July 17, 2018
Day 30 – Worthington to Mankato, MN – 111 miles, 1,660 feet vertical
🎶 There’s a bright, golden haze on the meadow
There’s a bright, golden haze on the meadow
The corn is as high as a elephant’s eye
And it looks like it’s climbing clear up to the sky 🎶🎶 Oh, what a beautiful mornin’
Oh, what a beautiful day
I’ve got a beautiful feelin’
Everything’s goin’ my way 🎶
Yes, it was that kind of a day. Even though we had a century-plus ride in store, it didn’t matter. The sun was coming up. The sky was blue with those white powder puffs that would keep the temperature moderate. And it was just, plain and simple, a great day to go for a bike ride.
The hammer train was down to three riders, so out of desperation, they invited me back in. We covered the first 30 miles in less than an hour-and-a-half (for a 20+ mph average paceline speed) and pulled into the first SAG stop. Unfortunately for me, I had hit a rock just near the SAG and when I started out again, I found the front tire had punctured. Our mechanic Rob was close by and gave me a hand, and it’s a good thing too. The rock had caused a small sharp edge on my rim that needed some filing and repair.
By the time I resumed, I was back of the pack. So, I got to ride with Robin, who had been assigned sweep for the day. After some nice conversation, I picked up speed and rode solo the rest of the day. This gave me the opportunity to start my fourth book for the trip. (Audio book, remember?)
We had been seeing mostly farmland for the last few states, but this area of Minnesota in particular was all corn and soybeans as far as the eye could see. So, picture … 100+ miles of corn and soybeans. The crops just went on and on and on. It really brought into sharp relief how dependent this area was on agricultural exports. When you hear about Chinese tariffs on soybeans, well, … these are the soybeans that will be tariffed.
Please enjoy these photos from today’s beautiful 112-mile ride (construction detour at the end), and check out our progress map at Where’s Jeff at jeffblye.com
Thanks for following.
…Jeff
Journey with Jeff 
In my wife’s neck of the woods!
LikeLike
Exactly.. What a beautiful day it was. LOL.. Somewhere in the thousands pictures Michele took of my cross country ride, there is one taken inside of a huge truck tire.. yours reminded me of that. I have to make a confession, Jeff. I was trying to see if i could meet you guys somewhere as you approach NY state and then ride the last few days along to NH. unfortunately, i couldn’t put it together, the dates and the setting really do not work out. Too bad for i was looking forward to surprise you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, that would have been quite a surprise indeed. No worries, we will ride together on Long Island when I get back.
LikeLike
Yeah well the stages from New York going to new hemp shire via the old Mohawk trail seemed more appetizing than good old LIE service road. Oh well
LikeLike
Hey Jeff, is Mankato not too far from where Laura Ingalls Wilder lived as a cild? The was in Minnesota for a bit.
LikeLike