• Mileage today 129.2
• Mileage total 2051.9
• Elevation today 2526 ft
• Elevation total 89826 ft
• Weather – still sunny, start temp of 63 and ending temp 97; winds were from the south all day(sidewind) at a steady 10 to 15 (all the flags were at full attention)

Today was the planned highest mileage day for the trip. As such starting times for the ride was before sun up. Riding with lights thru a park, making 90 degree turns, then hitting the road with everyone going to work – kinda bananas!

I say planned highest mileage day but of course we have detour. I was told there are two seasons in the mid-west – winter and construction season. We had to go around a bridge construction that took us on to 2 miles of gravel road ( loose gravel, wash board and dirt where the gravel was supposed to be). Ya that was at mile 110, so completely exhausted doing the gravel thing. I know it is the latest craze, but give me smooth pavement any day. Overall the detour added about 4 miles, doesn’t sound like much until you have ridden 125….it’s just cruel.

So yes in Minnesota, big farms, lots of corn and surprisingly lots of pig farms. As you ride by you hear them doing their pig noise thing! You also get the full effect of pig stench – you smell it for miles. It might be permanently embedded in my jersey – who wee, that is eye watering!

Nothing spectacular on the terrain- rolling hills. About same elevation gain if you went around Lake Washington. Lots and lots of corn!

Sensible start after sunrise heading east to Austin MN, home of the SPAM museum (probably spend hours there, just like Florence Italy).