Southwest Sector of Minnesota Ranked Least Popular in the State

Given the impromptu nature of this tour, I don't have a lot of options as to WHERE I can tour.  Basically, I'm limited to my home state of Minnesota or the neighboring state of Wisconsin.  I toured Wisconsin last year, so that's out.  I've also previously toured through the most scenic and most popular parts of Minnesota:  The Mississippi River Corridor, the St. Croix River valley, the North Shore of Lake Superior, the ACA's Northern Tier route, the Superior National Forest, and the edges of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

Assuming I want to see something new, which would be a pretty good assumption, it seems the only unexplored cycling territory I have left is the southwestern part of the state.  (GASP!)  Almost nobody on earth has ever made that corner of Minnesota a destination for a bicycle tour before.  In a way, I get it.  What's there besides corn fields, soybean fields, farm towns, and an endless flatness?  I'm not sure, but it's my business to find out.  I'm confident there will be something fun to discover. 

Greg Immediately Loses "Winging It" Cred

The very fact that I have a pre-determined direction of travel knocks me down a couple of notches.  I have a turn-around point in mind too.  Worse than that, I admit to having looked at a few maps.  Finally, I'll have time limitations.  I have to be back home in about two weeks for The Feeshko's birthday, a possible meeting with some Cycleblazers, and to drive down to Iowa to take my dad to his monthly medical appointments.  It seems like a bona fide "winging it" style of touring is pretty tough for me to achieve at this time.

I do have a couple things going for me though.  I have no hard and fast rules, no set route, no reservations, no focus, no idea what I hope to accomplish--other than simply taking advantage of a small window of opportunity, getting out on the road, worshipping at The Church of the Great Outdoors, touring locally, and having some fun.

Transport Has Been Arranged

The transportation of me and my bike to the starting point is all set, and it won't involve taxi cabs, buses, bullet trains, passenger jets, or interplanetary spaceships.  It WILL involve the effort of rolling my bike out of the garage though.

That's one of the nice things about touring locally.  There is no need  to endure the logistical nightmare of packing up your bike for airline travel, and there will be none of the stress involved in waiting to see if your bike shows up with you . . . undamaged.