Day 27

As of tomorrow we'll have been going for 4 weeks.  We've covered over 1850 miles and have just 1500 to go.  My bike has held up well, considering some of the roads we've traversed.  I think I'm the only one left that has not had a flat.  I've replaced my chain and 2 fraying cables.  I think the chain was bad from the start.  I replaced the rear cassette (gears) and chain before I left Seattle and it never seemed to shift right until I bought a new chain in Missoula.

Normally you should replace the chain and rear cassette at the same time.  Allen, the mechanic, thought that my chain was suspect, and we went with just the chain replacement because the cassette was so new.  So far, it has worked.  I actually purchased a new cassette and chain and have been carrying them as a spare in case of trouble.  Not all towns that we pass through have bike shops or parts, but so far I haven't needed them.  The bike is running great.

New Ulm is an interested town.   If you spend some time here you'd think we lost WWII.  This place is very German. 

There is a town in Washington State named Leavenworth that has a bavarian theme.  It carries the facade of a bavarian village, but this place is Germany/Austria to the core.  It's a much bigger town than I expected, too.

New Ulm is overlooked by "Hermann, the German", a monument with a total height of 104 feet. Constructed of sheet copper molded over iron, the 32-foot statue stands on a 70 + foot brick and iron cupola with an internal spiral staircase leading to a viewing area near his feet.

Hermann spearheaded the struggle to defend German tribes against a Roman imperial army in 9 A.D.  In time the Hermann story became a legend and Hermann a symbol of German strength and unity in preserving freedom.

The other big attraction in New Ulm is the Schells brewery.  It is the second oldest privately held brewery in the U.S. and was founded in 1860.

Chacko and I rode the 3 miles out to the brewery for the tour.  It took beer to get me on my bike on our day off.  It was worth it.

My favorite story from area relates to the Dakota conflict of 1862.  Because the U.S. pretty much treated  the Sioux like crap and broke most of the promises made to them, the Dakota warriors attacked U.S. settlements in an attempt to drive the settlers out of the area.  New Ulm was almost entirely burned to the ground during the conflict, except that they left the brewery alone.  Apparently, the Schell's got along well with the indians.

BTW-The recent donations have put me over the $7000 mark.  Thank you.

Also-breaking news!  Sam just returned from the Bavarian Blast.  He is the sauerkraut eating champion!  He downed a pound of sauerkraut in 36 seconds.  He won a T-shirt, mug, and a crown.  I expect eventually he'll have a sparkling clean colon as well.  The Big Riders own New Ulm!