July 20 Becker’s Resort to Grand Rapids, MN

Distance 47 miles, average speed 11.0 mph, 4:13 ride time, actual time on road 6 hours and 13 minutes.  Total Expenses $18.45

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Awoke at 6:00 AM, packed up and walked Spirit the 1/3 mile to the entrance to Becker’s resort.  I forgot to mention yesterday the drive leading into Becker’s resort consists of soft sand.  I had struggled desperately to keep Spirit upright but did take a spill.  With a fully loaded Spirit and my body weight combined there was no way I’d be able to pedal 330 lbs, 110 lbs weight of bike and gear, up a hill and out to the highway.  Surprise and to my delight the road for the first 15 miles was almost flast as a pancake providing the opportunity to view this beautiful section of the big woods even managed to see a few deer along the way.  Since the road was flat Spirit and I had the opportunity to reaquaint ourselves to keeping our balance and cadence without wobbling and weaving all over the road.  That’s real important to be able to do to keep from getting run over by a motor vehicle.  Though I hadn’t carried this heavy a load since completing the Crossing of America last October, it didn’t take but a couple mintues to acclimate.

As mentioned in the MRT, Mississippi River Trail, Guide book as I turned onto US Hwy 2 there right along side the road was a Giant Walleye.  Someone with a great sense of humor had shaped the outside of their restaurant to look like this Giant fish.

Big Fish Supper Club in shape of a Giant Walleye

Cruised into Bena in under an hour, I stopped for breakfast at the Bena Cafe, Doug had recommended it the night before as a good place for breakfast.  Actually the only other choice was grabbing something to eat at a convience store.  I need a full breakfast to fuel this body down the road.

While at the cafe a few locals came in and we struck up a conversation.  Still not used to but always amazed at how much folks like to hear about my adventures.  As one guy said he would get on my website and be able to live the adventure vicariously.  The other and most rewarding comment I hear is that I’m an inspiration to folks to get up and get out and live life.  Now that is a worthy goal.

Before leaving the diner a couple of the locals told me to be sure and go through Little Falls and stop at Shelly’s Cafe for hand dipped ice cream.  Well, it’s little off the MRT route but for a good ice-cream I’d alter my route.  They were right the ice-cream was made by Land-O-Lakes and any dairy product they make it delicious.  I had a double scoope in a waffle cone.

A novel bus stop a Little Engine

Arrived in Grand Rapids about 1:00 PM and saw a sign for Chamber of Commerce and made a stop to see what type of lodging I could manage for this night.  A quick explanation is in order, if I don’t have a place to stay already planned such as a host with Warm Showers I look for one of three places when I roll into a town; A Chamber of Commerce, Fire Department and a Church.  Whichever when I come to first is where I stop and inquire about a place to stay without spending money.  It almost always works.  Grand Rapids proved my hypothesis once again.  I walked into the Chamber office introduced myself and explained my need for a place to stay.  The lady who I talked to said she knew just the place and gave me the name of Grace House of Itasca County, along with the address and phone number.  I immediately phoned the number and spoke with Peggy who said, “Come on over, we only have one family staying right now so have lots of room”.  I was there in about 5 minutes.

A big part of the adventure is finding uncoventional places to stay.  Grace House is new first as it turns out it is a Homeless Shelter serving the Itasca County.  Founded by a Pastor Lynn Roseberg and her congrecation of the Zion Lutheran Church in or about 2006.   Thanks to a lot of hard work Grace House now is a new building capable of housing 6 indivduals and 2 family groups in modest but clean and safe enviroment while folks put their life  back together.  I was hesitant about staying as I’m not homeless, well at least not yet, but Peggy assured me it was fine.  She was apologetic for having to do a substantial amount of paperwork to allow me to stay.  No problem from my side as it gave me a chance to visit with Peggy and then with the other paid and volunteer staff who came and went during my overnight stay.  Besides I rather got a kick out of thinking I’m now a registered homeless person in the state of Minnesota.  Yep, yet another  first to add to my growing list of life on the road as a”Traveler” a term used to describe folks who enjoy seeking interesting and a different lifestyle of wandering the US and the world not as a tourist.  I’m in, where in the rest of the world should I go next?

Staying at Grace House included meals.  Visiting with Peggy I learned the family of four I was sharing the house with might be leaving this day as they had found a home to rent.  I told Peggy there was no need to feed me if I was the only one there.  She said no problem as the hired staff, volunteers and a couple other folks who need meals stop in so they would be cooking regardless.  Turned out to be a good idea to stay and eat as it gave me the opportunity to visit with yet two more of the paid staff Becky that evening and Kathy the next morning.  In addition, the two volunteers who came in to fix breakfast, husband and wife Ron and Debbie were great folks to visit with.  Debbie has just taken up bicycle riding and Ron intends to do so in the near future.   Some folks may think I took advantage of the shelter and indeed that thought was ever present in my mind, too.  However meeting the folks I did, learning about them and they about me I felt we were all blessed.  What a wonderful world.

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