(20th Anniversary, Pictorial Tour)
Post #37:
Boy, oh boy, do I ever have some stories to tell about this stretch of the trip! Starting with "unidentified cute boy" this is all true, and "there were no Google Maps, then". (Each picture has more details.)
Crystal Grishka-Peterson I remember you meeting the newly born twins on your travels through MN ... I have pictures someone where ...
Jim Petretta I have a pic, too of Alex & Austin. Should I post it, here, or will you? You're the mom, so you can give permission, but they are 20, now, so I had no way of asking them.
Jim Petretta Yeah, meeting twins was sweet, especially for Carl Lebman, who is also a twin. BTW, It's unsolicited comments, like yours, that bring credibility to this entire project--and ride, 20 years ago. So, thank you for that!
Crystal Grishka-Peterson Feel free to post it...
Jim Petretta Crystal Grishka-Peterson Twins, Alex & Austin
Picture #077c
~~~
Picture #077
This
handsome lad was our house boy at Hotel Amsterdam in Minneapolis (now
defunct). Cannot find his name, anywhere, but it's a great pic, lol.
Anyway, the trip to Minneapolis was like something out of Mark Twain's
books, with picturesque ride up the Mississippi River. Once in the
city, twenty years ago, the only gay establishment was refurbishing a
crack house, and turned it into a guesthouse-like
hotel, with a dance bar, called The Saloon (still in operation), right
below. All too convenient, you say? Well, considering we got zero
attention by media or AIDS Agencies in MN, we were lucky to land this
adorable place to stay, courtesy of Andy, the owner at the time. While
in Minneapolis, we also had a chance to visit my eldest sister, Cheryl Karanja, who is a RN, and currently doing her own mission work (New Day Children's Rescue) in Kenya. (Picture from July, 1995)
— with Houseboy, Amsterdam Hotel, MN
— with Houseboy, Amsterdam Hotel, MN
~~~
Picture #077b
Google doesn't lie, but then there were no Google maps in 1995. That I registered 405 miles for this same stretch is likely accurate, considering all the side treks I took for camping and detours, etc. But, let me assure you, these were, by far, the toughest miles of the entire journey. Let's start with Carl Lebman being called back to Rochester, NY for a family emergency. That left me pulling a 65-85 lb. trailer (depending on water/food supplies), against headwinds, in extreme heat (verifiable 100f or more) for several consecutive days. In fact, Chicago had it's worst heat emergency in history, where hundreds of seniors perished from the relentless heat and humidity. Yes, I bicycled every last one of those miles, in those conditions, and I will share some of those stories and pictures in the next few posts. There weren't a lot of pics, but then I was without support. Trust me, I wasn't ready for what I was to face. (Map, courtesy of Google Maps, today)
Jim Petretta I was saved, in Jamestown, so I declare it MY place, lol.
No comments:
Post a Comment