Aliens Send Gigantic Birds To Invade SW Minnesota Bike Trail - It Can't Be THAT Unpleasant - CycleBlaze

August 30, 2023

Aliens Send Gigantic Birds To Invade SW Minnesota Bike Trail

Minnesota State University--Mankato

After a delicious breakfast of coffee and two heaping spoonfuls of creamy peanut butter, I tackled one of Sakatah Lake State Park's hiking trails.  It was pretty nice.  There is no doubt that I like hiking through forests of view-blockers better than I like biking through them.

A scene from my morning hike
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A scene from my exit of Sakatah Lake State Park.
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Then I was back on the Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail.  That thing is really starting to grow on me.  I rode on it for about 25 miles today, and I only had to use two gears the whole time.

And there were a few nice towns along the way.  Waterville and Elysian, in particular, seem to embrace the cycling culture.  I rode into the downtown areas of each town.

 

I liked this mural in Waterville.
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Two tough guys in Elysian.
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Gigantic bird picture #1: You don't see many sandhill cranes in MY part of Minnesota. Maybe they're more common here in SW Minnesota.
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marilyn swettWe actually saw sandhill cranes the other day in western Washington next to the Columbia River.
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8 months ago
Gregory GarceauTo marilyn swettThey're so huge. When I first caught sight of them in the corner of my eye. I thought they might be deer.
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8 months ago
Gigantic bird picture #2: Wild turkeys
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A day just isn't complete without veering off trail for a little gravel. THIS is more like the Southwest Minnesota I was expecting.
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I had a nice lunch break at Eagle Lake.
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I probably should know what these lake flowers are, but I don't.
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Bill ShaneyfeltYes, I agree with you, so here you go!

https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/american-white-water-lily
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8 months ago
I don't know what these white tipped things are either, but I do know the crop behind them is corn.
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Bill ShaneyfeltNot sure... grasses give me fits, but it might be Phragmites

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/64237-Phragmites-australis
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8 months ago
Gigantic bird picture #3: This one is the most otherworldly of all.
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Bill ShaneyfeltLooks like differential grasshoppers like staghorn sumac!

By the way, this time of year, you can soak the red seed heads in water to make a lemonade type drink... Really good. Flavor is due to malic acid.

https://www.pbs.org/food/recipes/sumac-lemonade/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differential_grasshopper

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/167829/browse_photos
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8 months ago
Gregory GarceauTo Bill ShaneyfeltAs tempting as it sounds, I'm not going to make that kind of lemonade.
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8 months ago
Just outside of the city of Mankato
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The Minnesota River, the North River Bike Trail, and a levee leading to downtown Mankato.
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Keith AdamsThere's something vaguely unsettling about that bike path, with the concrete barrier on one side and an open plunge into the river on the other. I'm sure it's all fine but it somehow sets my nerves a-janglin'.
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8 months ago

A bike trip to southwest Minnesota would not be complete without visiting the biggest city in the region.  With a population of 45,140, it is the 22nd largest city in Minnesota.  I got that population figure from a little research I conducted a few minutes ago.  I also learned that 34 of the 50 most populous cities in the state are Minneapolis, St. Paul, and their suburbs.  In fact, more than half of the state's population live in the metro area.  With that in mind, Mankato is a pretty big deal in outstate Minnesota.

In addition, Mankato is the home of Minnesota State University.  My accommodations for this evening are on campus. 

To get to the campus, there was a significant climb of about eight blocks away from the river and downtown.  That surprised me, but I made it. 

Downtown Mankato: Two knights in shining armor.
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Today's ride: 36 miles (58 km)
Total: 107 miles (172 km)

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Graham SmithLooks idyllic Greg.
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8 months ago
Keith KleinHi Greg,
Now you are into my old stomping grounds. I was a professor for 18 years at Minnesota State, and faculty advisor to the MSU bicycling club. I even lived in Madison Lake for a year and rode the Sakata trail almost daily , weather permitting. There’s much to see around town, if you know where to look. And the river valley makes a great ride. I’ll be waiting on the next installment to see where you go .
Cheers,
Keith
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8 months ago
Gregory GarceauTo Keith KleinOf all the Minnesota places you've told me about, I did not know of your professorship at Mankato State. Thanks for promoting it before I left town too early.
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8 months ago