Mile 1 of the PBT, north of Crow Wing State Park, Day 1.
My campsite at Crow Wing State Park.
I registered my car with the ranger station at Crow Wing State Park to leave it parked there for the week while I biked. I set up camp for the night and did one more pack shakedown to ensure I was only taking the essentials with me…plus a book and my journal. Some would say those are luxury items, but they are essential for me. I packed a change of clothes for riding and another to wear at camp. I would wash out my biking clothes when I showered each day and hang them to dry overnight.
I met two fellow cyclists that first night – Dick from Seattle and Greg from Minneapolis. They were long-time friends who were retired and met up each year to cycle and travel together. They were nearing the end of their trip while mine was just beginning. We sat and talked awhile about our experiences. They seemed like nice, solid guys, so my anxiety of being one of those women who takes a trip and is never heard from again slowly subsided as we talked.
My trusty steed loaded with my supplies for the trip, Crow Wing State Park, Day 1.
During my night at Crow Wing State Park, the sky was crisp and clear. The stars were beautiful. I walked the campgrounds to get a clear view of the sky. I was really nervous about my trip, but I knew I was prepared. I just needed to let the journey unfold from this point forward.
I broke camp and was on the trail by about 9a for my first-day riding. Before I left camp, I weighed my gear. I had 37.14 pounds of gear on my bike. My head was reeling that this was actually happening. I was really doing this. All the work, practice, training, and planning I had done was coming together. I rode most of that first day on cloud 9. I met a few cyclists along the way, but not many since this was the post-season. I was mostly alone as I rode. Just me, the trail, and the world around me.
I was in Nisswa by noon. I was sweaty and dirty from the ride, but I had made it to my first overnight place along the trail. I enjoyed a Bre Burger and the most amazing fries (and I am not a big fan of fries) at Main Street Ale. I also had a drink, I think some hard cider on tap. I didn’t want to drink each night at camp because I was a woman traveling alone, so I decided I would enjoy a drink with lunch if I wanted one. As much as I was riding, I was sure I would burn off the calories. While at lunch. I reserved a campsite at Fritz’s just off the highway and about a mile from downtown Nisswa. My campsite overlooked Lake Edna. I set up camp and spent some time enjoying the view of the lake. I put my feet in the water and enjoyed the feel of the sand between my toes. I had an electric hook-up at my campsite, so I charged my battery pack and cell phone. The campground was tranquil, and I took some time to explore the property. I biked 37.14 miles that first day, and I was more alive than I had felt in a very long time.
My route on Day 1 from Crow Wing State Park to Nisswa, 37.14 miles. Obtained from Google Maps.
My campsite at Fritz’s Campground in Nisswa, Day 1.
It rained that night at Fritz’s, so I dealt with a wet and sandy tent the following day. I did my best to dry the tent and clear away the sand, but my tent was a serious mess. I packed my gear, towel and bandana loosely tied down to the back of my bike so they could dry, and set off. My destination for Day 2 was Walker. I wanted to stop in Hackensack for lunch, but I was starving when I got to Backus. So, I stopped at a tiny hole-in-the-wall bar and ate a burger and onion rings. I am sure there was nothing special about the food, but they tasted good.
It rained that night at Fritz’s, so I dealt with a wet and sandy tent the following day. I did my best to dry the tent and clear away the sand, but my tent was a serious mess. I packed my gear, towel and bandana loosely tied down to the back of my bike so they could dry, and set off. My destination for Day 2 was Walker. I wanted to stop in Hackensack for lunch, but I was starving when I got to Backus. So, I stopped at a tiny hole-in-the-wall bar and ate a burger and onion rings. I am sure there was nothing special about the food, but they tasted good.
While I ate, I tried to find a campground to stay at for the night, but the places I found for camping near Walker were all closed for the season. I eventually decided to give up camping and booked a room at Chase on the Lake, a lovely hotel in walker just off of Leech Lake. I would have to settle for an actual bed for the night.
While I biked the trail, I stopped along the way to enjoy all the sites, most of which were statues or tributes to the story of Paul Bunyan. His footprints decorated a park in Jenkins. His lady love, Lucette, stood along the trail in Hackensack. Paul and Babe greeted me in Bemidji. It was fun to find these little gems along the way. I discovered the water town in Pequot Lakes is a bobber.
