David Trip 2023

By David Freeze

Change of plans ends well!

  I had it all figured out and because I did, I didn’t rush as much this morning to get on the road. I was leaving Grand Rapids and on the way to Bemidji, where I thought I had a room all lined up for tonight. Planning to only do 70 miles, I stopped to get breakfast things a couple times. I pedaled through White Oak and Deep River, both small but very clean as most of Minnesota is. People are proud of their state and it shows.

  I have a friend here who lives in Bemidji and he sent a text saying, “You realize that motel is 25 miles south of Bemidji.” Somehow that fact escaped me. The motel I needed, Lake George Pines Motel, was close Lake Itasca, the source of the Mississippi. I had to make a direction change and headed south of Bemidji for 35 miles, leaving me about a dozen miles from Lake Itasca. I love the motel, which I think is still in the Leech Lake Indian Reservation. Another positive was a fairly new convenience store a block away. The clerk said, “You weren’t kidding when you said you would eat a lot!” I bought three bags of stuff and will eat nearly all of it tonight, plus I was nearly out of water at arrival.

  I saw the Mississippi River again this morning, and I suspect that I could wade across it. I know that people will be walking across it tomorrow morning when I see the source at Lake Itasca. They have a wonderful visitor center and this year I can view it after seeing the river all the way from New Orleans back up to the source.

   It was a long ride today of 85 miles with no other towns. Lake George is a town itself, and also a small lake. The town has a population of 233.

   I will go to the Visitor Center at Lake Itasca, first thing and at least at this writing, I plan to ride back to Bemidji for the evening. Plans can change for sure and these might.

  After I leave the lake source tomorrow, part two of my adventure will begin. I will be pedaling back east to Grand Rapids and then on to Duluth, Minnesota. From there, at least some version of a Lake Superior visit will happen. More on that later.

   Since this is a short report and included a lot of time riding through the endless woods, I have a little more to include tonight. I have been hearing from many of the readers and I love it. That is always positive and a boost for me when you take time to write something.

   And finally, this is a very challenging trip so far. After all is said and done, I look forward to the best thing of the day, my hot shower that signals the end of all I have to do. Even though the weather has cooled off here too, I get excited to take that shower! I am headed that way soon.

See you back here tomorrow!

By David Freeze

 Bigger miles with the Mississippi source in sight!

  I had a wonderful room last night at the Super Eight at Baxter. I didn’t sleep especially well due to the activities of those in the room above me. Hopefully I can make some of it up tonight. This morning had some pressure because I had to get to Grand Rapids and it was a longer ride.

   The ride began at first light, about 6:15am. My plan was to mix the Great River Road and a slightly shorter route where sightings of the river and towns were less likely. Towns are far apart in this area anyway. The whole ride for the next few days will be in Minnesota.

   First towns visited were Ironton and Crosby, almost touching each other. They are considered twin cities but both are very small.I asked several people where the Mississippi was and no one seemed to know. Big lakes are scattered throughout the day’s route. I rode on and found the river just north of Crosby, and I was shocked at how small it is.

  Iron mining was a staple of the economy for many years locally and a beautiful mural depicts the miners.

   I visited a little town called Emily. Very small, I stopped only to eat a breakfast biscuit that I already had. As soon as I left town, a major thunderstorm hit hard. With the long route planned, I rode it out, complete with lightning and heavy rain for about an hour. And with serious rumble strips forcing me into the lane constantly during the low visibility.

   I rode north on State Road 6 for more than 50 miles. During that time, I revisited Remer, which earlier called itself the Bigfoot Capital of the World. Instead of a life size Bigfoot stationed at each town entrance, there was only a small sign. The Bigfoot store is still open. I stopped in Remer on my Washington to Wisconsin ride several years back.

   After leaving Remer on the way to Grand Rapids, I was hit by a second storm not nearly as intense as the first. After both storms, the sun came out and my clothes dried quickly. The afternoon especially had lots of small hills that slowed the pace but I did finish 86 miles.

   I made an agreement for a room last night here in Grand Rapids, at a remodeled older motel now called Hotel Rapids. Upon arrival, I had to argue for the rate given last night, and although it is now a trendy and upscale place with its own grill and bar, I would have preferred the simpler place down the road.

