"Entry for Monday, 18 August 1997

Karla Johnson, Guest Service Manager at the Holiday Inn, Mankato, MN

Dale Homolka at Scheel Sports & Sportswear, Mankato, MN

Last Modified on 9/23/97 at 18:02:47

Day's Narrative: The motel restaurant didn't open until 6:30 thus morning so I got started a little later than usual. That was OK because I only planned on going 66 miles (106 km) to Owatonna, MN. The Weather Channel predicted cloudy weather, but no rain.

It started raining 3 miles (5 km) out of New Ulm. I have withdrawn my endorsement of the Weather Channel. I put on my bicycle poncho, which really did a pretty good job of keeping the rain off. It was also cold -- 56F (13C). I kept trying to look at the bright side. I didn't have to put on sunscreen, and there were no mosquitoes.

There was heavy tractor-trailer truck traffic on the highway, and each one that passed in either direction raised a cloud of spray as I rode along the paved shoulder. The rain continued for an hour as I rode along. It finally let up some as I got to the small town of Nicollet. I stopped and got a cup of hot chocolate at a convenience store, and decided that I really didn't have to put up with this for 45 more miles to Owatonna. I could stop at Mankato, MN -- 13 miles (20 km) away -- provided I could reach Connie, who was probably just getting up at the motel in New Ulm.

I called Connie and caught her before she left the motel. She got a room reservation at the Holiday Inn in Mankato as I continued to ride on. It rained on and off all the way into Mankato, so I kept putting on and taking off the Poncho.

A bicycle poncho serves two important functions. It keeps the rain off, and it accurately simulates wearing a parachute. There's a lot of wind resistance if the wind is blowing.

When I got to Mankato, and the Holiday Inn, they had Connie's reservation, and Karla Johnson (see photo) was a great help in getting us a good room near the elevator so we could haul in our gear. In addition, Karla knew Dale Homolka at Scheel's Sports here in town. I wanted to get a spare bicycle pump. Karla called Dale, who said the shop didn't have a pump like I wanted, but they had ordered some, and they might come in today. I said I would be by later. Karla is a great asset to the Holiday Inn here.

Just after I got settled in our room Connie arrived.

Later we went to Scheel's Sports and met Dale (see photo), who went and looked in the day's mail. Dale enjoys bicycling in the morning and evening, and, I suspect, just about any other time he can. The bike pump did not come in, so I'll try again at the next town.

The prediction for tomorrow's weather is showers and thunderstorms all day as a low pressure system moves through, so we may be here tomorrow too. Our next objective is Rochester, MN -- 77 miles (124 km) away.

[Connie] I've added another town to my "Why not, Minot" group, that is, neat cities. Mankato is a beautiful town, green, treed, and a mix of old early 20th century buildings and newer,modern ones. The motel, a newish four story building in the middle of downtown, is most nice. Even though we're on the 4th floor, there is no problem hauling stuff from the basement garage using the elevator and a porter's cart. I'm getting quite sophisticated here in this fancy motel. The entire center core-atrium of the building is a pool, hot pool along with an astroturf reception area, probably ideal for weddings and other such events. I usually can take a lot of time in a hot tub, but 10-15 minutes in this one boiled me quite well.

When Ray called this morning, I was packing and drinking some Earl Gray tea -- as much caffeine as I can handle, and then only with a creamer. I figured he must really be in bad shape if he was talking about cutting today's proposed mileage short, so I skipped my shower and got on the road and found him here at the motel, still damp but relaxed.

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© Ray & Connie Poore, 1997