4 posts tagged “brainerd”
The Tourist Trap Town we had lunch in was Nisswa. Their sign doesn't lie. Food, art, bicycle store, ice cream, really good chocolate shop.
More photos and stories coming later.
As seen on TV. Or, at least in the window of one of the shops at Nisswa Square:
Answer: 42 miles.
Question: How far did you ride along the Paul Bunyan trail Saturday?
I rock! Rode from Brainerd to a little north of Nisswa (also known as Tourist Trap Town) and back. On the way out I just flew down the trail, effortlessly making great time. The trail is in great condition -- about six feet wide, beautiful smooth asphalt all the way. Mostly flat, with a few small hills. Stopped at Nisswa for lunch (see picture below). A cute little town whose major industry is Tourism. The highlight was dessert at the Chocolate Ox. An entire shop devoted to the various heavenly delights that can be made with chocolate. Had the world's largest peanut butter cup, then, floating on a sugar high, was all set to do the ride home.
As I set off, it struck me why the ride out had been so smooth and easy. Tail wind. Now a headwind. Going back against the wind was much tougher than I thought, hindered by digestion and general tiredness. About the 30 mile mark I got my second wind. I was worn out, but somehow got another burst of energy. I was doing 16.5 mph uphill and against the wind yet felt strong and invincible. This is my longest ride to date, and I'm totally stoked about doing it. The really impressive part -- wife did the same ride, but on a POC bike that I swear is made of cast iron.
Today I'm paying for the impressive feat of sportsmanship. My knees hurt like hell. Shoulders are sore. I ache in places I didn't know I had. Today was a slow, tired, Ibuprofen-laced day. My ass was dragging, despite all the caffeine I could shove in it. By the end of the day I was so sick of Rockstar Energy drinks I could scream. Even the sugar-free one tasted sickly sweet after a while. It needs Vodka.
By mutual agreement, we did non-bicycle activities today. Drove up to Bemidji to scope out places for tomorrow's ride and just play tourist. Stopped at Billy Bones Raceway to do some go cart racing. I never had any fun toys growing up, so now as an adult I over compensate and really grove on go carts and alpine slides. I have basically zero experience with go carts, but that didn't stop me from going right to the more aggressive of the two tracks (yes, I'm just a little bit competitive). I've followed motorcycle racing for years -- I know all about finding the racing line around a track, keeping up midcorner speed, and getting just the right amount of wheel spin. Piece of cake, right?
Turns out they're not quite that easy. There's a fair amount of practical knowledge one needs to ride these things quickly. Knowledge I distinctly lack. Having a cart that fits also helps -- my knees were practically hitting the steering wheel. Bottom line: I got lapped by a 16-year-old girl. Very embarrassing. Had a blast anyway. Looking forward to riding through the hilly section of the trail between Hackensack and Walker tomorrow.
Heading out tomorrow morning for a few days in Brainerd, MN. Wife and I are going to do some bicycling along the Paul Bunyan Trail, which is 80 miles of paved bicycle path. We're staying at a cheap hotel, and will probably do a couple of day trips along one or two segments of the trail. The forecast calls for 90 degrees and sunny, not my ideal biking weather, but we'll see how I feel. I'll try to take some pics and post something when I get back. I also have some fireworks pics from July 4th that I've been meaning to post, but they need a little cleanup and my trial version of Photoshop Express expired last month.
Heading out tomorrow morning to Brainerd, MN, for some vacation-type activities. Going to do some bicycling along parts of the Paul Bunyan trail, which covers over 80 miles of paved bike paths. We'll do a couple of day trips along various segments, maybe 20 or 30 miles at a time, depending on weather and how I feel. The forecast calls for 90 degrees and sun -- way too hot for my tastes. I'll try to take some pics and post some reports when I get home. I also have some fireworks pics I took on July 4th that I still intend to post, but I have to get Photoshop or Photoshop Elements first. My trial version expired last month.
