All night I listened to the howling of the Interstate, wondering how I lived with that banshee in my backyard for four years!  It was much more noticeable after two quiet nights.

I hit the road very early, hoping to avoid the heat of the day, which was forecast to be in the mid-90s F.  I followed Route 12 west from Menomonie -- a road I had avoided on the way out because it's a US highway, but now that I read the maps better I knew it was low-traffic, and it was quite a nice ride.

I went through my 2 liters of water by 9:30 and stopped to refill at a bar in the town of Wilson.  The folks in the bar -- who were getting an early start on the day's drinking -- asked about my trip as I stood sweating my shirt through, and before I knew it they had bought me breakfast.  It was the best I'd had since leaving Waffle House territory, and it held me until dinner!

My friend Lori from Minneapolis bought a house with her boyfriend south of Roberts, Wisconsin, which is within commuting distance of the Twin Cities provided she leaves really early.  I reached her house around 2:00 and was relaxed and composed by the time she got home from work.

34.5 mi