Day 26 - Tyler, MN to New Ulm, MN and Day 27 - Rest Day!!!

Walnut Grove, MN temporary home to Laura Ingalls Wilder. Familiar grain elevator in the distance welcoming us to the town.
Hermann Monument in New Ulm. The 106th Congress of the US designated this monument here to be an official symbol of all citizens of German heritage. Hermann of Cherusci is honored as the liberator of Germany from Rome in 9 AD and the father of Germanic independence.

90.40 miles (includes ride to clinic and back up hill to college)

13.6 mph

Rode mostly alone today. The back of my right knee was killing me today from using my hamstrings more than normal to pull up on the pedals. I can't wait to get there and start this rest day. Boy, do I need it! I slowed way down by the second half of the day because my leg was so sore. I kept stopping to stretch it and I even iced at the last water stop. It was nice to actually not have a headwind for the whole day today. We had a crosswind for most of the day and a headwind only at the end of the day. We passed through a lot more small towns, which was really nice and breaks up the ride a bit more. We rode through Walnut Grove, MN which is also where Laura Ingalls Wilder lived for a little while during her pioneer childhood. This is where the TV show takes place. Minnesota is home to four of our riders and lots of people are getting visitors on this rest day. Brian's woman surprised him on the route today and rode right up to him on her bike. She flew out from Seattle to surprise him. Ane and Liz both got to see their parents today and Tom's girlfriend and Vern's wife came out to see them. Mary's man came up from Iowa to see her too.

I got in at a clinic in town to see a doctor for my extra painful muscle. I got an anti inflammitory prescribed to have it if I need it. Motrin wasn't really doing much for me today. I'm a bit concerned about our next 7 day stretch. My body is pretty tired. I hope it can make it. The doctor at the clinic was actually a cyclist and had a poster of the Tour up in the room.

We are staying at Martin Luther College in New Ulm. New Ulm is a German town, it is the sister town to a New Ulm in Germany. This weekend is their Bavarian Bash. A lot of people drank a lot of German beer tonight and polkaed down into the wee hours. They met a local guy who actually lent his car to Andy, who was not drinking, to drive the rest of our clan back to campus that night and drive the owner of the car home so he could drink more too. Andy still had the car the next morning and drove some of us into town for breakfast. There is a large hill between town and campus and it is several blocks. The wife of the guy with the car invited a bunch of the group that was out last night over for brats for lunch on Saturday. I on the other hand, stayed in on Friday night and watched some of the Tour in the lounge and then passed out on my bed. I was exhausted and my allergies were probably the worst they have ever been (except when in the presence of hissing cockroaches - but it was really close to that bad!). I didn't sleep well because of it and woke up and took another zyrtec just to try and get by, it didn't even help! My legs were really stiff on Saturday and tried to get a massage but every place was closed. I had to massage them myself the best I could. The town is a nice really town with every shop being German. Great German food! All the words are in German too. I bought a battery operated radio to strap onto my bike to get me through the hard times during the next seven days, because I know I will have them. It was a nice rest day, but never long enough. This blogging stuff takes up several hours of the day too, but I love reading your comments, so keep them coming!! Wish me luck on these next 7 straight days!!!