Cambridge, MN to Osceola, WI

Wednesday, September 10, 2003
Distance Cycled: 43 miles
Total elevation gain: 550 feet

We traveled more east than south today but I am sure that the wind gods declared that we should ride into the wind no matter which direction we rode. The first part of the day was not bad. We trucked along at 13 to 15 miles per hour with the wind mostly at our side and partially in our face. We stopped at Harris, MN where we had a gateraid and took our first long rest. While we were resting, another couple on a recumbent tandem stopped and talked to us for a few minutes their names were Mary and Bill. They have already ridden 4,000 miles this year on their recumbent. After we left Harris, we traveled on county road 9 and we were constantly being passed and approached by semi-gravel trucks. Later we found out that they were paving a road near Shafer, MN and we would be sharing the road with these trucks most of the day. At this point the road began to angle south and we headed directly into the wind again. We would be going 13 to 15 miles per hour on the flat and suddenly a wind gust would reduce our speed to 7 miles per hour. We would be going down a slight hill at 18 miles per hour and a wind gust would reduce our speed to 12 mile per hour. These conditions continued for the rest of the day.

Eight miles from Harris we went through Sunrise. Just after Sunrise we encountered a short hill that had a 9 percent grade. We were already tired so this hill was quite a challenge. In Shafer we stopped for ice cream and popcorn. We were in a bar and the popcorn was free.

Across the street was a plastic factory. Mary Kay went into the plastic factory and asked if they would give us a tour of the factory. They said yes and we enjoyed a tour of the factory. They make the plastic handles for tools as well as various plastic medical items. They make the parts by dipping a heated mold into a vat of liquid plastic and then running the mold through a furnace to cure the plastic that adheres to the mold. Then they use air to blow the plastic off the mold. It was quite interesting.

We continued onto Osceola, WI where we met with Barbara and Scott, our daughter and son-in-law. They are going to ride with us until La Crescent, MN. Which is across the Mississippi River from La Crosse, WI where they will get on Amtrak to travel east to their home in Germantown, WI. On the same day, Ann will get on Amtrak and travel west to her home in Washington State.