String of Friends

Static map: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/409810764?privacy_code=QcjBCjrQii1aAxG5YC2t5OxyVQGQFMUK Animated map: https://www.relive.com/view/vPOp7YXP9Ev It was, in my mind, supposed to be a 53 mile day. It was going to be in the mid 90s with high humidity, but I'd get to camp early and rest and relax. Plus, much of the day was going to be on a flat bike trail. It turned out to be one of the most grueling days of the trip so far.  I decided to eat at the restaurant at the park. I couldn't finish the enormous spread. It was my fault. I was warned the pancakes were huge. Eating at the restaurant also gave me time to dry my tent. I was moving at 8:30. The old 2022 me would have left at first light.  (No, I didn't finish it all) I quickly made the trail on a busy-ish road with great shoulders. Then it was time for the Hennepin Canal Trail. A canal trail just seems cool even though the canal was never a commercial success. It opened in 1907, way after other...

(Famous round barn built to house a renowned brain surgeon's cows) Static map: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/409540684?privacy_code=pf2c5Qs718AWMCLI9QdHpo4LQxB5onDM Animated map: https://www.relive.com/view/vMv8zQjjZP6 SOFAUS 3 Day 10 Yesterday was a rest day. I hung out in Galesburg all day. I'm not going to write much except to say I rode to Target to buy replacement clothes, had brunch at Judy’s Family Cafe. With her 600K Instagram followers, she is better at marketing than pancakes. I really wanted to poke in the Knox College buildings but, alas, they were close summer Sundays. I took solace with iced Americanos at two different coffeeshops. In the afternoon, I went back to Hana’s. I decided to make dinner for her and Haylee. She and Haylee were with f friends so I poked around their kitchen trying to find where they put stuff. I had so much fun winging it on Sweet Potato Tacos. Thus ended the day.  The weather was turning. It was going to get humid and hot. We ...