A blog about cycle-touring and cycle-commuting around Montreal. Plus gratuitous entries about nieces, nephews and mooses.
Sunday, 29 June 2014
On my day off in Bemidji
It would have been easier to sleep in this morning had I thought to close my curtains. Nevertheless, I persevered in my sloth. After the continental breakfast (the continent being North America) I filled one of my MEC saddle bags with stuff for day, having dumped the biking clothes it contained on the bed.
I rode down to statue of Babe the blue ox and Paul Bunyan, as my sources had informed me that there was a bike shop nearby. I was hoping to find a pair of bike shorts to replace the pair I had deemed unfit for service on Thursday. As luck would have it, the shop was the right sort of shop, i.e. a shop for people who know about biking run by serious cyclists. I came away with a reasonably priced pair that promises well. Whether it will keep the promise, I shall see on the morrow.
In the afternoon, I rode to the local cineplex to catch a showing of How to train your dragon 2. Most provokingly, said theater was located a couple of klicks West of town, almost as if it was deemed a "nuisance neighbor" like an airport. Actually, come to think of it, the airport was closer to downtown! ;-)
Afterwards, I rode downtown to see the sights which led me against my better judgement to a book store. I was very good and all I bought was a pair of discounted maps (Duluth and Upper Pennisula Michigan). As I prepared to leave a rain squall was in the offing so I ducked into an Irish themed pub for a glass of a local microbrew. At some point, I realized the sound system was playing a comparatively obscure Stan Rogers song! ("Day to day" about the St-Roch!)
One my way back my lodgings, I noticed a squall was imminent. I took refuge in a park building where I past the time reading about the geology and history of Bemidji. It answered a question I'd had about the origin of the name. Minnesota has place names given by Indians, French explorers, "ordinary" American settlers and Scandinavian settlers. Consequently, I am never quite sure who named what a lot of the time. It turns out Bemidji is an Indian name.
When I got back to my room, I was surprised that in addition to making my bed, housekeeping had folded the clothes I had left on it. I was particularly embarrassed as this included my soon-to-be-thrown-out bike shorts!
Planning ahead, as next weekend is also July 4th, I booked beds for the long weekend. This way, I will have less to worry about.
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