East. Day 57.

August 4, 2016

Dalbo, Minnesota to Willow River State Park in Burkhardt, Wisconsin

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Maybe it was the delightful cold air of the air conditioning that got me up twice in the night to pee. At 5:30 a.m., the rumble of thunder woke me for good. Severe storms ahead.

Not in a hurry to leave, but Wisconsin was my goal for the day. Donn said it was 60 miles to Stillwater, on the edge of the St. Croix River separating the two states. Even if I left at noon I could still reach Willow River State Park before dark.

Breakfast was delicious. Two farm-fresh eggs fried in butter, with toast and the pre-cooked bacon I bought at the Dollar Store. Of course, I "burned" it crisper. After I scarfed everything, and I mean everything, including the entire package of bacon, I refilled my coffee (brewed coffee!) and went outside to call Andy. We talked for quite a while.

I lingered on the Bunkhouse porch, protected from the now only spitting rain. Soon I would be home--this just a memory instead of an ongoing adventure. Would I miss the ride? The daily routine, plotting and figuring out where to get food, where to do laundry, how to charge my phone?

Did I write enough in my journals? Would I remember details? Like how dirty my shins got riding on the bike path from Brandon to Bowlus. I washed them off at the bathroom sink at the Holdingford trailhead, the town with the covered bridge and where I bought the micro-towels to re-upholster my seat.

The weatherman might not be right about the storm. I felt like I could do anything I set my mind to. I could ride all the way to my LDB friend Karen's house in Eau Claire in one day. Maybe not today, but tomorrow.

I got ready and about to leave when the rain came down. Hard. It was 9:00 a.m. Did you remember my rule? I sat a while to see if the rain would stop. Or ease.

Me, easy on the Bunkhouse porch. (When I was heading west.)

[You'll need to read the book to see how the rest of my day progressed. Coming soon!]

My original Facebook post:

Postcard from the road. Willow River State Park, Wisconsin! 8/4/16

I arrived too soon at the Stillwater Lift Bridge spanning the St. Croix River between Minnesota and Wisconsin. A fancy new bridge rising over the water a bit south is slated to open sometime this year. When that happens, the lift bridge will be converted into a pedestrian/bike path.

But not today. Instead, I had to contend with the 18,000 vehicles a day that currently travels the narrow, two-lane bridge. Luckily, a sidewalk on the eastbound side was just wide enough to squeeze my rig through.

The sidewalk ended at a dirt path edged by shoulder height weeds and a drop off the bottom of which I could not see. And the road soared straight up the escarpment from the river.

I leaned into my load like Sisyphus, thankful I could at least grab the brakes to prevent it from rolling back down.