Day 40 – July 13 – Winona, MN to Lansing, IA – 73 Miles

It was another slow start today.  My alarm went off at 6:00 and I was in the shower shortly after, however when I returned to camp the predicted rain showers had arrived.  I got back into the tent and checked the weather radar on my phone and it appeared the showers would be clearing soon.  So I fluffed up my pillow and went back to sleep for another half hour or so until the pitter patter of rain drops stopped.  We rolled out of camp around 8:30 and found the Country Kitchen in Winona a suitable stop for breakfast.  We finally got out of town just after 10:00.

It was overcast today therefore quite a bit cooler than yesterday, yet we could feel an increase in the humidity.  There was a wind but it was hard to determine its direction.  Sometimes it felt as if it was at our backs, other times in our faces.  Our route continued south on MN 61 the Great River Road.  Where 61 merges into I-90 we were forced into our most strenuous climb since the Rockies back up and over the bluffs on county roads.   The climb itself wasn’t all that bad, the swarming gnats around our faces were.  Even a headwind on the climb was welcome as it blew them away momentarily.  Atop the bluff we were treated to a most spectacular view of the Mississippi River and the surrounding countryside.  We put on about 10 miles along the top of the bluffs before making our descent in La Crescent, MN.

By this time it was mid-afternoon and a good time for a lunch break.  We found a café a few doors from a Laundromat, an ideal opportunity.  I put in two loads of laundry and we went to lunch.  We took our time eating, and I ran out to put our things in the dryer.

With lunch and laundry out of the way we continued south.  Our goal was Iowa.  South of La Crescent, we continued along the Mississippi on Minnesota Route 26.  The roads in Minnesota have been, for the most part, outstanding.  We found one exception, hidden in the southeast corner of the state.  Route 26 for the last 14 miles to Iowa was bad.  There was no shoulder, it was narrow and the surface was deteriorated.  Traffic while not heavy, appeared quickly around blind curves from both directions.  We had to be vigilant.

We entered Iowa at the town of New Albin.  Iowa has designated their stretch of Highway 26 as part of the Great River Trail cycling route.  It is well surfaced and has an ample shoulder.  For us it was a welcome relief.   The last 12 miles to Lansing was a pleasant ride.

Tonight we are camped a little west of town at the Red Barn Resort.  It is nice RV park west of Lansing.  The old red barn serves as a restaurant.  The Friday Special is all you can eat fish with a choice of potato and salad. I know what I having.  In camp we met Dave and Barb Anderson from Sheboygan, WI.  They are cycling on a tandem, to western Iowa to participate in RAGBRAI, the Des Moines “Register’s Great Bike Ride Across Iowa.  They will join family for the week long ride then cycle back to Wisconsin.  They were both retired and were considering doing a coast to coast tour next summer so we had a lot to talk about.

Thunder and rain showers are threatening. There is no wifi at the campground and my Verizon phone is on roam, this posting will have to wait until tomorrow.