Minnesota Aids Trek 2002
Friday August 2nd we gathered at Aldrich Arena to register and board the bus to Hinckley. The buses arrived in plenty of time for us to select the perfect campsite. Friday was a gorgeous day and the night was splendid for outdoor sleeping.
Saturday morning breakfast was served at 6:30am and the riders departed at 7:30am. We took the Willard Munger trail north to Barnum. The morning started off overcast and by 9:30am, a light rain started. At a certain point in the morning, I declared that my feet and shoes were officially wet, just in case there was any question. The Willard Munger trail is in wonderful shape allowing for fast rolling. It’s almost entirely flat, so a break on the knees. We lunched in Barnum, about 40 miles north of Hinckley. There was a great selection of salads, luncheon meats, brownies and apple pie. We tried to stay under the tents at lunch, but not all managed.
The trip was out and back on Saturday. On the way back, we encountered the MS roller blade event. I was thinking about the size of my wheels compared to that of the bladers, and was ever so grateful to be on my bicycle. I talked with a friend who did the roller event. She said that they went between eleven and twelve miles an hour. Pretty impressive. Of course, there were all fitness levels and not everyone was keeping that pace. On the trip back to Hinckley, I was on a mission and anxious to get back in camp to get warm and dry.
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Back at camp, I showered and then spent the entire afternoon and part of the evening listening to the thunder and watching the torrential rain. And of course, during the entire time trying to figure out if I was really going to be able to camp that evening. The dinner crew hovered under a tent, preparing our food. Eventually, the food was moved into the clubhouse where all gathered round. Hats off to those who withstood the elements and prepared our evening meal.
Well, time to check the tent and gear. We were OK, with water in just one corner, but we ended up sharing a hotel room with a couple other riders and I was so glad to sleep in a warm, dry bed. A few brave souls ended up camping, including Paul L and John & Kate who were celebrating their anniversary. I’m sure this one will be memorable. An official Team OZ meeting was called and I hear that they enjoyed a little libation.
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Sunday morning upon awakening, I was a disheartened with the color of the sky. It appeared dark as ever and I imagined getting soaked. But, we headed for camp, packed up our wet tent and enjoyed breakfast. We started off with a steady rain and I was having difficulty seeing through my eyeglasses. Sunday took us down highway 61 to about Forest Lake. Then we traversed over to the starting point of the Gateway Trail. The rain finally stopped and the sun actually peaked from the clouds. Sundays ride ended up being 90 miles. We finished at Lake Phalen to cheers of congratulations and celebration.
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