June 20, 2014

While not perfect, Andrea is feeling much better. After having subjected my sweet wife to every test devised by the medical profession, the general consensus is that while not feeling at the top of her game, some of the really serious diseases have been ruled out. Thanks to modern medicine and pharmacopeia, Andrea's most irritating symptoms are under control. The general plan now is that we're going to just give her time to recuperate, watch for improvement, and act accordingly. This being the case and assuming that I have her blessing, I will again hit the road and attempt to finish my trip before the family reunion in mid August. 


In the meantime, the agenda is welcoming our new granddaughter, Vera Mae Ward, into the world and spending a little time spoiling her. Needless to say, she is beautiful just like her mother and will certainly be her daddy's delight.
 

This evening will be very special as we celebrate our younger daughter's completion of her surgical residency. After four years of college, four years of medical school, one year of internship, and four years of residency, she is finally done! ... Well, kind of done... as she, Paul (her wonderful husband) and our little granddaughter Jennie move to Portland for one more year of training in the specialty of Emi's choice. Paul is finishing up his work in Denver, Emily is in the last days of her residency, and we are all packing boxes for the move. But tonight, it's all about celebrating!

Trip hiatus

Just a heads up for those who are following my blog and who watch my Spot pretty closely, we've had a family illness so I'm on my way home and will alert everyone when I resume the trip. Have rented a car, "Traveler" and I are driving to Decatur, Illinois and expect to arrive sometime late tonight or in the morning...DO I STILL KNOW HOW TO DRIVE???

Fargo, ND

I've worn out my second chain and now on my third as I reach North Dakota. Traveler is getting a complete work over, cleaning all the drive mechanisms, making sure the air is right in the tires, and installing a new chain.

It's goodbye Minnesota, a wonderfully friendly state, gracious people, beautiful roads with wide shoulders, and terrific bike paths! I will miss Minnesota; it is definitely a bike-friendly state. Hello North Dakota with your wide-open spaces, limited amenities, strong winds, and vast empty plains.  I will travel to Bismarck, and it is there that I will take a hiatus as I leave the road to return to family affairs...Emily will be graduating from her surgical residency and assuming the responsibilities of a board-certified surgeon. Jennifer will be delivering our third grandchild, a little girl, and I will be there for both of these incredible events.

After this break in the routine I will return to the road in order to complete my cross country trip. At this point I must figure out how best to get to Bismarck, and once there, what to do with Traveler, determine how to get home so that I can convey Andrea, my sweet wife, to see our daughters and partake in their astounding events.  Jennifer, my schedule is rather tight so please get those contractions going! 

Jose, Rachel, and I went out for dinner at a Mexican restaurant (great food) and then took pictures around town. A special thanks to Jose and Rachel for their very gracious hospitality! It's nice to have new friends and I look forward to their visit to Illinois sometime in the future.

My day of rest while staying with Jose and Rachel allowed me to have much-needed work done on traveler. Had the derailleur adjusted, brakes adjusted, wheels aligned, spokes tightened and added a new chain, second one of the trip.  They seem to be good for only 1000 miles with this kind of wear and tear. I have covered well over 2000 miles so far so it was about time unless I wanted to change the back sprocket. 

Special thanks also to the Great Northern Bicycle Shop for doing such a fine job on Traveler on such short notice.

I feel rested, ready to hit the road again, and looking forward to this new phase of my bike trip.

May 26, 2014

Near ND border...brutal winds!!!

Western Minnesota is a transition into the typical plains type ecosystem where trees become sparse and the grasses take over. Unfortunately the winds are seemingly non-abating, and there are long flat and rolling stretches one has to bicycle fighting the wind and charbroiling in the sun. Bicycled just under 60 miles today in order to reach Moorehead, Minnesota, which is located just across the border from Fargo, North Dakota.  I will be spending the next two nights with Rachel and José Rodriguez, new friends that I met while bicycling yesterday. Through their gracious hospitality I will be able to regain my strength, have my bicycle serviced, and do a little sightseeing around Fargo. In return, it is my hope that they will visit us in Decatur with the promise to travel to Chicago by Amtrak so that we can take in a couple shows. They are a really fun couple, very easy to get to know, and while we have been friends for not much more than 24 hours I feel like I have known them for years. I will take time tomorrow to plan my route across North Dakota in light of the fact that there will be a tremendous amount of truck traffic as a result of the oil patch work that is underway.