   Tomorrow, I will end up in Bemidji, the last real town and jumping off point to visit Lake Itasca. This large lake is the source of the Mississippi and I will see it again in two days.

  I had a tailwind today amid the rain storms. It was also the coolest day so far. The forecast calls for warmer temperatures for the rest of the week. No ice cream tonight, but I will resume that practice tomorrow. Join me back here for the latest update.

By David Freeze

Still searching for the perfect day, but with some improvement!

   I keep thinking I am going to hit my stride one day soon. There have been unusual challenges often with the first seven days, but I felt better about things in general today.

  I left Sartell with the Great River Road right in front of my motel. I had a nice night and a good breakfast at the AmericInn. Heading east, the first 5 miles or so were right along the river with good viewing almost constantly. I passed a big dam and an old paper mill in the Sartell area.

   Then came a long ride to Little Falls through the country, most of it through farmland with little traffic. Good riding with only a few hills. I rode in the cool morning temperatures starting in the mid-50s and didn’t take my long sleeved shirt off for a couple hours. I spotted the river occasionally but more often as I neared Little Falls, some of it with the river within 20 feet of the road.

   Little Falls was named after some former falls near the town. Apparently some industry had changed the low falls. Just before reaching town, I saw the state park that includes the boyhood home of Charles Lindbergh, one of the most famous aviators for his first ever solo flight across the Atlantic. The home was built by his dad, Congressman Charles A. Lindbergh.

   I followed the GRR signs all morning and rode into the town of Little Falls. I stopped at the Speedway convenience store and asked the clerk if the GRR continued straight. Rather smugly, he said, “Oh, the GRR stops right here at our store.” I told him that wasn’t right snd showed him the map, but he was defiant that it did stop. I just continued straight through the town and soon found more signs that told me to turn, and rode on about 10 miles following them. I thought of calling that store back and telling the guy he was wrong. The GRR does continue all the way to the source.

   I passed Camp Ripley, the National Guard base that specializes in winter training. It had a beautiful main gate entrance and encloses 53,000 acres. Most guardsmen train 2 weeks a year at Camp Ripley. A frontier fort used up until the 1870s is still maintained within the camp.

   Next, I got my big challenge. I continued on following the signs and the map. Just on the other side of Camp Ripley, the GRR signs directed me onto the interstate. I noticed right away the signs forbidding bikes on the interstate in Minnesota, and reluctantly rode back off the ramp. I asked Siri for a bike route to Brainerd, the next town. The distance was about the same, which seemed fine. Until, I saw that the first road was gravel. A loaded bike is almost impossible to ride on loose gravel, but I made it a mile, then found that she wanted me to turn on another gravel road for seven miles. I simply couldn’t control the bike and it wouldn’t climb in the gravel.

    A US Postal Service vehicle passed me, and I wished I had stopped her for information. I walked up and coasted down another hill with both feet out to keep from crashing. I spotted a white truck ahead parked next to a corn field. Andy Eller, who works for Steffes Power, had an iPad that showed the available roads. Andy had been having lunch, a good thing for me. We had a very enjoyable talk about things, before he gave me a route out of the mess. First he hauled me to the end of that road, where I had a paved option and a similar distance ride to avoid the gravel roads. Andy told me about the major drought in the area, and added that lots of the roads in the area were gravel. Fine for vehicles, terrible for loaded bikes. Thank you, Andy!

    I made it to Brainerd and then into Baxter where I am spending the night in a wonderful Super Eight. I have eaten a huge load of food, including today’s ice cream flavor, Drumstick, the Original Sundae Cone by Nestle.

   My legs came around today and I felt good all the way, finishing in 69 miles. Tomorrow, I am going for Grand Rapids, which if successful will be the longest ride of this journey so far. I don’t expect to see the river much tomorrow as the GRR doesn’t look close.

    Thanks for following along! See you tomorrow!

By David Freeze

Still looking for the perfect day!

 The day dawned cool and pleasant this morning at the Regency Inn in Anoka, Minnesota. I hoped to make significant progress while Ethan Horne was again riding with me. Ethan is from China Grove and we are longtime fiends. Ethan lives in Minneapolis, so he took the time to ride with me Saturday afternoon and part of Sunday morning before heading back home.

