Day 28
Day By Day Notes From The Road
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This document updated July 26th, 2004
New Ulm to Owatonna Minnesota - 71 Miles
By Lucija:
Today was a very short day - with only 70 miles of biking and good weather conditions (very mild wind, cool temperatures, relatively flat), so we were in camp by noon!
The interesting thing is that although the ride has recently gotten physically easier, it has become mentally more difficult for me. As we slowly make our way thought the American farmlands, I miss the dynamic scenery of the western states that revealed a scenic treat behind almost every bend in the road. In addition, the area is becoming more urban and the roads have been getting bigger and busier. So instead of enjoying the cycling, I find myself looking forward to finishing the day's ride and getting to the destination.
Hopefully the remaining 3 weeks still have some surprises stored up for me that will rejuvenate my bicycling enthusiasm - otherwise I might be in trouble!
By Erwin:
Today was a very nice and easy day. Unlike Lucija, however, I don't mind the flats that much. This morning, for example, was gorgeous. The sun was coming up in the distance (we ride East, so depart every morning riding towards the sun) and shone through a thin layer of morning fog, coming off the wet fields and a little river. I like the fact that you can enjoy the same view for as long as 30 minutes.
Another benefit of the flat and constant landscape is that you can really focus on biking. I have come to enjoy the physical process of the biking, regardless of the scenery. I like to start up slowly, pedaling at high cadence and light gear. My body slowly wakes up and any stiffness from the previous day disappears from my legs.
After 10 miles or so, I find that I have sped up to a nice cruising speed that I can keep up for a long time. Once or twice, I got so comfortable in the repetitive movement of pedaling, that my legs were moving in perfect circles as if guided by a magnetic field emanating from my bottom bracket. This really feels great and time flies when I get into this zone.
Tomorrow, we the menu shows a very similar day, only about 20 miles longer. Still looking forward to it.
Photos:
Well, not wanting to bore you with too many scenic photos, here are some other frequent sights from the trip.
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The grain elevator, accompanied with a railroad link. In addition to the water tower, these structures often signal our proximity to a town.
The neighborhood farm equipment dealer - they always have their shiny products lined out on the lawn. We have noticed that John Deere seems to have dominant market share.