Day 38: Rest day in Northfield, MN
Northfield's claim to fame is not only that it's home to Carleton and Saint Olaf College, but it's also home to the First National Bank of Northfield, the last bank Jesse James attempted to rob. Since 1876, the town still celebrates the defeat of Jesse James and the James-Younger gang because its own citizens had banded together to defend their town from the gang. The celebration takes place in September and includes a
reenactment- good guys win; bad guys lose.
Division Street in the heart of Northfield is almost like any other college town: trendy coffee shops, ice cream parlors, banks with multiple ATM machines, bars, a few bookstores . . . . Most of the buildings, however, date to at least the mid-1800s. Brick foundations, painted white porches with arches connecting the white wooden posts, buildings lining the street like stacked dominoes with no spaces in between. The historical society of Northfield is based out of the First National Bank on this street, one of the buildings in this stack. The Archer House at the beginning of the street (set off on its own) dates to 1877. I couldn't resist staying at this "charming French Second Empire Inn" along the Cannon River.
In the afternoon, I walked the 3 or 4 miles to Northfield Hospital to have my collarbone checked out again. On the other side of the river, downtown turns into suburbs, which, after you pass the senior citizen centers, turns into fields of yellow and green. In the middle of these fields is the newly built hospital.
Now, I had missed returning to Brown to see my friends graduate before the start of this bike adventure. On top of the ceremonies, I had also missed a lot of the fun stuff that goes along with commencement, including a pops concert this year by Harry Connick, Jr. But no matter! At Northfield Hospital, I was in fact treated by Harry Connick, Jr.! Same rugged good looks, playful smile, intense voice . . . . Strangely, he introduced himself as Dr. Seper.
Harry, Dr. Seper, told me that I could begin light cycling in 5 days. He took me out of the sling and said that I could begin reacquiring motion in my right arm within reason. I'm disappointed that I can't begin tomorrow, though I suppose that pianists know best when it comes to clavicles . . .
Day 37: Hutchinson to Northfield, MN
Woke up with an initial feeling of great gratitude for two reasons: 1) I was dry. It had been pouring, thundering, lightning-ing all through the night and continued for several hours in the morning. 2) The inside of my tent was a mosquito-free zone-- not saying that if it hadn't been one I wouldn't have gone through great extents to make it so. The minute I came out of my tent to brush my teeth, not only did the long johns my mother had sent me in Wyoming get soaked, but a mosquito found my right buttock (through those long johns) quite appetizing.
Today's the first day that it's rained hard right from the start. How I wanted to be out there on my bike instead of in a van! Sure, I'd get wet, but what's the fun in biking such a great distance if you don't encounter all types of weather? But then I recalled the feasting mosquitoes, and I thought, well, I could wait.
It stopped raining about mid-day and good ol' midwest humidity set in. I received pacakges from friends and family (thank you!) and the macademia nut chocolates were gone in minutes. A shoulder brace I had recently ordered also came in and I'm hoping that the doctor at the local hospital will give me an OK to get back on my bike.
Northfield's claim to fame is not only that it's home to Carleton and Saint Olaf College, but it's also home to the First National Bank of Northfield, the last bank Jesse James attempted to rob. Since 1876, the town still celebrates the defeat of Jesse James and the James-Younger gang because its own citizens had banded together to defend their town from the gang. The celebration takes place in September and includes a
reenactment- good guys win; bad guys lose.
Division Street in the heart of Northfield is almost like any other college town: trendy coffee shops, ice cream parlors, banks with multiple ATM machines, bars, a few bookstores . . . . Most of the buildings, however, date to at least the mid-1800s. Brick foundations, painted white porches with arches connecting the white wooden posts, buildings lining the street like stacked dominoes with no spaces in between. The historical society of Northfield is based out of the First National Bank on this street, one of the buildings in this stack. The Archer House at the beginning of the street (set off on its own) dates to 1877. I couldn't resist staying at this "charming French Second Empire Inn" along the Cannon River.
In the afternoon, I walked the 3 or 4 miles to Northfield Hospital to have my collarbone checked out again. On the other side of the river, downtown turns into suburbs, which, after you pass the senior citizen centers, turns into fields of yellow and green. In the middle of these fields is the newly built hospital.
Now, I had missed returning to Brown to see my friends graduate before the start of this bike adventure. On top of the ceremonies, I had also missed a lot of the fun stuff that goes along with commencement, including a pops concert this year by Harry Connick, Jr. But no matter! At Northfield Hospital, I was in fact treated by Harry Connick, Jr.! Same rugged good looks, playful smile, intense voice . . . . Strangely, he introduced himself as Dr. Seper.
Harry, Dr. Seper, told me that I could begin light cycling in 5 days. He took me out of the sling and said that I could begin reacquiring motion in my right arm within reason. I'm disappointed that I can't begin tomorrow, though I suppose that pianists know best when it comes to clavicles . . .
Day 37: Hutchinson to Northfield, MN
Woke up with an initial feeling of great gratitude for two reasons: 1) I was dry. It had been pouring, thundering, lightning-ing all through the night and continued for several hours in the morning. 2) The inside of my tent was a mosquito-free zone-- not saying that if it hadn't been one I wouldn't have gone through great extents to make it so. The minute I came out of my tent to brush my teeth, not only did the long johns my mother had sent me in Wyoming get soaked, but a mosquito found my right buttock (through those long johns) quite appetizing.
Today's the first day that it's rained hard right from the start. How I wanted to be out there on my bike instead of in a van! Sure, I'd get wet, but what's the fun in biking such a great distance if you don't encounter all types of weather? But then I recalled the feasting mosquitoes, and I thought, well, I could wait.
It stopped raining about mid-day and good ol' midwest humidity set in. I received pacakges from friends and family (thank you!) and the macademia nut chocolates were gone in minutes. A shoulder brace I had recently ordered also came in and I'm hoping that the doctor at the local hospital will give me an OK to get back on my bike.
