Dad called just as I was getting out of bed with a birthday wish.
Bought propane: 5 gal which seemed high for time between last refill. Pay attention
Off on route 10 to Detroit lakes and Maplelag.
Cross wind of small velocity really blows the Sprinter around. Real handfull to drive: No asleep @ the wheel.
Drove into Calloway, where the plains meet the forest. Starting to see slight ripples in earth’s crust.
Find Maplelag which is a XC resort done up in old railroad motif. Numerous cabooses are used for sleeping rooms. Lots of other fine buildings also.
Find Jay, my permission contact. He gives me a run down on the bike trails. 7 mile lap and 1500′ per lap.
Headed out: first real taste of midwest forest riding. Tight twisty rooty, rocky, & dark. Trails again milked the elevation w/ side hills & ups and downs. Some open sji trails to fly down or grunt up.
Good skill acquisition trail. 2 hrs, 2 laps 13 miles about 1000′ per lap
Epiphany: Trails on public land out West go somewhere. Trails on private land just go around. Ride what ya got and do good with it and you get a mountain bike ride albeit mountains nowhere in sight.
This picture captures the essence of the riding:
Body armor has a different use here.
Looking out over a silted lake becoming a meadow. Note skyline:
Got a shower in the great facility before leaving.
Drove down the road to ST Cloud, MN staging for WI ride. Found small strip mall behind gas station X road from grade school. Hunkered down for the night.