{"id":10363,"date":"2013-07-30T20:29:44","date_gmt":"2013-07-31T00:29:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tourdebocrie.com\/?p=10363"},"modified":"2013-07-30T20:33:34","modified_gmt":"2013-07-31T00:33:34","slug":"day-40-tuesday-july-30-albany-to-milaca-minnesota","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tourdebocrie.com\/?p=10363","title":{"rendered":"Day 40. Tuesday, July 30 – Albany to Milaca, Minnesota"},"content":{"rendered":"

Clouds hung low in the sky from the early morning rain, but the precipitation was done (we hoped), as we headed out of the door at 7:00. \u00a0The temperature was the same as yesterday, but the gray sky and breeze made it feel quite cool. \u00a0For the first 18 miles, we rode the rail trail and enjoyed every peaceful moment. \u00a0\"\"<\/a>Flowers along the path had come out overnight from the rain, \"\"<\/a>the droplets on the grass\"\"<\/a> and weeds was beautiful.\"\"<\/a>Crossed a covered bridge into Holdingford,\"\"<\/a> the town most closely resembling Garrison Keller’s ficticious Lake Wobegon. \u00a0For years the town resented the implication, but they have obviously come to embrace the attention.\"\"<\/a>The day remained cloudy, which gave a subtle hue to the fields we passed.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Our trail came to an end in Bowlus, home to Duane Bobick \"\"<\/a>one of the great American heavyweights.<\/p>\n

It is also where we met Bill,\"\"<\/a> visiting his favorite waitress at the local cafe. \"\"<\/a> He volunteered to tow us to the next town behind his bike, we declined. \u00a0Bowlus is a cute town, as so many of them are; this is their firestation.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

We knew we had enjoyed the rails to trails, but instantly realized how spoiled we’d become, when our course turned onto the country road; the grades changed and the road was not paved for bicycles. \u00a0We still made the best of our overcast day,\"\"<\/a>thankful for the coolness. \u00a0More fields, large trees and small forests, plus the occasional bull \"\"<\/a>and farm frivolity.\"\"<\/a>We dragged through our last 15 miles, but were encouraged when we saw this sign;\"\"<\/a> if it had only been warmer, we would have taken a swim. \u00a0We refrained, knowing we still had a few miles to town. \u00a0The slight head wind and tired legs made our 63 miles tougher than it should be; but a day off is on the horizon. \u00a0Two more miles to go to cross the 2000 mile mark, hopefully halfway.\n\t\t