Serenity gets baptized

September 11, 2023

Day 5: Little Falls to Baxter/Brainerd

IT HAD TO HAPPEN eventually. The laws of chance dictate that, if you ride often enough, you'll eventually get caught in the rain. That's especially true when you're on a tour whose nature doesn't allow much room for schedule flexibility, such as this one. Our hotel arrangements were all made months ago, as needs must when you need rooms for a dozen people, and are not easily changed.

Today's forecast suggests that rain is likely, but that it won't begin until around 1 p.m. Since the day's route is short- less than 40 miles- we think maybe we might get away with one. We don't, so Serenity gets its first wetting, ten months and 1,100 miles after joining my stable of bikes.

Still, it's chilly, about 45 degrees, at 7:00 this morning. We knew it would be so we plan to make our departure from Little Falls around 9, hoping the temperature would have reached at least 50. Everyone's dressed appropriately, adding a layer or two and carrying their rain jackets, "just in case".

The curtain of showers to our east has already gone by. We caught the tail end of it but didn't really get wet.

It doesn't take long before "just in case" becomes "it's time". Within a few miles, a light sprinkle begins and develops into enough of a drizzle to stop the group so that the rain jackets can be donned.

Showers to our north and west. With luck maybe we can squirt through the gap between what's already past and what's clearly coming?

Undaunted, we continue on, eventually turning onto the shoulder of MN 371. It's a relatively busy, and not especially scenic or photogenic four lane divided highway, but it's made rideable by a wide shoulder in good repair.

Apart from the many chunks of shredded tire that litter the surface, there's nothing much to object to. One of the good things about riding in snow country is that the larger roads all have generous shoulders so there's some place for the plows to push the snow when needed.

We appreciated the sentiment even though we were pretty certain it wasn't intended for our exclusive benefit.

Before we get to Hwy 371, we've been looking at a pair of orange and white checkerboard-painted water towers that caught the attention of some of us. We speculate for a few miles as to what purpose they serve. Jim A leans in favor of a Ralston-Purina facility; I am of the opinion we are looking at an airport, or perhaps a military installation, or both (a military airfield).

What are these all about? Inquiring minds want to know.

They're on Camp Ripley, an Army post. I'll claim credit for being the closer guess, because the post does include an airstrip so I'm correct on both counts.

Believe It Or Not: we're skirting the perimeter of Camp Ripley.

Turning right to follow the perimeter of the camp, we see "RR XING" signs. Alert to the risk of crossing wet steel tracks in the rain, I mentally hope that everyone understands the inherent danger and that they will dismount to make the crossing.

These tracks are unique in my experience. They intersect the road at a very low oblique angle, then run down the centerline of the road for few hundred yards before angling off to what is for us the far side of the road and finally into the camp.

What I've never seen before, apart from the shared right-of-way, is a dual-purpose bridge: the tracks cross the (nascent) Mississippi River sharing the same bridge that carries the road across. Not next to the road, but in between the fog lines.

Have you ever seen the like? This is utterly unique, in my experience.

Most of the group have crossed safely when it happens: Joe, riding a hundred yards ahead of me, goes down instantly and hard. He lies there motionless as I close the distance to him, making me fear the worst.

Before I arrive at the spot, a passing motorist traveling the opposite direction has already stopped, exited their vehicle, and begun the assessment process. He's asking Joe how he feels, does he want an ambulance or a medic from the Camp, etc.

Jim W and I are just seconds behind all of this and of course we stop as well. To my relief, it's clear Joe is conscious and reasonably coherent. He's aware of his surroundings and able to answer questions. I text the basic facts to the group; they've stoppd just a half mile ahead anyhow and, although concerned for Joe, they are relieved that it's apparently not catastrophic.

Several other motorists have also stopped and are assisting. One of them, an MN DOT employee as it happens, dons a high-vis safety vest and begins directing traffic. Another stays with Joe, continuing to try to determine the state of his health and extent of any injuries he might've sustained. Jim and I move Joe's bike, and our own, off to one side so that traffic can pass safely and unimpeded.

Carol and the van are just minutes away. Carol's already put her skills as a nurse practitioner to use this week responding to Nettie's accident, and now she gets another opportunity with Joe (her husband).

Soon enough Joe has recovered his equanimity, demonstrating to everyone's satisfaction that he is in fact okay to continue riding so we do. It's a "stately" pace but after a fall like that who cares? We're all just relieved that he's okay. In typical Joe fashion, he says "I ride using the Lamaz method: push 'til I get there."

Before continuing our ride, though, we hear three volleys of shots, and Taps played from the adjacent military cemetary. It's mid-morning on 9/11, and clearly there's a solemn rite of remembrance in progress, as is only fitting and proper. We doff our helmets in respect and have a moment of silence, remembering the horrible events of the day the world changed forever.

Finally continuing on, we make the turn onto MN 371 and ride 11 or so miles to our rest stop. The stop is in an official Rest Area (complete with a Gift Shop) adjacent to Crow Wing State Park. It's got a larger-than-life statue of Paul Bunyan ouside to greet visitors, but alas Babe his big blue ox is absent.

We've been playing tag with the weather, in and out of light drizzle. While we're at the rest stop the rain begins again, heavily enough to convince us to delay our departure until the shower passes. We're only 13 miles from the end of the day's ride and it's only sometime around midday so there's absolutely no reason to rush out into cold wet weather.

Finally the weather clears (we confirm it on the radar image of the weather app) so we start the final push of the day. It begins with a trek on the Mississippi River Trail, a beautiful, winding, wooded path through the State Park and along the Mississippi.

The Mississippi River. Not so mighty here, but still picturesque.

The MRT is joined by the Paul Bunyan Trail. We'll ride the Paul Bunyan for the next couple days, after our day off tomorrow.

Free poles, in assorted colors and sizes.

Our final miles as we leave the river take us into Baxter and Brainerd. This is Coen Brothers country but we don't (or at least I don't) see anything overtly posted in homage to them. We arrive at the hotel while our rooms are still being prepared but who cares? We're out of the weather, warm and dry(ish).

Tomorrow's a non-riding day, so the primary business of the evening's meeting is deciding where to go to dinner. After suitable consideration and weighing of alternatives, we settle on The Black Bear Saloon, which turns out to be an excellent choice.

Everyone's now retreated to their own rooms for the evening, leaving me free to write.

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Today's ride: 40 miles (64 km)
Total: 242 miles (389 km)

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Bonny SkovbrotenSorry you hit some rain! Are you referencing the Coen Brothers? They are actually from St. Louis Park, MN just south of Maple Grove. They were in Torah School with Al Franken and Thomas Friedman. Can't you just imagine being the Rabbi with those 4 minds in the same room? I have a friend from their synagogue who used to tell stories about them. Enjoy the Northwoods, that is the pretty part of our state (along with the driftless area down by the Root River trail in SE MN.) Happy trails.
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