Visiting My Ancestors Day 3 - Not Ancestors

Luverne, MN to Madison, WI:  390.3 miles

I woke up with a splitting headache - unsure what to do.  Part of me wanted to hit the road, part of me wanted to try to sleep.  Getting up won and I felt a little better after a getting ready.  Rather than try to medicate with caffeine, I decided to hit the road.  Radar showed rain to the east, so I played it safe and just went ahead and put on my rain pants.

I rode the short distance south to I-90 and jumped on the interstate.  It felt like TC Boyle's story After the Plague.  Rarely have I seen an interstate with so few vehicles as this Sunday morning.  I set cruise control and let my mind wander.  And wander it did.  Some of it was big helmet thoughts, much wasn't.  I found myself reliving awkward moments, blunders and mistakes - this was not healthy and I'm not sure where it came from.

My headache ebbed and rose through the day, but I was almost normal by the time I got off the interstate.  I much preferred the 2-lane roads, although it was also a bit painful at times due to big evil camping trailers and slow Sunday drivers.

Rain started around Blue Earth and continued heavily until after Albert Lea.  Then it spit rain on and off for most of the rest of the day.  I was headed to my younger sister's house.  Pre-COVID this wouldn't have been very momentous.  Post-COVID, it did seem like a stage of "back to normal."

I stopped to get fuel right as I got near her house and got some soda at the same time.  A dude walked in jabbering on to no one in particular and saw me standing there in my motorcycle coat and rain pants, "You are WAY overdressed."  

I nodded at him, "Motorcycle."

"Gotcha," he says.

"But I do agree."

I saw him as I was leaving the parking lot and he laughed and gave me a thumbs up.  The world is filled with people who are interesting if we let them be.

I got to my sister's and met her new SO.  We talked for quite a while before heading out to walk the dogs.  We went on part of the Ice Age Trail which was really nice.  At times it did feel like we were in people's back yards or traipsing past the weekend soccer games.  Still, some of the views were surprising so close to Madison.

We had dinner and watched a little TV - I made the mistake of showing my sister David Lynch's What Did Jack Do?  Hopefully she doesn't think too much less of me.

I wasn't too upset when everyone turned in early.  I'm ready for one more day on the road.