Preparations are underway for me to spend the next five days isolating myself from **literally everyone** in the middle of the woods.

Is this a loaf of bread? No, it's 11 peanut butter and honey sandwiches!

Here's pretty much all of the gear that I'm taking with me, all laid out. Minus what I'll be wearing tomorrow, and food.

And here's all the food I'm packing with me! Normally I'd only take enough for one or two days, but for this social-distancing trip, I'm going to see how long I can go without a grocery run.

But possibly the most important part of packing: I've downloaded a bunch of media onto my phone for the trip.
325 podcast episodes
55 videos
A few ebooks
A couple of audiobooks

Day 1 progress: rolled into Henderson just after crossing the 100km mark. Good thing, too, I was about to run out of water. I didn't realize that I wouldn't be passing any towns in between Carver and Henderson!

Quads are pretty sore, and despite my snack breaks, I'm really hungry. I already took a nap, but I think this will be a longer stop so I can eat a bit more.

There are a lot of motorcyclists out, at least along the Scenic Byway I'm traveling on.

MN-93 is closed just south of Henderson, which complicated things significantly because it's kind of the only viable route to St Peter. I ended up taking an ill-advised dirt road to US-169, then got off at the next exit for Le Sueur.

I've made it almost to St Peter, and found a nice little spot to make camp. About 120km in all!

Photo highlights from today.

Well, I just had a dream about waking up and getting ready to break camp, so I guess it's time to wake up and get ready to break camp.

Isn't this the way it always goes with bike infrastructure? – at Minnesota Square Park

Made it to Sakatah State Trail! Now it's just 40km of beautiful, paved trail to Sakatah Lake State Park. Should be there in time for lunch and a nap! – at Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail

Made it to Sakatah Lake State Park! The views along the trail weren't spectacular, mostly just farm fields. Passed through some cute little towns though, some of which have trail-facing businesses.
They're closed, of course. – at Sakatah Lake State Park

My energy was flagging the whole way over, and my knee have a worrying twinge once, but I managed to push through.
There were a few places shortly before arriving at the State Park (coming from the west) where the pavement quality was terrible, absolutely killed my momentum. – at Sakatah Lake State Park

Every bridge the DNR builds on their state trails seems to use the same kind of wood. Pine, I think? I live for that smell. Just huffing that wood every time I cross a bridge. – at Sakatah Lake State Park

The park's visitor center is closed, but it still has all the resources I need: outlets (even my 20,000 mAh battery was getting down towards 50%), a spigot, a picnic bench, and wifi! My phone immediately started downloading eight new podcast episodes. – at Sakatah Lake State Park

Dinner this evening is a just-add-water-and-boil tortellini meal. All the comforts of home!
The rocky ground was a little tough to get my tent stakes into, but my bike was right next to it, so I got a little creative. – at Sakatah Lake State Park

Well, I just had a dream about someone making fun of me for wearing the same outfit for several days. I guess it's time to wake up and put on the same clothes I was wearing yesterday.

That's what we love to wake up to! – at Sakatah Lake State Park

Made it to Faribault, about halfway along my journey to Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. Stopping for a second breakfast. Shout out to these folks from the Faribault Flyers Bike and Ski Club for providing a spot for me to rest my bum. – at White Sands Trailhead Dog Park

I've never been to Nerstrand Big Woods, but I hear it's great. What things should I make sure I check out while I'm there?

Made it to the Big Woods! Looks like there are lots of trails to check out. Since there are no leaves on the trees nor wildflowers on the prairie, I'm going to check out the waterfall.
(Also, this is the first place on my trip where I haven't had LTE coverage. 3G!) – at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park

Let me tell you, being out on a hike in a state park at 1pm on the first Wednesday is way spookier than being at home. Where would I even shelter out here? – at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park

Took until the third evening of this trip, but I've finally been treated to a chorus of coyotes howling to each other.
Or maybe those are dogs on somebody's farm. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ – at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park

Weird, I went to sleep with 3G and woke up with LTE. I didn't just do a Rip Van Winkle, did I? It's still April 2020, right? – at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park

Goodbye, Nerstrand! It's been real.
I'll have to come back when the vegetation is more active. – at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park

Made it to Cannon Falls, a town I'm fairly familiar with because I used to work at a camp nearby.
It was real rough going; lots of wind from the southeast, and my route alternated going east and going north.

You hate to see it.
Seriously, if you close a bike route, you are morally obligated to provide a detour. – at Cannon Falls Trailhead

Since the Cannon Valley Trail is closed (which was the entire point of that corner of the triangle) I went straight from Cannon Falls to Beautiful, Historic, Downtown Hastings.
Click the link to see the picture as a full photosphere.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/o5meko4xKURf2vFm9 – at Levee Park

I'm feeling good, and it's only noon, and the forecast says 32°F and rain overnight, so I'm going to make this a long day and push through to home. Wish me luck! – at Levee Park

There's a lot going on with this plaque. – at Levee Park

Part of the reason I chose the Hastings to St Paul portion of the trip is because I had heard that there is a new trail that allows you to get from one to the other entirely off-street.
That is mostly true, but there's still a 3.5km segment that's coming in the future.

Add a result, I ended up taking a gravel road (with a hilarious "bikes may use full lane" sign) and had to hop a fence to get back on the trail.

The rest of the trail is super pleasant! And as I got further into the Cities, I noticed that Dakota County has done a really good job putting up wayfinding signs at every conceivable junction. – at Spring Lake Regional Park

When the trail ends at Kaposia Landing and dropped me off on Concord St, there was a bunch of police activity just north of me, diverting traffic up Butler Ave.
I decided to check out Kaposia Park instead, and... going up that hill after 100km of riding was not ideal.

But I made it up, and then I just had to cross the West Side and Downtown to get home. Almost 120km today! I'm very stinky and I need a nap, and this gear isn't going to unpack itself. Time to check out for the rest of the day.

My knees are pain.