   We checked out the town, interesting since the Rum River empties in the Mississippi near the town. They are building a 20 mile trail that includes both rivers and the town. Lots of historic buildings still remain in Anoka.

    We road north on the Great River Road through Dayton, Otsego and into Monticello through a few hilly segments but some easier riding as well. Turkeys were abundant in the area. Ethan turned around at Monticello, which was incorporated in 1855, and headed back home. It was fun to have him along, especially with his own  outstanding list of endurance cycling accomplishments.

   After some light rain, the sun came back out and so did a consistent headwind. I passed the edge of Clearwater and then rode into St. Cloud, a city of about 51,000. I had a dilemma, wanting to continue riding on to Little Falls about 35 more miles but the only listed regular motel was full. I decided to continue on to Sartell and AmericInn. I had tried to talk Ileen Geisel into a deal, but still stopped here for the evening. We had a very pleasant conversation about my rides and about her bike. This is the nicest motel so far on this ride. Sartell has one of the few sets of rapids on the Mississippi.

   Tomorrow, I am hoping for at least Brainerd, Minnesota, where I will complete three bridge crossings. Those crossings will continue the rest of the way to Lake Itasca, the source of the Mississippi. At each crossing, I am seeing the smaller size of the river as I head north. There will also be less towns coming up too. Right now, I think it will be three more days to the source.

   Following the Lake Itasca stop, I will ride east to Lake Superior and hope to ride into Canada briefly at Thunder Bay. I understand that the area is called the Northwoods and will have some interesting stops along Lake Superior, the biggest of the Great Lakes.

   Thanks to David Post for sponsoring again this year.
   See you back here tomorrow! I am sure it will be another interesting journey.

By David Freeze

Still searching for the perfect day, but with some improvement!

   I keep thinking I am going to hit my stride one day soon. There have been unusual challenges often with the first seven days, but I felt better about things in general today.

  I left Sartell with the Great River Road right in front of my motel. I had a nice night and a good breakfast at the AmericInn. Heading east, the first 5 miles or so were right along the river with good viewing almost constantly. I passed a big dam and an old paper mill in the Sartell area.
   Then came a long ride to Little Falls through the country, most of it through farmland with little traffic. Good riding with only a few hills. I rode in the cool morning temperatures starting in the mid-50s and didn’t take my long sleeved shirt off for a couple hours. I spotted the river occasionally but more often as I neared Little Falls, some of it with the river within 20 feet of the road.

   Little Falls was named after some former falls near the town. Apparently some industry had changed the low falls. Just before reaching town, I saw the state park that includes the boyhood home of Charles Lindbergh, one of the most famous aviators for his first ever solo flight across the Atlantic. The home was built by his dad, Congressman Charles A. Lindbergh.
 

  I followed the GRR signs all morning and rode into the town of Little Falls. I stopped at the Speedway convenience store and asked the clerk if the GRR continued straight. Rather smugly, he said, “Oh, the GRR stops right here at our store.” I told him that wasn’t right snd showed him the map, but he was defiant that it did stop. I just continued straight through the town and soon found more signs that told me to turn, and rode on about 10 miles following them. I thought of calling that store back and telling the guy he was wrong. The GRR does continue all the way to the source.
 

  I passed Camp Ripley, the National Guard base that specializes in winter training. It had a beautiful main gate entrance and encloses 53,000 acres. Most guardsmen train 2 weeks a year at Camp Ripley. A frontier fort used up until the 1870s is still maintained within the camp.
 

  Next, I got my big challenge. I continued on following the signs and the map. Just on the other side of Camp Ripley, the GRR signs directed me onto the interstate. I noticed right away the signs forbidding bikes on the interstate in Minnesota, and reluctantly rode back off the ramp. I asked Siri for a bike route to Brainerd, the next town. The distance was about the same, which seemed fine. Until, I saw that the first road was gravel. A loaded bike is almost impossible to ride on loose gravel, but I made it a mile, then found that she wanted me to turn on another gravel road for seven miles. I simply couldn’t control the bike and it wouldn’t climb in the gravel.
 

