Happy Independence Day!
Though the quiet and dark auditorium of the high school was conducive to good sleep, I didn't sleep well, thanks to numbness in my arms from sleeping on something other than my Purple mattress and to a snorer and another person coming in and out. Part of the group camping experience! The morning started out overcast, but we knew rain was on the way. Tim, Jeremy, and I had a hearty breakfast (biscuits and gravy for me!) at the local AJ's Cafe in downtown Osakis. It was delicious! However, as soon as we paid, the skies opened up, so we put on our rain gear and headed down the road. All the locals in the restaurant, who were playing a dice and quarter game called 6-5-4, looked at us with pity as headed out into the rain. I don't blame them.
We remained on the Lake Wobegon Trail for the entire day and the rain stayed with us the entire day, as well. My rain jacket decided it was no longer a rain jacket, so I was soaked all day. I couldn't stay long at the rest stops because I chilled too easily, but Route Leader Emma very kindly had a gas station hot cocoa awaiting me at the second rest stop. Jeremy rode with me most of the day and we powered through the 58 miles, only stopping for a couple photos of deer, a Purple Heart Chapel, to eat fresh raspberries, and to look at the prairie grasslands. There were probably 30 chipmunks that ran across the trail today. I'm guessing they don't see many cyclists every day. I had a filthy rooster tail of dirt up my back because I don't have fenders on this bike, so I was more than ready for a hot shower upon arrival.
Of course, within minutes of arriving into Fergus Falls (population 14,117 - one of the bigger towns so far for me), the sun came out ablazing. At least I can dry my gear now! We are staying at a local church called Zion Lutheran who welcomed us in and it even has a shower! We were surprised to see a big display of snacks and treats. How generous!!
We got in so early that we had time to be leisurely with showers and finding rooms in the church to sleep in. We walked around town, discovering the Fergus Falls, which is a dam. We had to walk a few blocks to the grocery store because every restaurant in town was closed for the holiday. Jeremy and I picked up food to make tacos and stopped into a really fun and cute ice cream shop called Uncle Eddie's on the way back. Ice cream before dinner. Why not?! The owner was really nice and said she has a friend with MS, so we returned later with some of the Bike the US for MS stickers to give to her friend. The ice cream tasted even sweeter after making that kind connection.
In the evening, the church hosted a Narcotics Anonymous meeting, which was really more difficult for me to be around than I thought it would be (not that we participated or intermingled). After the meeting, many from the meeting were gathered out back conversing and smoking cigarettes. It reminded me of visiting my friend that passed (in November 2021) in rehab. Addiction is so rampant and the drug epidemic in our country is severe. For many years, addiction seemed like it didn't affect me, but losing my mom to lung cancer because she never quit smoking and losing others to various addictions leaves me feeling so powerless. I spent a lot of my life trying to help others who have addictions, but it's only been in recent years that I've realized there is really little I can do, other than offer love and support without getting tangled into what the disease does to people. We didn't sit and talk with anyone, but I felt very deeply for these people in their suffering and struggle.
By the time it was finally dark, after 9pm, some of the neighbors set off fireworks, since we didn't make it to see the local display at a race track across town. Though it's always a little strange when I'm not home for the 4th of July, I'm thankful to have the freedom to be doing this ride, as well as the bodily freedom to be able to physically do this ride. Whenever I hurt on my bike, I know it could also be far more difficult.
Thank you for following along!
Donations to Bike the US for MS can be made here:
https://ride.biketheusforms.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donordrive.participant&participantID=1436
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