July 15th: Battle Lake to Long Prairie, MN

Mile 25: Notable trip milestone.

July 15^th Statistics – Battle Lake to Long Prairie, MN:

• Today’s Biking Distance – 66.4 miles
• Today’s Average Speed – 15.2 mph
• Today’s Time In Saddle – 4.4 hours
• Today Ascent – 1,037 feet
• Total Trip Biking Days – 24
• Total Trip Biking Distance – 1,903.0 miles
• Total Trip Average Biking Distance/Day – 79.3 miles
• Total Trip Ascent – 55,837 feet

This morning I left at 6:45 am (an hour earlier than everyone else by skipping breakfast) as the forecast was for high temperatures and humidity even if a relatively short ride (65 miles).  It was again a wonderful time to be on the road.  The roads in general were very smooth – beautiful, if repetitive, scenery, and a gentle breeze.  The sun was hidden behind clouds most of the day which kept the temperatures down to the mid 80s, but I was still sweating buckets starting almost immediately in the morning.  For reference, I drank more than 120 oz of fluids on the ride today. I was so far ahead of the group today (never saw the SAG wagon until it passed me 7 miles from the motel in Long Prairie) and only took one break (at a convenience store to fill up on fluids) that I arrived at 11:30 am at the motel (66 miles) – before everyone else (this was a first). I should say before Doug as he is always the first to arrive (he arrived 10 minutes after I did).  The clouds dissipate after I arrived and it became very uncomfortably hot by mid afternoon.

Mile 16: Typical view for today in Minnesota – overcast (thankfully).

Mile 53: I don’t take very many pictures now due to the repetitive scenery – here is an example from mile 53 today.

Mile 57: Many individuals have multiple professions and businesses to sustain themselves in the states I have visited. Here is one of the more interesting and diverse examples I noted miles from any other business.

Long Prairie War Memorial to WWII, Korean, and Vietnam Wars. Throughout the city there were signs celebrating and thanking the military – relatively more than I have seen in any city.