My route on Day 2 from Nissua to Walker, 45.5 miles. Obtained from Google Maps.
Paul Bunyan’s footprints and my shoe in Jenkins. Day 2.
Me and the Pequot Lakes water tower, Day 2.
Paul Bunyan’s sweetheart, Lucette, in Hackensack, MN, Day 2.
The trail itself was gorgeous from start to finish. Fall was just beginning to show its colors. While most trees were still green, some yellows and oranges were sprinkled amongst the leaves. There were short trees along the way (I don’t know the name) afire in red. It was so beautiful, peaceful, and solitary. I was amazed at how connected I was to nature. It was just me, the trail, and the forest.
Getting a room at Chase on the Lake turned out to be the best-unplanned thing that happened to me on the trip. I was able to wash out my tent and let it fully dry, take a long shower, wash my clothes, and regroup for the last leg of my trip. I enjoyed tuna Poke and a glass of wine on the hotel’s patio overlooking Leech Lake. I later walked the decks along the lake, amazed at how clear the water was and all of the crawfish I found. Finally, I put my feet in the lake and enjoyed the feel of the sand on my feet. I love putting my feet in lakes and wiggling my toes. It felt luxurious, especially after riding 45.5 miles. I slept like a baby in my hotel room that night.
Along the PBT, Day 2
My route on Day 3 from Walker to Lake Bemidji State Park, 39.9 miles. Obtained from Google Maps.
The following morning (Day 3 on the trail), I ate breakfast and prepared for the last stretch of my journey. It was 39.9 miles from Walker to Lake Bemidji State Park, where I would stay for 2 nights before catching the shuttle back to my car. Before I left Walker, I gathered up a few things I hadn’t needed for my trip (maybe 5 pounds of gear), dropped it in USPS flat rate box, and mailed it to my home in Austin. I got the idea from the book Wild. Cheryl, the woman hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, sent care packages to herself along the way to help replenish her supplies while she hiked. I figured I could do the opposite and save myself the need to carry gear I wouldn’t use. It was a great use of $13.65. I breathed a prayer of gratitude that I could ship things back to me and cover the cost of a hotel room when I couldn’t find a campsite. I had the resources to deal with the unexpected.
The third day of the trail led me through a portion of the Chippewa National Forest. The canopy of trees formed an archway across the trail, almost making it feel like I was biking through a tunnel of foliage. I stopped along the trail through the forest and just listened to the sounds of nature. There wasn’t a human-made sound anywhere around me except for those made by me. It was incredible and also a little creepy. I had scenes from a slasher movie flash in my head and decided to get going again. My logic was if someone was lurking in the trees with my demise in mind, I would be harder to catch on a bike.
The last day on the trail was cooler and wetter than the 2 previous days. I stopped in LaPorte for an hour to rest under a pavilion as a storm passed. Most of the towns along the PBT had a park with a pavilion just off the trail. I stopped in these towns for water, a snack, a good stretch, and (hopefully) a bathroom break. Sometimes I found a bathroom to use, sometimes I had to settle a discrete spot behind a bush.
I arrived at the southern side of Lake Bemidji in the early afternoon on September 12. It was cloudy and windy, but I made it. I took some photos of the lake, texted my friends who were cheering me on to show them I had made it, and marveled at my ability to actually make this trip. After that, it was another 9.5 miles to Lake Bemidji State Park and my home for the next 40-ish hours, Space 92.
Entering Chippewa National Forest, Day 2
Just arrived at Lake Bemidji near downtown Bemidji, Day 3.
I had done it! The trip from Walker to Lake Bemidji State Park was 39.9 miles, making my total trip from Crow Wing State Park to Lake Bemidji State Park a modest 116.3 miles with about 35 pounds of gear on my bike.
Now that the ride was complete, I allowed myself two nights at Lake Bemidji State Park to relax and explore the area. While a significant portion of the cycling was done, my trip wasn’t entirely over. I still had a day to explore Bemidji and the trip home ahead of me.
This blog is part of an arch that began with a discussion on pilgrimage and the book Wild.
Click HERE to read part 1 of my trip up the PBT.
Click HERE to read part 3 of my trip up the PBT.
I also wrote about the feeling of arriving at the end of this amazing trip.