Minneapolis to Wabasha

Click the map for route details

Leaving the Twin Cities
I met some people at the Birchwood Cafe for breakfast and to watch the Tour de France. Billy was there, scottErob, Ba-Dunca, VeloElena, and one who shall not be named because he was just "in the bathroom," as far as his employer was concerned. Usually I would not condone just skipping out of work like that, but you see, he was watching the Tour online at work, when suddenly his connection went dark—legal issues or something, don't ask—and he could not watch anymore. So what was he supposed to do? Of course he had to come to the Birchwood, where he knew the stage would be shown on a big flatscreen TV. It was won, incidentally, by a very tired-looking Tom Boonen. Sorry, Chris, that you had to eat your words. Maybe this will cheer you up. But it was a pretty slow and boring stage, and those slackers did not finish until after 11am, so that I did not leave until 11:30am.

St. Paul
Minnesota's capital city, which sometimes is pushed out of the spotlight by its more active (and all around more awesome) neighbor Minneapolis, has its own charm, so very different from Minneapolis. Definitely not identical twins.

The St. Paul High Bridge and Power Plant

This is where we celebrate my heritage

St. Paul's Cathedral could make St. Peter jealous

Our fair capitol

St. Paul in the rear view mirror

Rejoining the ACA route near Afton. Kate, can I have my $19 back?

Wisconsin
The first new state today, our friendly neighbors to the East. My brother and I always took pictures of me with the state signs, so I will continue the tradition. I will be straddling state lines, seeing how the Mississippi is a state border all the way South from here, so I will confine the border crossing pictures to the first time I enter each state.

Entering Wisconsin

Before the Mississippi turns into the dividing line between Minnesota and Wisconsin, the St. Croix divides the two states. It is the second notable tributary to the Mississippi. Notability is entirely and subjectively determined by myself. The first notable tributary that I bypassed today is, of course, the Minnesota River, which enters the Mississippi by Fort Snelling.

Second notable tributary: St. Croix River

Lake Pepin

Lake Pepin

Lake Pepin is 22 miles long, varies in width from one to two and a half miles, and covers about 38 square miles. It was caused by the delta of the Chippewa spreading across the gorge of the Mississippi at the southeastern end of the lake. Because of its steeper grade, the smaller Chippewa was able to bring in more glacial debris than the Mississippi could carry away.

Third notable tributary: Chippewa River

This delta provided a natural dam and as the water was backed up, Lake Pepin was formed.

"Lake Pepin ought to be visited in the summer by every poet and painter in the land."

—William Cullen Bryant

Maiden Rock

Maiden Rock

"It is told that many years since, a young and beautiful Sioux girl was much attached to a young indian of the same band, and who would have married her but for the interference of her relatives. They insisted upon her marrying another one whom she dispised, and she contrived to avoid the connexion for near a year. At length her relations, having sent away the young man she loved, on this point they compelled her to marry the one they wished. It was evening, and she had not been united more than an hour, before they missed her from the lodge. Nothing could be found of her until morning, when they discovered her at the foot of this precipice, down which she probably precipitated herself."

—James Duane Doty, 1820

Pepin
Pepin is a rather small town with an empty industrial park and lots of houses for sale. It is mostly famous for being the birthplace of Laura Ingalls Wilder. They have also been High School Softball State Champions many times, although I think that was mostly in the 1990's.

Wabasha
Back to Minnesota for the night.

Returning to Minnesota

Wabasha at first appeared to be a bit of a nest, but I quickly changed my mind.

Downtown Wabasha

Yes, it is small, but this town is exceptionally friendly towards cyclists. The police told me I was not supposed to camp in the park, but that they would not bother me if I did, and to make of that what I would. The city park is at the end of town, right by the Mississippi River banks, well-kept, clean, and even has an adjacent bath house with a nice shower and bathrooms. A tourer's heaven.

Camping by the Great River in Wabasha: Dry at night

Hey, they even had a free concert tonight, although apparently you had to be either older than 70 or younger than 15 to attend.

Irish (sort of) Minstrels under the bridge in Wabasha

Mississippi River Crossings
Again only two crossings today. I am afraid I have probably already crossed the Great River more than half of the total for the trip. But here it is:

Mississippi River Crossing 21, Lake Street/Marshall Avenue, Minneapolis

Mississippi River Crossing 22, CR25, Wabasha

Road Kill Tally
Okay, I have been thinking about this long and hard, but I have made an executive decision: birds are off the list. It's just not fair to lump them all together. They would have assumed the lead today, but so far the only repeats are some sparrows, all the others were different. I'm not good enough to keep them all apart, so they run out of contention from now on, but will still be listed, just for information.

1. Skunk: 10
2. Racoon: 9
3. Deer: 7
4. Frog: 4
5. Opossum: 4
6. Cat: 4
7. Mouse: 3
8. Squirrel: 3
9. Woodchuck: 3
10. Snake: 2
11. Porcupine: 1
12. Turtle: 1
13. Fox: 1
14. Bunnywabbit: 1

• Bird: 12

Okay, and if you are still wondering who Laura Ingalls Wilder is: check here.