Tuesday, September 16, 2014: South of Virginia, MN to Orr, MN.

This morning we lingered over breakfast with our friends, enjoying their view of the lake and the early morning sun.  So until Cal began riding where we stopped yesterday, it was 10:00.  Today the terrain was flatter than yesterday, allowing Cal to ride 65 miles by the time we arrived in Orr, MN. It was 4:30 and time to stop for the day.   This morning when Cal began riding, the wind was coming out of the south, but during the course of the day, it turned so that by late this afternoon it was coming from the north!  Directly in his face!!  That wind!     

We are seeing more colors in the trees each day, so we know autumn is here! This has been an interesting year – we also went through autumn while in Australian and New Zealand in May & June!

Autumn Colors are appearing

We are enjoying the beauty of the lakes.  There are tranquil feelings when you see lovely shorelines (some rocky, some with reeds), or you see boats or canoes at docks, or even empty docks.  They all give you a calming laid back feeling.     

The wildlife we have been seeing the last several days - Canadian geese, and deer, but numerous mature bald eagles have been flying over us.  Today one sat in a tree top right in front of Cal – his photo is out of focus. 

Today we crossed the Laurentian Divide – we had never heard of this.  This is the divide where the watershed of streams flows north to the Arctic Ocean, and the watershed of streams that go southeast goes to the Atlantic Ocean via Lake Superior and St Lawrence Seaway.  Interesting!  There is also a divide for the watershed that flows to the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi River.  This is stuff that we simply do not think about.

 

Tomorrow will be the last day!  Cal is ready to reach International Falls, MN.  He had approximately 55 miles to go, but he will have a head wind!!

Lodging in Orr, Minnesota - Pelican Lake



Pelican Lake from the Lodge