68 miles today to Winona.  Didn't quite answer the first alarm clock today since the forecast was for clear skies and possibly a favorable wind. Plus, there were more waffles to be had at our motel.

We opted to stay on Hwy 61 all day today rather than take the recommended routes that would get us up on the bluff and away from traffic. Turned out to be a good decision as the shoulder was very wide and smooth and we were protected from the sun and wind thanks to the big Mississippi River bluffs. Stopped at the Anderson House in Wabasha for a mid-morning caramel roll and looked in on their stable of cats (hotel guests can pick out a cat for their stay) before blogging at the library.

Today we also met a woman whose daughter had an ulcerative colitis history very similar to mine, right up to j-pouch surgery at age 19 - she's doing very well with it. Of course, we gave her the website address and hope they get in touch at some point.

Got to Winona with just enough time to clean up and welcome Phil and Ben from LaCrosse! We dined at Jefferson's at Courtney and Trina's recommendation and found the food and atmosphere to be fantastic. They even had a photo of Sherman Hemsley who played George Jefferson on "The Jeffersons"! Sorry, no photo of Willis or that English neighbor...We are so happy that Phil and Ben were able to visit, as it keeps up our amazing run of riding, staying, or dining with great people in tact! Also met another Northern Tier rider at our motel tonight (another complimentary night at Nichols Inn - thanks, Steve K.) and will probably see him off and on tomorrow.

Finally, we saw an equal number of Priuses and Honda Insights today after not seeing hardly any other hybrids to this point. Prius count = 6.