There And Back Again, Extreme Hotness Of The Temperature Kind (unfortunately)

Just after posting from the bicycle bunkhouse a few days ago, I was excited to get some company!

One thing that I've really liked about this trip are all the opportunities I've had to meet people that I normally would never get meet in my bubble of work and friends. I mean really, I never thought it would be in my cards to be sitting at a table in a converted barn in the middle of the Minnesota countryside with an army helicopter pilot/farmer and a career coast guarder drinking boxed wine and chatting into the evening. We found so much to talk about! Plus, I got to hear an amazing story about how Donn survived chainsawing himself in the neck. Really good story. Here's a pic if me and Donn before I biked off the next morning.



The only picture of Dale that I have, unfortunately, is the one he accidentally took of himself when he was trying to use my newfangled device (iPhone).



From the bicycle bunkhouse I took Donn Olsen's directions to Stillwater, MN. It was a dreary day that ranged from drizzle to downpour.

I had a pretty awful but short ride the next day from Stillwater to meet my dad at a hotel by the airport in the Twin Cities. It was pouring rain all morning before I left, and I waited as long as I could before leaving town. I had two pots of coffee while I was waiting in vain for the weather to change, so you can imagine how incredibly hyper I was. In the early afternoon I just decided to go for it. It was like biking in the shower.



Steamy.



Putting on my brave face. That's a fake smile.



Trying to take pictures while biking is a bad idea.

In the course of this thunder and lightning filled ride I:
1) Fell in the mud
2) Got lost
3) Got a flat on a bridge and had to change it in really bad place

Finally got to hotel and met up with dad! Yesterday we poked around the city while his bike was getting put back together at the shop. We went to Mall of America, which was disgusting.






And ride the lightrail around town doing errands.



There is now a horrible heat wave going through the area. Me and dad left early this morning, but fell short of our goal as the heat index rose to 110 degrees (the low tonight is 81).






Tomorrow is gonna be the same, so we're gonna get up even earlier and try and get somewhere.

Feeling a bit frustrated by lack of progress. Also missing Nathan. Is a bit if an adjustment to have him be busy doing awesome stuff all day, instead of being available to talk to me whenever I want! :( I guess the world can't revolve around me all the time...sigh.

Wish me and dad luck as we muck our way through the heat tomorrow!

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