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August 27 Saturday Bicycle touring from near Duluth Minnesota to Port Wing Wisconsin A gas station at a crossroads sold me milk while Sharon went to the washroom The owners grunted at us as we came in at 7:45 AM. As we were cycling toward Duluth, a van slowed alongside us and a woman rolled down her window and asked if we needed anything. They were from Michigan. We didn't need anything but it was sure nice of them to ask. We cycled along until we hit Interstate 35. We pulled our bikes to a stop to look at the map and try and figure out how we could cross the bridge to Wisconsin. In two minutes a state trooper stopped behind us with his lights flashing and told us we couldn't go on the interstate. He gave us alternate directions to a pedestrian walkway which goes across the bridge. He followed slowly behind our loaded touring bikes as we wobbled along the highway until we got to the nearest exit. With a big wave he was off. The temperature is about 15º C. The wind is howling north across Lake Superior. The women at an info booth said they had never seen it blow from that direction before. There is thunder and lightning lighting up the sky. The windows are rattling. The rain started. The women told us to bring our bikes inside the info center. One came outside where we were and asked us to come inside with our fully loaded touring bikes right now. The bikes are leaning against one of the walls, dripping mud onto the floor. Two motorcyclists come in. They say, "Hail up the highway smashed out some windows." The wind warning is for 80 mph ... which is calm only in Newfoundland. The storm more or less passes. We push our touring bikes back outside and head off down the road on a Lake Superior Circle Tour, hitting Hwy 13 towards the south shore. The first few miles are through rolling Wisconsin countryside ... much like I imagined Wisconsin to be like, complete with round bales and dairy cows out in the fields. Later that evening we pedal into Port Wing, a small settlement that does commercial fishing on Lake Superior. We bought an assortment of meats and even a bottle of mustard. We made sandwiches under a covered picnic table, since storm clouds are threatening. As I eagerly ate (it had been quite some time since Grape-nuts this morning), rain clouds burst open and huge drops pelted into my back, driven by gusty winds. It was almost dark at 7:45 PM, so we set up in the campground across the road. We had just finished getting the tent erected and the bikes safely under our plastic sheet when another serious downpour developed. We were snug and warm in the tent listening to the wind snap the fly and rain drops pop against the fabric. It sure is a good feeling to be out of the elements on a night like this. |
