Ride Day 120

Yesterday was a rest day for me due to heavy thundershowers but today I got an early start after breakfast at the hotel. I rode from Buffalo to Frontenac State Park 109 miles and a lot of rolling hills to climb but nothing major until I arrived at the park. The ride was on a divided highway all the way into downtown Twin Cities where I realized that winter is over so it must be road construction season. There were detours all over the place and I almost got lost. I still knew generally where I was but I did not know the best route to get through the city. I met a friendly biker that rode up to me and asked me where I was going. We started talking and as we talked he guided me to one of the cities bike paths that crisscross the city. I thanked him for the help and wished him good luck and his son good luck too since he is going to Bozeman State in Montana next year. I told him how much I liked Montana and how bike friendly the state was. Once on the bike path I cruised over to the river and turned right to follow it south to the airport where I veered off to go down highway 52 and 55 in the direction of La Crosse Wisconsin. The ride got really warm later in the day mostly because I was riding out in the bright sun and was getting cooked. I stopped for lunch at a little café just before going to the park. I ordered a half chicken meal. The chicken was a bit dry but there was plenty of mashed potatoes and gravy to get it down. When I finished eating that, I ordered a rootbeer float and some dessert. I heard a loud groan of disbelief from the people in the café. They were shocked at how much I was eating. The truth is I had just eaten a double quarter pounder and a fish sandwich less than 2 hours earlier and I would eat two more meals before the day was over. I started talking to the people in the café then about the calorie burn I have and they started to quiz me about my ride. The usual shocked looks and comments about the crazy guy riding that far ensued. We all had a good time in the end and the waitress totally filled my float glass up with ice cream and gave me the rootbeer in a glass on the side telling me they usually only put one scoop in a float but she wanted to make sure I got enough calories in. We all laughed and I gobbled it quickly before leaving for the park. I had thought the park was going to be an easy one mile ride so I turned off my gps at the café to start charging it for tomorrow. It was actually several miles of riding to get to my campsite including a steep monster hill just before the campsites. I spun up the hill even though my legs were starting to get a bit weak after the hard days ride. Then I went straight to the showers. When I came out there was a retired couple there waiting for me. They wanted to tell me they watched me come up the hill and they were stunned that I made it look easy. They didn’t think anybody would ever be able to climb the long steep hill without a single rest or anything and to not look tired at the top. They were impressed and kind of excited. I told them I just came from the mountains where I spent a couple months riding in mountains all day every day and that seemed to make them understand better. I was feeling good with all the praise about my riding strength and I ended up going for about a 15 mile ride around all the park trails before I put my tent up. The park is right on the Mississippi River and the bluffs were good to look at with eagles soaring up and down the river and boats both sail and power running all around the river. I enjoyed the ride. I should sleep well tonight as long as I don’t start to cramp up. More later…