Rachel & Jose

This picture was taken at the HuHot Mongolian Grill Stir-Fry Restaurant. What a really fun spot to sample various assortments and mixtures of Mongolian cuisines and sauces. You select the ingredients buffet style and at a huge round grill a bevy of chefs cook it for you. Not only was it a fun experience but tasty as well. Rachel, Jose, and I did our part and ate all we could.

May 25, 2014

After departing Eagles Healing Nest in Sauk Centre at 9:00AM this morning, I bicycle 75 miles to Fergus Falls, Minnesota.  In another day's ride I will be in North Dakota. Met up with Sourin, Jose, and Rachel in Alexandria and we rode together for the remainder of the day. They were fun folks and I hope to meet up with them once again in a couple of days. It was a great day's ride, beautiful weather, perfect trail conditions, and the wind was in our favor. I will miss my new friends in Eagles Healing Nest but will carry them in my thoughts as I travel across this great country of ours.

Ouch!

 One of my biking companions trying decide which hurts worse...his butt or his back... I think it was a tie.


 

Lakes State Trail

  This guy came after me when I tried to take his picture! He was not the least bit afraid of me!

Eagles Healing Nest, Sauk Centre, MN

Their motto:  "Through the determination of a mother's love, building a place to heal with honor, and finding the strength to heal her heroes and our families!"Having met Tim Milo, I was introduced to a world of recovery that I did not even know existed. Located in Sauk Center, Minnesota, Eagles Healing Nest refuses to accept statistics of failure when it comes to reimmersing veterans back into civilian life.  "Coming home" is more than getting on an airplane and coming back to the world, as the transition is not an easy one either for the veterans or for their families.  Melody Butler (Chair and Director), a crew of core volunteers, as well as many others who donate their time and efforts are attempting to make a tangible difference in the lives of those who have served our country.  Their approach is different and therefore often under scrutiny. Their intentions are honorable, results are tangible, and the message needs to be spread across to those who wish to also contribute to making a tangible difference. If you want to make a difference you need to get involved with your time, energy and financial resources. I have been humbled by my visit here, humbled by the challenges that lay ahead, humbled by what confronts our veterans and humbled by what they must go through to get the help promised to them by our government.

Tim Milo

 After multiple deployments, Tim Milo has found his way home to a loving wife and a child yet to be born, and as a proprietor and owner where they make the best coffee and the finest chicken salad sandwiches in Minnesota.  Thank you for the lead; I will be staying at Eagles Healing Nest due to the graciousness of Melody Butler.  It was a pleasure meeting you...stand tall.

Dan from Lakeville, MN

 Two tours in Iraq and one in Afganistan

 Dan passed along his 4th Div patch to be carried on this journey across United States to honor his unit, its members, and the memory of those who didn't make it home.

Jay

 It does not matter how many times you fall...it's how many times you're able to get up, according Jay.  You give what you can, contribute where you might, and just move on doing all the good you can, wherever you can. We all stumble, we are all not steady on our feet, having the courage to ask for help, but finding the strength to stand tall and moving on is what life is all about.

Linda Hines

Linda cares for the needs and vulnerabilities of the soldiers at Eagles Healing Nest... She listens, soothes, and works with their souls and on their bodies. A most impressive lady!

  Jamie Stowe, Dan Klutenkhmper, Mark Roberson and me at one of Eagles Healing Nest's facilities that is dedicated to "promises made."

 Yet another of the facilities that is dedicated to "promises kept."  Taking actions that give tangible results to help our returning veterans resume their lives and pick up where they left off as best they can.

  This bracelet, made for me by Jamie Stowe and presented at Eagles Healing Nest, will serve as a reminder that I, too, have a responsibility to my fellow veterans. Just as we cared for one another in war we must care for one another in peace... No one will be left behind. I will do my part to see that Eagles Healing Nest receives the support that it needs to carry on its very important mission.

 

Lake Wobegon Trail to Sauk Centre, MN

Great trail!

JP Auer-the rest of the story!

Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon, the associated town are fictional. According to JP, Albany is the real Lake Wobegon... It's where Garrison Keillor hung out, it has a lake, and a high school. So let it be known this is the real Lake Wobegon. Additionally another interesting fact is that it was the epicenter of Minnesota 13... which was a species of corn specifically developed for this area and the corn that makes great moonshine. The inference is that this is the moonshine capital of Minnesota according to JP. It makes for a great story so who might argue.

Albany, Minnesota

Melrose, Minnesota

The German Catholics certainly know how to build cathedrals!