David Freeze Day 9: Change of plans ends well!
Published 1:48 pm Thursday, August 3, 2023
A beautiful old school in Grand Rapids. David Freeze photo
The small Mississippi River, about 60 miles from the source. David Freeze photo
This looks like something that would be on Route 66. It is the drawing card for a fish restaurant. David Freeze photo
Melinda Moran, with her husband, Jeremy, operated the Lake George Pines Motel. David Freeze photo
Freeze’s room at the Lake George Pines Motel. David Freeze photo
Editor’s note: David Freeze is cycling along the Mississippi River. This is part two of his adventure, riding from Dubuque, Iowa, up to the source in Minnesota. Contact him at david.freeze@ctc.net.
I had it all figured out and because I did, I didn’t rush as much this morning to get on the road. I was leaving Grand Rapids and on the way to Bemidji, where I thought I had a room all lined up for tonight. Planning to only do 70 miles, I stopped to get breakfast things a couple times. I pedaled through White Oak and Deep River, both small but very clean as most of Minnesota is. People are proud of their state and it shows.
I have a friend here who lives in Bemidji and he sent a text saying, “You realize that motel is 25 miles south of Bemidji.” Somehow that fact escaped me. The motel I needed, Lake George Pines Motel, was close Lake Itasca, the source of the Mississippi. I had to make a direction change and headed south of Bemidji for 35 miles, leaving me about a dozen miles from Lake Itasca. I love the motel, which I think is still in the Leech Lake Indian Reservation. Another positive was a fairly new convenience store a block away. The clerk said, “You weren’t kidding when you said you would eat a lot!” I bought three bags of stuff and will eat nearly all of it tonight, plus I was nearly out of water at arrival.
I saw the Mississippi River again this morning, and I suspect that I could wade across it. I know that people will be walking across it tomorrow morning when I see the source at Lake Itasca. They have a wonderful visitor center and this year I can view it after seeing the river all the way from New Orleans back up to the source.
It was a long ride today of 85 miles with no other towns. Lake George is a town itself, and also a small lake. The town has a population of 233.
I will go to the Visitor Center at Lake Itasca, first thing and at least at this writing, I plan to ride back to Bemidji for the evening. Plans can change for sure and these might.
After I leave the lake source tomorrow, part two of my adventure will begin. I will be pedaling back east to Grand Rapids and then on to Duluth, Minnesota. From there, at least some version of a Lake Superior visit will happen. More on that later.
Since this is a short report and included a lot of time riding through the endless woods, I have a little more to include tonight. I have been hearing from many of the readers and I love it. That is always positive and a boost for me when you take time to write something.
And finally, this is a very challenging trip so far. After all is said and done, I look forward to the best thing of the day, my hot shower that signals the end of all I have to do. Even though the weather has cooled off here too, I get excited to take that shower! I am headed that way soon. See you back here tomorrow!
