had to offer. Thanks for the history lessons.
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4 years ago

Susan CarpenterTo Kathleen JonesThanks so much for your comment Kathleen. One of the reasons I so enjoy bike touring is that it allows a broader yet more intimate perspective on the culture and history of an area - be that in the US or in other countries. In all my travels, I find local folks are welcoming, kind, and always ready to help. It's good for the soul in these divisive times.
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4 years ago