  A US Postal Service vehicle passed me, and I wished I had stopped her for information. I walked up and coasted down another hill with both feet out to keep from crashing. I spotted a white truck ahead parked next to a corn field. Andy Eller, who works for Steffes Power, had an iPad that showed the available roads. Andy had been having lunch, a good thing for me. We had a very enjoyable talk about things, before he gave me a route out of the mess. First he hauled me to the end of that road, where I had a paved option and a similar distance ride to avoid the gravel roads. Andy told me about the major drought in the area, and added that lots of the roads in the area were gravel. Fine for vehicles, terrible for loaded bikes. Thank you, Andy!
 

   I made it to Brainerd and then into Baxter where I am spending the night in a wonderful Super Eight. I have eaten a huge load of food, including today’s ice cream flavor, Drumstick, the Original Sundae Cone by Nestle.

   My legs came around today and I felt good all the way, finishing in 69 miles. Tomorrow, I am going for Grand Rapids, which if successful will be the longest ride of this journey so far. I don’t expect to see the river much tomorrow as the GRR doesn’t look close.

    Thanks for following along! See you tomorrow!

By David Freeze

Still looking for the perfect day!

 The day dawned cool and pleasant this morning at the Regency Inn in Anoka, Minnesota. I hoped to make significant progress while Ethan Horne was again riding with me. Ethan is from China Grove and we are longtime fiends. Ethan lives in Minneapolis, so he took the time to ride with me Saturday afternoon and part of Sunday morning before heading back home.
   We checked out the town, interesting since the Rum River empties in the Mississippi near the town. They are building a 20 mile trail that includes both rivers and the town. Lots of historic buildings still remain in Anoka.

    We road north on the Great River Road through Dayton, Otsego and into Monticello through a few hilly segments but some easier riding as well. Turkeys were abundant in the area. Ethan turned around at Monticello, which was incorporated in 1855, and headed back home. It was fun to have him along, especially with his own  outstanding list of endurance cycling accomplishments.

   After some light rain, the sun came back out and so did a consistent headwind. I passed the edge of Clearwater and then rode into St. Cloud, a city of about 51,000. I had a dilemma, wanting to continue riding on to Little Falls about 35 more miles but the only listed regular motel was full. I decided to continue on to Sartell and AmericInn. I had tried to talk Ileen Geisel into a deal, but still stopped here for the evening. We had a very pleasant conversation about my rides and about her bike. This is the nicest motel so far on this ride. Sartell has one of the few sets of rapids on the Mississippi.

   Tomorrow, I am hoping for at least Brainerd, Minnesota, where I will complete three bridge crossings. Those crossings will continue the rest of the way to Lake Itasca, the source of the Mississippi. At each crossing, I am seeing the smaller size of the river as I head north. There will also be less towns coming up too. Right now, I think it will be three more days to the source.
 

  Following the Lake Itasca stop, I will ride east to Lake Superior and hope to ride into Canada briefly at Thunder Bay. I understand that the area is called the Northwoods and will have some interesting stops along Lake Superior, the biggest of the Great Lakes.

   Thanks to David Post for sponsoring again this year.

   See you back here tomorrow! I am sure it will be another interesting journey.

By David Freeze

What a day!!

 Seldom have I had a day where one challenge after another becomes expected. I left the nice Hastings Inn in Hastings, Minnesota early while wearing a long sleeve shirt for the first time on this trip. After all the heat of the last few days, Hastings had a morning low in the upper 50’s with a projected high in the low 80s. A cool north wind was forecast. All seemed upbeat for the day.

   I rode to Minneapolis on US 61, with steadily building traffic. I planned to meet long time friend Ethan Horne, originally of China Grove, in Minneapolis where he has lived for three years. Ethan played Y basketball for me, worked with me at the Y and was a strong cross country runner for Carson High. Ethan has ridden his bike around the perimeter of the US and served two years in the Peace Corps. I found Ethan at the St. Paul Farmers Market and met his fiancee Kim Hyatt for the first time. Ethan and Kim recently rode their bikes along the Mississippi River to St. Louis.

