Day 27

Fairmont, MN to Austin, MN

• Miles: 81 mi

• Elevation Gain: 1,523 ft

Today’s Ride
After the marathon miles of yesterday, today was a low-key recovery day. We rode 81 miles with 1,523 feet of climbing, and while it was still a good stretch in the saddle, the whole group was a little tired and saving energy for tomorrow’s 117-miler.

Along the way we stopped in Blue Earth, MN to visit the one and only Jolly Green Giant. Always a crowd-pleaser — and a quirky roadside stop to break up the miles.

Highlights

• 🥯 The biggest treat of the day: being greeted in Austin by two boxes of donuts from my friend Courtney! Such a thoughtful surprise, and the entire group was thrilled to dig in. A sweet ending to the ride (literally).

• 👋 Austin, MN is also home to the famous SPAM Museum. While some past P2Pers have stopped, our group decided that rest > SPAM… maybe next time.

Today was simple but satisfying: steady miles, a giant roadside attraction, donuts with friends, and an early afternoon arrival that gave us time to catch our breath. Tomorrow’s a big day (117 miles!), so for now it’s all about rest and gratitude.