Believe it or not…Starbuck, MN is not the home of Starbucks coffee. It is a really nice town along Lake Minnewaska though.

Mary had me back to Starbuck at 8AM and I set off for Sauk Centre, the boyhood home of author Sinclair Lewis.

Where there’s pelicans, there’s fish. Must be lots of fish here.

Love having my camera operational again!

Soybeans to the left of me.

Soybeans to the right.

Here I am. Stuck in the middle with Gerty.

Mary picked me up in Sauk Centre about noon. She had called a bike shop to let them know Gerty would be coming in. No openings until August! Uh oh!!

The second shop said they may be able to get her in if we got there soon. We headed right to Alex Bike Shop in Alexandria, where Barry and Mary live.

The shop said would try to have her ready by end of day but no guarantee. Didn’t open until 10 next AM and I was really not wanting to wait until then to start riding. I would say I crossed my fingers that they would finish today but I can’t. Fingers still not totally functioning.

After we dropped Gerty off we went by Alex’s tourist attraction, Big Ole.

The “Birthplace of America” is local lore. Vikings are said to have visited here in 1382. Personally, I think that may be a stretch but who’s going to argue with Big Ole.

Got a call from bike shop at 3:30 that Gerty was ready. The shop said she looked good and that she had really good components. That was reassuring. Tires are good. Will probably need a new chain along the way because a bit stretched. They even gave her a bath!!

We celebrated by going out to their lake cabin for dinner.

Mary and Barry have been incredible hosts. 2 nights at their house and carting me all over the place. I’m so fortunate to have friends looking out for me. Thanks so much, Mary and Barry!

It was a good night at the lake and Gerty and I will be ready to roll in the AM.

Ride on.

Just Pete