Update #15 - June 21st, 2001
Wisconsin Rapids, WI - 3410 miles

My rest day in Shawano was well needed. It did storm some. I had some really great hosts.

The next day was clear but there was some strong gusts coming from the Southwest. It didn't really slow me down some on the way to Wausau along U.S. 29. I didn't find out that this was a restricted highway until about 11 miles out of Wausau. There were not any signs posted where I had gotten on the 4-lane divided highway. At least there was a paved shoulder to ride along and get me out of the path of the 65 mph traffic. The only thing that I had to deal with were continuous rumble strips that didn't stay near the inside of the shoulder. A state trooper flagged me down and he was really kind since he didn't give a ticket. He just gave me directions to the old highway.

For the night, I stayed with a board member of the local Habitat affiliate. I had a good time with them. What was so interesting during the evening was that a baby rabbit had somehow gotten into the house and we had a hard time catching it. They set up a live-animal trap where it was hiding under the entertainment center with some food in it. The trap was sprung around 1 a.m.

Yesterday, I was going to ride from Wausau to Marshfield but I would have had to taken several long detours beause several bridges were out. Instead, I followed the Wisconsin River through Stevens Point to Wisconsin Rapids. The ride was okay except a big hill just south of Mosinee. In a neat twist yesterday afternoon in Wisconsin Rapids, I got interviewed by the local paper "the Daily Tribune" and gotten an invitation to stay with one of the local Catholic priests. I had a good time discussing theology with Father Menzel of the St. Vincent de Paul Parish.

Today (June 21), I'll be riding from Wisconsin Rapids through some cranberry bogs to Sparta. I'm just waiting out some rain showers before I head out. I hope to be riding through Lacrosse tomorrow (Friday) and possibly crossing the Mississippi River then into Minnesota. I need to be in the Oakland, Iowa area (about 20 miles east of Council Bluffs) the end of next week. I'm supposed to be preaching at the Oakland Christian Church Sunday morning (July 1st).