Yippee! A holiday for America but not for me, I'm still biking. But what am I saying, this whole thing is a vacation! Nothing I'd rather be doing.
So it was another pastoral day through the breadbasket- or should I say, the turkeybasket of America. Many of these town I notice have significant turkey pricessing industries, and quite a few turkey feeding barns, almost enough to outnumber the dairies. That and corn. Corn, corn everywhere.
I was feeling celebratory and started the day off with Aaron Copland's "Rodeo". Sure got me going alright. I like riding to soundtracks and scores, feels like I'm in a cross country biking montage. Then later on I moved into some good time country and western. That sistained me for some time and I was signing along loud enough for the cows to moo back.
Reached out to some folks in Pelican Rapids that were offering to host. I thought it would be a shame to spend the holiday alone, so I welcomed the company. It would be a shorter day than usual. But hell, it's a holiday.
Bike trail ended in Fergus Falls. Stopped downtown for a snack and boy was it dead. Looks like it must be a nice place maybe on a weekend, but all the shops were closed today.
On a tip from my hosts, I was directed to Erhard (population 148) where I was told they would be festivities. It was off route a ways but I made the detour. On the way I mounted a relatively tall hill and got a good look at the surrounding hills, lakes and fields.
The breeze film good as the day was nearing 90. Without hardly a cloud in the sky, I was practically dripping when I pulled into Erhard (shown at the bottim of the hill in the photo above). Downtown was a sorrowful sight. Only two gas stations and the spray foam insulation store open. However, the park was still poppin. I arrived around 2, in the parade had happened at 11, so lots of folks had already left but there is still easily twice as many people there than lived in the entire town. Snapped this perfect photo of the parade floats.
Pretty much summed up the celebration. Beyond all the hot rods and tractors parked on the lawn, there were loads of vendors selling some very tantilizing summer treats. I indulged, and lord almighty was it good.
There was even a band playing cover songs in the general good-time theme ranging from "Run Around Sue" to "Don't Stop Believing." There was bouncy houses and a raffle, but the main event seemed to be the eating and day drinking, honestly.
After I had my fill, and had let the heat of the day pass, I saddled up again and made my way towards Pelican Rapids. I was there before long and stopped in the park for breather, while I watched several Hispanic children jump off a bridge and play in the water. My hosts Gretchen and Andrew run a ice cream shop and canoe and kayak rental right on the Pelican River in downtown, and I found the shop just downriver from the park. I walked right in and was immediately offered ice cream. What a day. I can recommend the strawberry rhubarb if you ever stop by.
It was still early evening and I took a cold shower well they finished collecting the last kayaks of the day. Sometime later, we ventured out to their cabin on Lake Lida to watch the evening pass.
Andrew's family had been farming on the location since around the 1880s or 90s.
The farm was still up and running, but the waterside lots had been sold to make lake front cabins. And not mcmansions in glorified cabin disguise, these were how summer cabins should be. A cozy shack by by a shady beach.
We hopped on the boat and took a quick spin to the other side of the lake.
A band was playing there on a barge anchored in the water. Party boats milled around while people swam and danced etc... On a nearby island, pelucans gathered to watch the show.
As Ratty would say, what fun it is "simply messing about in boats..."
Dinner was turkey baked in barbeque sauce on a bun, with some pasta salad. Delish.
Hot. Tired. Satisfied. A good summer's day.
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