Brainerd is a busy town for just 12,000+ inhabitants. For a change, I had the opportunity to explore the area around where we stayed. The mall was a disappointment. Nothing to see here. Keep moving. Seems the Mills Family has its fingers in a lot of pots in town. It's pretty classy places, too. One , for lack of a better word, department store, Fleet and Farm. I think, had a myriad of goods. Groceries, bulk foods, hardware, clothing, northern style goods and more. Could have just wondered the isles looking at stuff. Time to move on after I bought a small folding magnifying glass for map reading.
Nearby, I went into a gun and archery store. Mills, of course. Nice place. Great selection of firearms and ammo. Didn't check out the firing range. Did check out the bow range. Had an interesting arrangement. Standing targets of animals spread around the range. Only target arrows could be used. Very strict use protocol. Looked like fun. I have little modern experience with bow and arrows.
Today we got up and had breakfast. Coffee was terrible. Food. Ok. Good enough.
Our first stop would be Nisswa, about 15 miles from the beginning of the day's ride. The road was just a road with wide enough shoulders. Nisswa had a suitable place for a cuppa joe. Right behind the stop is the trail we want to take, and it leads us all the way to Bemidji tomorrow. The Paul Bunyon State Trail.
The PB Trail is over 120 miles long making it the longest of its type in the country. I'm not sure but it has the rail to trail feel. It's paved the entire way. It's part of a wider trail system in the state of Minnesota. It's used by snowmobiles during the winter but off limits to other off road vehicles. The trail was in excellent condition. The grass was cut. Lots of wildflowers and water ways. Occasional benches and towns touched the way, too.
Not long after we started on the PB Trail, Fred took the lead. Before long, he was out of sight. Not many turns to worry about. We'll catch up later. At the village of Baccus, there was a shelter with water and tables. There he was sitting and eating. We sat for a while and talked. Now seemed like a good time to part ways.
You see, I'm departing from this little adventure from Bermidji. I'm not a consideration any more. A short timer. I had planned to ride for about 6 weeks or so. Bermidji seems to be a fitting destination. I can get a rental car here for my return journey. (Note: It's cheaper than flying especially considering shipping the bike. Airfare is approaching $900 not including the bike transport.) Besides, how else could I even remember the name of this place without it being a destination!
Gay wants to take a little time off to rest (he's still nursing an Achilles injury) and do some things like get a new saddle and see the headwaters ether Mississippi River. Again. He also wants to slow the pace of the journey some. You see, it's about the journey, not the destination. Fred is compelled to keep up his pace and stick with his plan. No worries. No animosity. Just a different agenda. Life goes on.
We said our farewells and topped it off with a handshake. Fred rode off into the distance. He's a good man. Intelligent. Driven. I'm glad I got to know him. I wish him well.
We hung around the shelter for a long while because we ended up meeting a couple of day cyclists. It ends up Gay and the couple know some of the same people from Denise's family. Gay will have to tell that story. Small world.
After we left there, lunch was on our minds. Not many options. The village of Hackensack it is! A number of options were available. We chose a diner called "Vittles and Joe", like coffee. Perfect. Good burgers.
We had called the only campground outside the destination of Walker. Since it was a few miles past town, it's good to confirm available space, or heck, to make sure it's even still open before making a commitment. Gay left a message.
We spent the rest of the ride mostly riding side by side telling stories to pass the time. The PB Trail is a good way to go .
By the time we get to Walker, still no return call. We opted for a motel. 3 hours after we checked in, we got the call. No thanks. They've got to work on their timing. Tomorrow night, we'll be in a KOA in Bermidji, MN.
Total mileage today = 75
Total mileage to date = 2,107
Thanks for following us on this journey.
Life is the journey we make it to be.
I will be writing at least 3 more entries before signing off.
Cheers.
KPW
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