A 3-day test ride

A couple weeks a go I learned that we wouldn't have class on Friday the 18th, so I figured it'd be a great opportunity to load up the bike and get a good test ride in. The original plan was to go from Winona to Rice Lake in Owatonna and camp at the state park, then down to Forestville state park for another night, and head back sunday morning.

I packed almost all of the gear that I'll be taking on my trip this summer, just so I can get a hang of packing my panniers just right for ease of access and even weight distribution. This proved to be a bit tougher than expected. It would be fine on the flats, but you can definitely get some bad wobbles going down hill if the front bags aren't weighted evenly.


Stayed pretty cool, and I was abled to pump out 90 miles relatively easily. When I pulled up to the campground the office was closed but I decided to check it out anyway (and what other choice did I have?). The gate was open, but there was a sign that read "closed for the season, open in April", so I figured it was okay. Nobody was there. One car passed by the loop circling the campsites, but that was it for the entire night.

 I haven't purchased a sleeping pad yet, since I've been okay in the past without one. Maybe it was the fact that I haven't been camping in a while, or maybe it was the fact that it dipped down to 36 degrees and the heaviest piece of outerwear I brought with me was a light wind shell, since the weather showed 60-70's. Guess that's Minnesota for you... Either way, I had a tough time sleeping for more than a couple hours at a time.



 I woke up Saturday morning, and knew it was going to be a long day the minute I tried to fold up my tent. Although a little breezy, it was manageable at first. I was able to make some coffee and take my time to pack my things up. But once I got on the road, the full weight of the situation dawned on me.

It was windy at the campsite- and I was completely surrounded by forest. Out in the open, the winds didn't let up. I was going South East all day, which just happened to be the direction the wind was coming from. Not until that night did I find out that it was blowing at a constant 30 mph all day, with gusts past 45. Headwinds are bad. Headwinds with 60 pounds of gear that act as a sail is heart crushing. The day before I was averaging 15 miles and hour without breaking a sweat. Now I was battling to keep pace at 7mph, and my legs were not happy with me.

The sign was constantly at this angle due to the wind

Where I grew up in Wisconsin, there were plenty of farms. I lived smack dab in Dairy Country, and have plenty of experience cycling the state. Here's the difference between Wisconsin and Minnesota-
Wisconsin's farm roads are all paved, even though many are in rough shape. Minnesota's are predominantly dirt and gravel, which didn't help my cause. The route I took had me ride on these roads for miles at a time, into the wind. I'd have to pedal downhill in order not to fall over, and that's not an exaggeration.

In addition to the terrible energy/distance ratio I was achieving, the zip-ties for my odometer broke, and the harness for my handlebar bag came loose, making it jostle around for the remainder of the day.

Miles of farm roads...

By 4pm, I realized there was no chance I could make it to the camp by nightfall. I had been pushing for 6 agonizing hours and had barely reached 40 miles, which messed with my mental game. After weighing my options, I decided to snake north another 20 miles and catch somewhat of a tailwind to the town of Stewartville to crash at a motel for the night, and get some much needed rest.

I woke up this morning feeling much better, and helped myself to a "continental breakfast", which consisted mostly of orange juice and coffee, and headed out. It had rained overnight, but only a slight drizzle was coming down. There was hardly any wind, which made the rain only the slightest nuisance, causing the dirt from the roads to find its way into my drivetrain. Knowing I only had 55 miles to go, I decided to take it slow and enjoy the countryside before I go back to work. 

Every single cow turned and watched me go by. It's as if they've never seen a bicycle!

The miles flew by, and before I knew it I was back home. Things to do: buy a damn sleeping pad. Bring warm clothes. Don't get mad at Mother Nature. 

3 weeks to go!