East of Rochester we found more hills and more trees. Here are some of the first birch trees we saw. Many of the roads were through the woods and a pleasure to experience. Many homes in this area are stately with big evergreen trees in front.
The small falls here decorates the picnic area where our first SAG stop was held.This wildflowered picture doesn't do justice to the height we just climbed to get on this beautiful ridge.
The paved bikepath Ken mentions later gave us welcome relief from road noise and sun, whilc putting us in closer contact with more of Minnesota's natural beauty.
We topped off a day with lots of challenges and and great scenery by entering our sixth state, Wisconsin. Our hotel was on the banks of the Mississippi River.
Today the hills just kept coming, up then down and then back up again. Finally 450 feet up in one mile, but the view from up there was well worth the climb. Once we were up we were riding 0n what is known as Granddads ridge. It is actually a glacial deposit. just a big mound of dirt and rock pushed along ahead of a glacier until it stopped moving and melted. The views off of both sides were out of this world. I could not believe it was so far down to the valley floor. Also we saw an Elk farm and I heard an old two cylinder John Deere running which I have not heard in decades. Everything is so green it is like Ireland. Now we see plots of permanent pasture among the fields so evidently all of this land is not tillable, two days ago it was all corn and beans with no interruptions. then after all of the hills we got on a nice bike path in Rushford and it took us 126 miles to Houston. What a nice change, paved,no traffic, shaded,such a pleasant change.
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