7/21 - Hutchinson to Northfield - Day 36
 

The theme of today was: “gee is that what a tailwind feels like?”.

We were on the road by 7:15 today. We passed a Wal-Mart and Target on the way out of town. The roads were well paved, smooth and flat. The best part was that the winds were very light and mostly cross or slightly from the rear. The best wind conditions that we’ve had in over a week. I’m still blown away by the number and size of the crop fields that we’ve been passing. The fields seem to be incredibly productive.

We were really moving when compared to yesterday. Today by 9AM we had traveled 27 miles, 10 more miles than yesterday. By the time we hit the 30 mile mark we must have had a good tailwind because we were moving in the range of 17 to 19 MPH. The picnic stop was at 44 miles near the town of Belle Plaine.

After lunch we stopped in town for some coffee at a coffee shop call Duets. By the time we got back on the road it was about noon. Luckily the wind was still on our side, I was pushing it a bit and on the some of the small rolling hills I was climbing them at 21 to 28 MPH. Oooooh it was sooooo much funnnnnn. The route sheet indicated that there was Ice Cream in the town of Lonsdale. At one point there must have been fifteen of us sitting outside of the store under a shade tree. The shakes and cones tasted great! At this point we were only thirteen miles from the destination of Northfield (http://www.ohwy.com/mn/n/northfie.htm). Northfield is a college town. It the home to Carlton College and St. Olaf. Both colleges have beautiful campuses ( http://www.carleton.edu/  ). We’ll rest up tomorrow and than be on our way Tuesday.