Entry Eight

The large lake spilled over a short set of rocks, forming a small stream which was ankle-deep and about 30 feet wide, a modest stream. A sign grandly proclaimed this to be the source of the mighty Mississippi River. I had been pedelling through the hill country of western Minnesota for most of the day. Someone had told me of Itasca State Park and what a lovely place it was. For this reason I had really extended myself and traveled a total of 129 miles, my best day. Within 20 miles of entering Minesota, two signifcant things happened. First, I passed the halfwaY point of my journey: 1675 miles. Second, as soon as I hit the hill country, forests immediately sprang up and I knew I has finaaly left the Great Plains, a major milestone.

The name, Itasca, seemed vaguely familiar and now I realized why. Its the birthplace of the Misissippi River. Of course, as a Hydrologist, I knew that its real source was about 20 miles furhter south, along the the longest tributary. I had actually ridden right by the spot several hours earlier in the day. In any case, in the span of two days I had passed from the Missouri River Basin to the Red River of the North, which flows to Canada and Hudsons Bay, and now the Mississippi.

The park was indeed lovely, if rather full of mosquitoes. Several ladies from North Dakota in the campsite next to mine were puzzling over how to set up a new tent. I showed them how to put it up. I also taught them how to split the wood they had bought to form kindling, and then how to light and build a fire. I felt like I was in Scout camp instructing Tenderfoot Scouts, except that these "scouts" offered me a beer for my trouble. This was only my third on this trip and I gladly accepted. One of the ladies worked for Microsoft in Bismarck. This naturally sparked a discussion about Redmond, WA and the virtues of the Seattle area. Washington State may soon have yet two more refugees from North Dakota.

The forests of northern Minnesota are generally rather small and scrawny, when compared with those of the Northwest. Nonetheless, I saw as much wildlife in this area as I had seen anywhere else on my journey; mostly deer, but I did see a martin slink across the road at one point, my first ever.