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!