Minnesota continues to amaze us— today was with the wind! We had sustained headwinds of about 14 mph and gusts of up to 24 mph from start to finish. We did 60 miles in only an hour less than we did the 96 yesterday! Within the first mile we rode through part of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, and later groups stopped at a cute bakery/coffee shop in a beautiful lakeside town called Wayzata.

Convincing us of it’s nickname, “The Land of 10,000 Lakes” brought us great views as we pushed through the wind. The bike path was under construction for a few miles (wet tar and tires do not mix well) and then eventually gave way to open roads through agricultural areas. Left to the mercy of the wind, drafting becomes almost essential to keep up the team’s physical abilities. (That’s exaggerated; drafting just makes it easier) It’s courteous to take turns eating the wind up front, but sometimes you’re lucky and a teammate wants to pull the rest of the group for miles at a time!

Immediately after reaching the stayover, we headed to the nearby aquatic center and spent a while in the lazy river, going down slides, and zip lining (a recurring theme, surprisingly!) After dinner (thanks to our wonderful hosts) we did a portrait, which was an awesome and meaningful experience. We’re seeing such diversity in these stories and it makes me happy to know that everyone willing to share their own is making a positive impact on the world. Tomorrow we head straight west to Montevideo!

— Marielle