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Bill Bikes My bicycling expeditions and jaunts |
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Reno ::: Antelope Island ::: Independence Rock ::: Badlands ::: Blue Mounds
Gettysburg ::: Rappahannock ::: Katy ::: Breckenridge ::: Grand Junction
Blue Mounds, September 2018
Across the Continent, part 5: A Photographic Log
1 September 2018, 10 miles
I'm driving solo across the continent, with the Ogre in the back of the Forester. Some days I hop on the Ogre to ride a few miles out-and-back or in a loop. That slows my forward progress, but enables me to explore some interesting places along the way.Fifth stop, Blue Mounds State Park, Minnesota.
I thought today might be strictly a driving day, but Blue Mounds State Park caught my eye. My ace support crew (who will meet me in Virginia in a few days) is from Blue Mound township in Illinois, so how could I resist visiting this park? I must say that her township—flat, flat, flat—can't compare to this park when it comes to blue mounds.
Actually, I would call this more of an escarpment than a mound, with a gradual rise from north to south, then a sheer southern face, with the southern face tapering to a much lower height at the eastern and western extremities. Supposedly early settlers thought the rocky face looked blue from a distance, but it sure seemed pinkish to me.
Entrance to the park.
This should also satisfy the requirements of the Cycle365 Challenge of the Month for September: signs.
The park includes a couple of small manmade lakes.
At the start of the paved bicycle trail, a handy repair stand is available for cyclists.
This view looks from the trail—down on flat ground—toward the sheer southern face of the mound, or escarpment.
A closer view of the blue mound. Sure looks like a pink escarpment to me.
The park and the mounds are an island in a sea of cornfields.
From the top of the escarpment, looking south across fields toward the town of Luverne.
Cool trail sign.
After dusty, dry days across the western states, Minnesota is green and humid.
Because it tapers down from the middle, the eastern end of the escarpment is no taller than this.
Surprise! The state park maintains a herd of bison on top of the escarpment, which is supposedly one of the few remaining wild and untouched parts of the original prairie.
These bison are fenced in, rather than roaming freely through the park. "Otherwise," the woman at the visitor center told me after I mentioned the bison on Antelope Island, "they would probably wander into town."
Out of maybe three dozen bison (just guessing), this guy stood out. He's probably the big boss.
Maybe he would like to drive west for a visit with his free-roaming cousins on Antelope Island.
Summary
Date: 1 September 2018
Time: 9:30 - 11:00
Weather: 70 - 80° F, mostly cloudy
Route: Blue Mounds State Park, Minnesota
Distance: 10 miles
Bike: Surly Ogre
Riders: Solo
Comments? Questions? Suggestions? I'd like to hear from you.
Reno ::: Antelope Island ::: Independence Rock ::: Badlands ::: Blue Mounds
Gettysburg ::: Rappahannock ::: Katy ::: Breckenridge ::: Grand Junction
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