RAA II

Day 18

Alexandria to Minneapolis, MN

62 miles / 1,750 feet of elevation

Sunny / warm start, 56° but fall is coming! We learned that snow has fallen on some of our route already – we just snuck in these rides on the Northern tier route in this year.

We feel sad this journey is coming to an end but blessed to have been able to complete one half of the Northern tier this year. Spring / late Summer 2022, Minneapolis to Bar Harbor, Maine!

We continued our ride for 62 miles today on the nicest bike path we have ever encountered. As I said in yesterday’s notes, Minnesota’s roads stunk out loud and their shoulders were non-existent. But this bike path is super fantastic. Smooth, safe, quick riding and great views all around. This old railway route, converted to a bike path, is really special.

The old rail route connected farming towns outside of Minneapolis St. Paul and today the towns have embraced the bike 100 percent. (See photo with bike and “roadside repair kit,” with pump! Very cool.)

In many of the towns they have displays of artwork or graphics depicting their heritage, which they are all very proud of. The lakes, pastures and crop lands between the towns are also calming to ride through and fun to see. As we enter and exit the towns on the pathway, the homes which abut the path have beautifully manicured lawns and landscaping. The pride in their homes and surrounding landscaping is wonderful to see.

Yes, very sad to complete this first half of the Ride Across America II so soon, but happy and blessed that we had no major mishaps or injuries. (Also, not a single flat tire – amazing, given some of the terrain and road surfaces we rode! We had 15-17 flats on the RAA I!)

We are also very happy to get back to our wives, Gwen, Marta, Nancy and Kim and we want to once again thank them so very much for allowing us (again) to indulge our boyish quest for epic adventure. Thank you Gwen, Marta, Nancy and Kim!

Thank you also to the folks we all work with for “holding down the fort” these past 18 days.

Thanks also to Cody and his crew at Skagit Cycle for outfitting us and making sure that all of our bikes were in perfect working order before we left Anacortes, Washington.

Finally, I would also like to thank Carol Simpson and Laura Mack for gathering photos and preparing my dictation for these daily posts. As always, job very well done you two!

Until next year, we wish you all the very best and remember, “Bodies in motion tend to stay in motion …”

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