   On the way to the farmers market, l wanted to exit US 61 but that lane was closed and blocked for construction. As 61 exits the rest of the road becomes Interstate 94,  not a good place for me. So I took the 61 exit hoping to ride right on through the construction. That worked until I got to the far side of it and the road had been removed, nothing but deep mud remaining. So I got back on the interstate to find that I had to exit left to reach the farmer’s market. It would have been crazy to try that on a bike, so I got off at the next exit and and tried the interstate again on the other side, finally making my way to meet Ethan and Kim.

   Ethan wanted to ride with me today and he did, especially since he was familiar with the both of the twin cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul. We followed much of the Great River Road until Ethan headed off separately to find a bike shop to fix a bad tire. He caught back up with me because of the next bad thing. A train of tank cars had blocked the route out of town to the north. We tried to ride around the blockage, but found each successive rail crossing blocked too. Other cars were driving around the northern part of the city trying to find a way through and there was none. The only other main road to the north was also blocked for construction.

   Frustrated with the situation, we carried our bikes and bags across the back of one of the tank cars while it sat blocking the intersection. An hour lost, but we were back on the road.

  Before leaving the city, I saw the majestic St. Paul’s Basilica, built in 1914. We stopped to look at the inside of the great church.

   Getting close to the end of the riding day, we stopped at a convenience store to get cold drinks and plan the where to stop for the night. No motels were listed close by but one of the store customers knew of one. We headed for it and, believe it or not, found the final road completely under construction. We had to take another detour and finally made it to the motel, the Regency Inn. When we got a room, the AC didn’t work. After a room change, all seems well, and I am finally able to write this.
   

We are in Anika, Minnesota for tonight after 61 hard fought miles. We rode along the river, much of the Great River Road. Hopefully a calm day will come tomorrow and will total more miles.
   

Thanks for riding along! See you back here tomorrow.

By David Freeze

 A challenging day, it got hot here too!

 I spent a wonderful night at the Water’s Edge Motel in Stoddard, Wisconsin. The Mississippi River was out front and the railroad track was behind. Trains ran regular through the night, and I love that too. I got my first ever sunset photos over the Mississippi. On my way out this morning, a guy in his pickup waited for me and wanted to know where I was going. My ultimate goal is a quick visit into Canada before I return home, and I told him so. He said the fires might be a problem for that trip, and he was most surprised that we get a smoky haze all the way into NC.

   As I write this, I have already eaten my ice cream, Nature’s Touch Premium Vanilla. And I am working on a Mega Buddy, the largest iced drink that Kwik Trip has. A train is rumbling by and a small air conditioner is struggling to cool a very nice room, again facing the Mississippi from the Hillcrest Motel, in business since 1957. I am finally cool for the first time this afternoon.

    After Stoddard this morning, I pedaled to La Crosse, Wisconsin, a town of about 51,000. The main road through town is undergoing major construction, so mostly I rode among the workers. Traffic had to bypass it, but no one mentioned a thing to me. I rode across the Mississippi on Route 14, where I climbed a beautiful old bridge. Just on the other side, ever alert for nails, screws and glass that cause flats, I found a damp $5 bill. I have found coins often while running, but never a $5 bill.

    Jon advised me last night to cross to the Minnesota side to get better views of the river and he was right again. As I began looking for a place to stay tonight, I found one that caused me to cross over again to the Wisconsin side. Much of the road was blacktop, the worst for a very hot day. I went through Winona and crossed the bridge there, and then visited Fountain City and arrived in Alma where I am spending the night. Both Fountain City and Alma are very historic, with quite a few buildings that look like Marshall Dillon and Miss Kitty would have liked them.

   Alma became a village in 1868, immigrants started gathering here 20 years before. Originally called 12 Mile Bluff because of the prominent rocky point that can be seen for 12 miles away on the river. Riverboat pilots used it for navigation. This is a major bald eagle habitat too. I think I saw one today.

   I had 74 miles today, but more than a mile was to go back into town for food. Thankful for a good tailwind, it was hot with the Alma bank thermometer at 101. Radio reports called it 95 and 96. Tomorrow is supposed to be cooler with rain, maybe starting tonight. That is fine with me, but I will try to get close to Minneapolis either way.

   Thanks for following along on this adventure! My goal for this trip was to through the little towns along the upper river, and it has been a blast so far. Join me here again tomorrow!