St. Cloud, MN

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!