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Photos: at the bottom of the page
Peter and I met the first time after we departed in Missoula MT. We had lunch together at Stillwater MN. We both had become truly independent and self-sufficient bikepackers. We exchanged our experiences of our solo rides.
The drawbridge (actually a liftbridge) across the St Croix River from Stillwater, MN to Wisconsin is a landmark. It is only for bikers and pedestrians. Peter and I rode on the bridge, entered WI, and rode together further. We got showered on a couple of times. Later, Peter needed to stop and take a break. I continued.
I was surprised by a passing buggy. Its wheels were made of wood only, no tires or even rubber covers. The driver wore a straw hat, smiling at me. I took a picture of it from behind, thinking “this is my newest sin” (Amish people don’t want their pictures taken). Later in a general store, a lady working there told me they are Mennonites (she is one, wearing a long skirt and a bonnet). She explained the differences between them and Amish. In general Mennonites are less restrictive in using modern technologies (electricity, motored vehicles, etc.). For photos, it depends on individuals. “Maybe I didn’t commit a sin today”, I was a little relieved. No face was shown in the photo anyway. Later I noticed some houses without electrical wires connecting to the electric power lines outside.
My original plan for today was to reach Menomonie WI. Because of the lunch and slow ride with Peter, I ran out of time. I changed my plan to camp with Peter at Glen Hills. Peter made a reservation at the campground. I arrived there first and found site #7 as Peter instructed. It turned out this is a different campground from the one Peter reserved. When I realized it, I had set up my tent and didn’t want move. We camped separately.
Chidong Zhang's WA2MA Bike Trip 