The roads, winds, and
terrain were reasonable today so I made good mileage...logging close to 70 miles
as I traveled west on Minnesota roads.
Departing from North Branch, I traveled west to Cambridge, Princeton, and then St. Cloud. St. Cloud began as three separate
settlements on the Mississippi River which were founded by three extremely
different men. One of the town sites was
begun by a former slave owner who was involved in the fur trade, bringing slave
owning southerners to the area. The second settlement was begun by a
professional town entrepreneur who attracted Protestants opposed to slavery.
The third site was intended for a saw mill which drew Catholics from Germany. In spite of the
differences, the three settlements eventually merged into one city in 1856. The
name "St. Cloud" was chosen to reflect
the area’s French heritage, being named after a suburb of Paris, France. Soon after, granite
deposits were discovered and area granite companies began shipping the stones
to sites all over the world. Today in addition to granite production, the area
is a center for education, retail, and recreation. From here I need to find my
way west to a little town called Albany where I will hook up with
the Lake Wobegon Trail that is specifically designated for bicycles. I expect
an interesting ride once I start on this trail and hope to see other bicyclists
along the way.
Again
kindnesses came to the fore on this particular trip because it started out that
the Country Inn and Suites gave me a good deal...and then they gave me free
lodging!
I had the choice of camping out tonight or staying in a nice hotel. Karen, sweetheart that she is, gave me a great deal. Pam did even better. She allowed me to stay free of charge! Incredible! Country Inn & Suites East Side...St. Cloud, Minnesota: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
