I found myself back at home, with a week left of my vacation. The bike touring bike was needing some serious service, and tires. But the whole point of this vacation time was to take a long test ride on my sr250, which so far I hadn't done. I had discovered that long days on the small bike just weren't going to happen, not without some working up to it anyway, and so I planned a shorter road trip, about 200-300 miles a day, and staying nearer home.
I also had spent a fair number of hours riding across the USA thinking about the luggage. I did want hard luggage for the trip, but I decided that was really just because I have a sticker addiction and wanted somewhere to put them. One of the things I liked about the 250 was it was much lighter, and hard luggage would move away from that. So, I decided to give soft bags a try.
I got home, spent a day or some working out a new plan and visiting friends, then loaded up the bike.
Still looks like a lot, but I was (and still am) much happier with it. The water and gas didn't stay on the rear rack, falling off somewhere in the next 20 miles or so. Little sad about the water bottle, since I have had it for years, but clearly I'll live.
The plan was to ride to the Spam Museum, near the Hormel Plant in Austin, MN. I've always meant to go there, but never found the time to actually stop. And I would limit myself to state and US highways, no interstate riding (except for short distances). And I would camp, exclusively, no matter the weather or how I felt. I planned four days, though it ended up as three.
So, off I went.
This grocery store had a mouse to carry your stuff to your car. If you trusted it not to run off.
I rode west on Wisconsin Highway 33, which is considered one of the best roads in the Midwest. It passes through Wildcat State Park, a twisty up and down section that is fun even on a loaded down 250.
It was a beautiful day, and I had the road pretty much to myself. After days of interstate riding, being off on two lane roads was relaxing.
Eventually I reached the Mighty Mississippi. I had thought about camping on the rive somewhere, but it was still early in the day, so I decided to ride closer to Austin, meaning I could get to the museum early the next morning.
Very high bridge.
Once over the river, and away from the bluffs that line it, I was back in the flatlands the Midwest is known for.
(I was swarmed by bugs for this photo)
You can tell by the shadows that it was getting later, so I looked at my map for a campground. "Mystery Cave State Park" sounded promising, so I rode off. I had to turn off the state highway onto a gravel road, looking for another turn about 5 miles along. At 7 miles I rechecked my directions, gave it another mile, then back tracked. No road. I hadn't seen anyone, either.
I rode back to the state highway, and back tracked to the last town I'd gone through. There had been two campgrounds there, so I picked the cheaper one and set up my camp, eating a double portion of chicken ramen for dinner as I wrote in my journal.
I was sitting against a tree reading when a older woman invited me over to their fire. Her and her brother both had permanent spots in the campground for their RV's, and pretty soon the campground owners had shown up too. Apparently this was the happening place to be.
I was still being attacked my mosquitoes, and everyone seemed very apologetic about it. It seems they don't usually get bugs in this campground, since the only water is cold and fast flowing. But this summer had seen a lot of rain, and there was standing water, and so there were bugs. I just wore long sleeves and shrugged.
They were also concerned because storms were expected overnight, and I was in a little tent. Both the brother and sister made sure I knew I could seek shelter if I needed it.
It was late when I went to sleep, and I realized later I hadn't taken a single picture.
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