A rest day means a perfect day for rain. Total miles biked today: 0. Which also means some time for exploring the town of Red Wing.

Red Wing is, rather appropriately, the home of Red Wing Shoes, and a cool little museum/store that chronicles the history of the company and it’s relationship with the town.

A couple of bluffs overlook the town and a winding Mississippi river.

In between rain storms, some time for a friendly round of Disc Golf. Really fun course on top of one of the bluffs.

And finally, a stroll along the river in celebration of our 29th Anniversary. Happy Anniversary, Babes!

Hopefully the last of the storms are rolling through, and it’ll be a dry ride into Wisconsin tomorrow.

Today’s ride began with a stop at Reconciliation Park in Mankato, a sacred parcel of land near the site where 38 Dakota Warriors were executed during the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 – the largest mass execution in U.S. History. The poignant park lists the names of those lost, features a spiritual buffalo statue, and tries to both teach and amend the clash of cultures through a powerful phrase: Forgive Everyone Everything

Just a bit North of Mankato is the trail head for the Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail. Sakatah is a Dakota-Wahpekita tribe word for ‘Singing Hills’ – so the trail literally translates to ‘Singing Hills Singing Hills’ – which is very apt, with chirping birds, humming dragon-flies, scurrying chipmunks, and singing recreationalists lining the route. A former rail line connecting Mankato and the Minnesota River with the town of Red Wing and the Mississippi River, about 95 miles distant. Teeming with trees, the converted Rails-to-Trails line elicits spontaneous bouts of Singing from those on the path!

Jax parked the car at an old rail stop building midway along the trail in Elysian and joined the trail for several miles, doubling back to fetch the car. We were tempted to leave the car behind, but figured it might prove useful for the rest of the trip. Alas, the Sakatah trail came to an end at the town of Faribault, but a few low-travelled and wide-shouldered roads led to a reconnection of the rail-trail line, now called the Mill Towns State Trail.

Owing to advanced milling equipment devised and implemented in this area, Milled Minnesota Flour became a popular commodity in the late 1800’s and brought fame to this valley. Rail cars served the river-powered mills and brought enterprising settlers into central Minnesota. The mills eventually burned down, but the history remains.

From the town of Cannon Falls, the Cannon Valley Trail offered another beautiful car-free corridor towards today’s destination of Red Wing. 20 miles of down-river and down-wind bliss, complete with rest-stops.

And then, the Mississippi River town of Red Wing – home of Red Wing Shoes. 97 total miles, the vast majority on well maintained paved trails. What a great ride…

… and a great celebration at the end of the day! Tomorrow is a rest day as Jackie and I celebrate our 29th wedding anniversary. See ya.

“Oooh, you’ve got a ways to go then” said the heavyset man in a thick Minnesota accent upon hearing of my intended destination this day. The man was cruising along in the early morning stillness on a three-wheel bicycle (an adult tricycle, maybe?) in the small town of Heron Lake. I slowed to his leisurely pace of about 6 mph and struck up a conversation, as fellow long-distance cyclists tend to do. “I’m heading to Shaffer’s Crossing where I’ll turn around and head back”, he joyfully replied when I asked where he was headed. I’ve no idea where that is, but I’m sure he eventually got there and happily returned, waving to local townsfolk along the way. Further proof that it’s not how far or fast you go, but to enjoy the ride.

The big man on three wheels was absolutely correct – it was a ways to Mankato. 110 miles total. 66 degrees to start, 91 at the finish. Light winds (thankfully) throughout, except when I found myself in the middle of a huge wind farm – I guess they know to put those big turbines in wind-prone areas!

A nice and shady town square in Windom served as a good place to refuel after about 30 miles. Jax visited the local library housed in a grandiose building that formerly served as a bank. A lot of farmland, and small farm towns, and friendly folks wondering what we were up to… and offering up advice on detours. Summer is construction season in Minnesota, which caused a few extra bonus miles.

An unexpected ‘rural road bike lane’ offered a wonderfully wide shoulder and designated bikeway between the towns of St. James and Madelia, courtesy of the WATonwan COunty Trail System. A thank you and shout out to WATCOTS.

Approaching Mankato, the terrain turned from flat farmland to hilly treelined river valleys. Some might even say mountainous? Witness Mount Kato (a cleaver take on ManKato) – which looks to be a wonderful winter ski area, with at least 3 lifts. But I’m not sure I’d call it a mountain. Steep hill, maybe. It’s nestled along a stunningly beautiful path called the Red Jacket Trail. After 100 miles of farmland, the tree-lined recreation path (converted from a former railway) felt like a totally different world with singing birds, prancing deer… and free-range chickens (no kidding, perhaps they escaped from one of the nearby farms!).

More Rails-to-Trails tomorrow on the way to Red Wing, Minnesota. Looking forward to it!