The weather forecast last Saturday morning was for thunderstorms and one to two inches of rain; not what you want to hear when setting out on a two-day, 120-mile bike trip. As we were driving to our starting point the skies darkened, the clouds billowed and rolled, and we saw lightning around us. Soon the rain started. We arrived in Osakis, Minnesota planning to ride the Central Lakes Trail. The rain continued while we wandered the antique stores in town and enjoyed a leisurely brunch, all the while watching the radar. Finally the summer storm moved through the area and the rain stopped. We packed our lightly-loaded gear and started on the trail. The clouds kept the ride cool and the tail winds helped push us through the countryside. We marveled at the scenery of farmland, barns, lakes, marshlands, and prairie, not to mention the birds, deer, turkeys, and gophers. Sixty miles and hours later, we arrived at Fergus Falls. In dire need of a warm shower, liquids, and food, our motel with its bar and grill was the perfect answer. We enjoyed watching the Twins win their baseball game while outside another storm was moving through, with heavy downpours accompanied with lightning and thunder. Sunday dawned with cooler temps and sunshine, and our luck held as the winds had changed direction after the storm and would once again be at our backs for the return trip. We toured through Fergus Falls, stopping at the dam and falls in downtown and at the world’s largest otter, Otto (this is Otter Tail County, after all). Then it was another 60 mile ride back to our awaiting car. We arrived tired and sweaty, but found a perfect antidote with a dip in Lake Osakis and root beer floats at the Tip Top Dairy in town. We had weathered the weather, explored a new trail, enjoyed the scenery, and had a great adventure in a short 36-hours.
landscapes
A bicycle ride through the countryside
We spent the morning on a bicycle ride through the countryside of central Minnesota. The Tour of Saints is billed as a “heavenly little ride” and today it lived up to its billing. The thunderstorms that moved through prior to dawn cleared by the start of the ride, and the clouds and cooler temps made for comfortable conditions. We opted for the 50-mile ride and enjoyed every uphill and downhill along the route. Starting at the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, we wandered the back roads until the rest stop in Cold Spring where we were treated to delicious (and ride-hearty) cinnamon rolls and baked goods. Another 13 miles and a stop near St. John’s University for bananas and cookies. Then it was 15 miles for a stop of candy bars and Gatorade in Avon (when you ride 50 miles you need to eat and stay hydrated, and rest stops are much appreciated!). The countryside was green and verdant, with wildflowers in bloom, fields of soybeans and corn, and wonderful old barns. These horses seemed quite intrigued by our mode of transportation as we rode by. We ended back in St. Joseph, tired but appreciative of a morning spent in a beautiful countryside.
Kansas Flint Hills
There is a section of central Kansas known as the Flint Hills. This area is the last large expanse of tallgrass prairie in the country. During the westward expansion in the 1800’s, the settlers found the land was not good for their traditional crops because of the outcroppings of limestone and flint. Cattle ranching became the main agricultural activity, so the land was not ploughed over and remained intact. Due to the abundant rainfall the past few months, everything is wonderfully green. The hills undulate and roll slowly across the countryside, and at sunset they take on a golden hue. It is an area where the horizon is a long way off, and one can revel in the beauty of the expanse in an almost 360 degree vista.
End of the Trail in the Ozark Mountains
On our last night in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, we went to the Buffalo Bar at the Top of the Rock, near Ridgedale, Missouri. As the sun was setting after a warm summer-like day, it illuminated the clouds that were on the horizon and in the sky above, and all was reflected in Table Rock Lake. At the Top of the Rock is a water pool that has a statue of the End of the Trail, all at the precipice overlooking the lake. In researching the statue, I learned that the sculptor James Earle Fraser was originally from Winona, Minnesota, and the piece was first modeled in 1894. This area of the Ozarks had been home to the Osage Indians, and this evening’s sunset beauty seemed a fitting tribute to them and the area they loved.
A lush green spring in southern Missouri
We’ve just returned from a full week of traveling, bookmarked on each end with a graduation; one nephew’s college graduation and another nephew’s high school graduation (congrats to them both – I couldn’t be more proud!). The first part of the week found us in southern Missouri, south of Branson. With all the rain that has fallen (including while we were there), everything is a beautiful and lush green. The Ozark mountains were in their prime, and waterfalls were running full and fast. In other areas, flowers were in full bloom – iris and peonies, foxglove and phlox. We truly couldn’t have picked a better time for our trip. It was a great time to explore the area with its natural beauty – a wonderful relaxing time.
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