Monday the 9th was a day of rest at our friends the Janes’ in Minneapolis. Both Herb and Donna have had a significant influence in our lives and we are grateful for their friendship over the years and miles. We were excited to see their family again for dinner on Monday night. We shared some “most embarrassing moments” around the dinner table. In my unofficial tally, Herb won the award for best stories. He told three on himself, more than anyone else by far!

Tuesday the 10th began about 90 miles south of Minneapolis. With wind at our back we pedaled 101 miles due west to the middle of nowhere. I think we need to get used to the middle of nowhere. 🙂 The day was highlighted by finding a little gem of a café in the “middle of a cow patty” as my brother Alan called it.

The Amboy Cottage Café is situated in the thriving metropolis of Amboy, population 450.The Norwegian owner and everyone was so enthused by three guys in bike gear showing up for lunch with the normal crowd from around town.

Visitors come all the way from Minneapolis to have the salmon quiche that I feasted on. Of course Alan and Craig texted our 3 ladies about how great the place was, complete with photos of our lunch.

They stopped by about an hour later, RV’s in tow, to have lunch as well. They were greeted by the hostesses: “You must be the biker wives? The girls smiled and said: “we are”. Then they were asked if they wanted to sit at the same table where your biker hubby’s left their germs?” 🙂 After biking 48 miles in 2.5 hours, apparently we had worked up a sweat. 🙂 The girls responded: “No, we prefer the table by this picturesque window.” The ladies have been incredible troopers on this trip, but at the end of the day we have to get to the showers before they want anything to do with us.

Today dawned with a brisk wind of 12-20 mph in the wrong direction. We fought it all morning and early afternoon while steadily climbing in elevation out of Minnesota to the South Dakota border. 79 miles was enough for this day. In fact, I asked Craig to find a tunnel west under and through South Dakota for tomorrow as the weatherman is predicting more of the same. He just laughed at me. The past two days has been a steady trek through farmland. It is incredible to me the extent of farmland in Southern Minnesota. In fact, I have been amazed at the amount of farmland we have traversed since coming out of Massachusetts. Farmland, windmills, and mosquitoes…. I never knew so many of each species existed along this northern tier. A highlight of the day was a Buffalo statue on a hilltop within 25 miles of the South Dakota border. It must have been 30 foot tall and again, in the middle of nowhere.

We watched the corn grow as we pedaled along. Why did I say I was doing this again? Craig got really excited when he saw this big John Deere tractor. He had to have a picture. To me, that was right up there with watching the corn grow. 🙂

Actually, southern Minnesota has been a delight to bike through. This evening we are parked at Pipestone RV camp in Pipestone, Minnesota, home of the National Pipestone Monument. The Sioux Indians quarried stone for peace pipes from a quartzite stone quarry here, guarded by The Three Maiden Rocks. These rocks are Canadian Granite, left by a glacier retreat during the Ice Age. They are totally out of place in an area containing quartzite.

We are excited to begin our journey tomorrow morning in South Dakota. None of us have set foot in South Dakota until today so we are eager to learn more.

We have now traversed 7 states in 3.5 weeks and are officially halfway based on mileage. Yahoooooo! We have enjoyed the great states of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota along with the southern province of Ontario, Canada. Wild West, here we come!