After leaving our very nice but insect infested campground outside of Madison, Wisconsin we drove straight to Rochester, MN. For some reason I always thought the Mayo Clinic was in Minneapolis but today I found out that it’s in Rochester. Rochester is a beautiful little city with a very diverse population. Because of this world renowned health facility the area attracts medical professionals from all around the globe 🌎.
In his planning for this trip Bernie had made contact with a charity organization that takes in old bikes and repairs them for adults and children of lesser means. Most of the people that volunteer are retired and working health care professionals. Dr. Paul and his wife Dr. Mary are the main organizers. Mary has MS but still is able to ride on an electric bicycle that has special adaptations.
We met the group at an old fire station that the volunteers turned into a bike workshop. There we saw maybe 100 bikes that had been already repaired and were waiting for new owners. After meeting all of the volunteers we pitched in and began working alongside these dedicated people. I was assigned to fixing flats since I’ve had a lot of experience fixing my own flat tires. Butch was given the problem bikes since he is our mechanic extraordinaire. Bernie being a rocket scientist (no kidding) was also working with Donna on a more difficult project 🚲.
We worked for an hour and then we joined the volunteers for an evening ride around Rochester. It’s a very bike friendly city with wide trails and beautiful parks. We rode around the Mayo Clinic health complex. It was very impressive. About one mile from the conclusion of our bike tour our new friends insisted we stop at a local brewery for refreshments. This was my favorite part of the tour. I found out that doctors in Rochester really like their beer 🍺.
Today was a great day!
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