Thursday, August 21, 2014

Day 40 - Melrose to Little Rock Minnesota

What a day!
Wake up call at 0230.

Ti had told me yesterday that there were supposed to be strong storms in the area last night. Man was he right.
I woke to the sound of light rain on the tent. I stuck my head out to see what the sky looked like. There were flashes of lightning all around but no thunder. I took that as a signal that I it was going to get bad shortly.

Broke camp and headed for the picnic pavilion and none to soon. The bottom fell out and the thunder and lightning were happening at the same time. I stayed awake till about 0330 and then fell asleep on the picnic table. I moved to the pavilion floor with my sleeping bag about 0430 and got some good sleep.

I got up at 0600 and went to town for breakfast. I look for the café with the most pickups and old men inside. You always get a good breakfast and hear the best lies there.

On the road after some breakfast and good conversation. I had about 40 miles of bike trail today with the rest being nice roads.

Rain and drizzle all day.  It felt good to ride in the rain.

The rain is good but not the wind. I wanted to make it to Dalbo tonight but that changed when the wind picked up.

I got out the map and called a place that was supposed to have camping. Alice answered the phone. I asked about camping and she said that I could sleep in the barn.  Work's for me I said and she gave me directions. Just look for the farm in the curve of the road with three driveways.

What a surprise when I arrived. The farm is used for weddings and events and no longer a cattle farm. Alice showed me around a bit and said make myself at home. I would have liked to of found out more about the place but Alice is a lady of few words and was tired from the event they just finished. She said that she leaves for work at seven but I can stay as long as I like, then she was gone. I did find a website for the farm that gives some information about what they do.
Www.alicesattic.com

I walked around and took a lot of pictures of the place. Alice is another one of those extraordinary people that take no money from the passing bike tourers. She opens her home to anyone needing a place for the night.

Pics for the day:

Catholic Church in one of the towns

Going down the Lake Wobegon Trail

Vermont's not the only state with covered bridges

Riding in the rain

Arriving at the farm

My home is up in the loft

Pictures around the farm

My bed

The loft

Around back

3 comments:

  1. News from Lake Wobegon, Prairie Home Companion w/Garrison Keillor was a radio program Mr. Jerry & I listened to every Sunday until they took it off the air, w/Garrison in retirement. Was the highlight of our day, we loved it. Wish I could be w/you to see the country he talked about so fondly for so many years.

    Thank goodness for park pavilions and great folks like Alice. The pics of the barn are awesome. I surely do recognize some of the things you pictured...the outhouse (for sure!), the tractor seat, the oil lantern & the milk cans. Lordy, how many of those things have I hauled around!! Made me feel right to home.

    The covered bridge made me think of, "The Bridges of Madison County", one of my all time favorite Meryl Streep movies. Still got the angels on your handlebars, MJan

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  2. You and Cathy would love looking through the barn.

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