Day 27
Miles: 106
Mileage from start: 2,437
A while back, I was talking to my friend Alena about how I want to live where it never gets above 75 in the summer. Alena, who is from Duluth, Minnesota, said I should move to Minnesota because that’s what the weather is like.
She was so right. The temperatures here have been awesome for me. Warm in the sun. Cool in the shade. Wisconsin is the same way. Average summer high temperatures don’t go much above 75.
Today was another warm-in-the-sun day. Mostly sunny. Not too windy. Lovely.
We left the bike barn hostel around 10 a.m. after a breakfast of ice cream bars, cereal galore and peanut butter and (homemade) jelly sandwiches.
We wandered our way south and east to the St. Croix River and crossed it by Osceola, Wisconsin.
We ate lunch at the Watershed Cafe. I have decided that my body performs best on potatoes and dairy. Pizza bogs me down. Chinese is okay. But I always seem to feel fueled and ready for more miles after a hearty portion of potatoes and dairy fat. Refined sugar and flour work well, too.
Anyway, lunch was grilled cheese and potato chips and coffee. Richard got a smoothie with blueberries and protein powder. I hate the taste of that stuff, so I stuck to the protein in my cheese. We also got a cheese plate featuring Wisconsin cheeses.
Then it was more miles past cows and horses and corn. When we passed boggy areas, we attracted biting flies and had clouds of them following each of us.
We’ve had about 10 more dogs chase us down since that first one in North Dakota. It’s still startling, but I’m better prepared. My pepper spray is mounted on the top tube of my bike frame. I don’t want to use it but I want it there if another dog gets actively aggressive. And I always keep a squeeze of water in at least one of my water bottles. That’s worked well before on this, and other, rides. Give the dog a spray of water to the nose and they usually back down. Most dogs chase us because we’re something to chase. Their just dogs obeying their instincts. But I do think it’s the responsibility of the owner to know of this tendency in their pets and mitigate for it. I don’t want to hurt any dog. I just want to ride my bike safely. The real risk isn’t to me. Most of these dogs are friendly and excited. The real risk is the cars driving near me in the road when the dog runs out of its yard.
Tonight we’re camped by Sand Lake in Cumberland, Wisconsin hoping the forecasted storms hold off until tomorrow.
