Tuesday, July 12, 2022

Midwest Minor Detours

 Leaving Saint Cloud, we needed to be on highway 23 to 65, and Last night I tried several times to build the route in the motor company app on my phone, but every time I did it put this little zig off of 24, and then back to it. Finally in total desperation I asked Google for directions to McGregor MN. A town that was north of us on roads we wanted to go on. Low and behold Google put the same zig in but highlighted it explaining this section was closed for construction.

Go This Way Now


 We followed the Detour around a loop that took us back to near Foley, where the road was indeed under construction.

Definitely Under Construction


There were no detour signs after Foley, and highway 23 still had barricades across it saying Closed.

While stopped at the intersection trying to figure out which way to go, a car full of locals stopped to ask if we were all right. We were except we did not know how to get around the construction. The one fellow said if you turn around and go down the road they just came up on and go until you see a blue schoolhouse then turn right you will be all right. Minnesotans are darn near as nice as Canadians. Nice folks.

Turn Right At The Blue? Schoolhouse 


We did exactly that. Turned right at the blue schoolhouse and the road eventually took us right back to 23 and more barricades.

 Now probably if I had not gone 40 miles round trip up a closed road in 113-degree heat just the other day, I most likely would have just went around the barricades like most traffic seemed to be doing, about 14 barricades ago. But staring at the barricades that the blue school road led us to, I could see a gas station just past the next set of blockage.

 I went around the roadblock pulled into the store/gas station, and much to my surprise my traveling compadre was right behind me. Parking she asked me what I was going to do, and I said I was going to go ask inside just what is up with this highway.

 Now being a northerner, I can relate to Minnesotans Some of the friends I love are from Minnesota, so when I took off my hemit, neck gator, and road glasses and walked right up to the counter in that store, looked the lady behind the counter straight in the eye and asked “What is up with the barricades on 23. We are trying to get north, and the road is closed”

 Oh, she said. Just go around those things. There is no construction, they put those things up, but the road is just fine. I asked her if she would tell my traveling compadre the same thing, and she said yes.

Back at the bikes I told my compadre everything is okay, that she should go inside and ask the lady at the counter about the barricades. My pal said she believed me, and at this point I was in trouble if there was any construction up ahead, and the lady at the gas station was in trouble with me if there was.

 But alas we rode around barricaded for several miles and finally encountered a End Of Construction sign!

 Heading to the worlds largest ball of twine it was rural roads all the way with no detours.

Largest Ball Of Twine Darwin Minnesota

Creator Of The Largest Ball Of Twine

I was so enthralled with seeing the ball of twine that I had not really paid much attention to where we were, so when we started out towards our lodging for the evening. It wasn’t long until we encountered yet another DETOUR with no idea which way to go.

Fortunately, this time we turned the wrong way, stopped at a gas station for more fuel, and re charted our route to the great river road, and north to our lodging.

 The only other detour was for two trains very long trains to pass. 


Least It Wasn't Very Hot

 









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