Hibbing, Minnesota

Today was a rest day for us, and usually there isn't much to write about on a rest day.  Today was different.  One of our riders set up a tour of the town we are staying in - Hibbing Minnesota.  It was a short ride of 13 miles, but there is surprisingly a lot to see in this small town.  

Hibbing is the home town of Bob Dylan, Kevin McHale (a pro basketball player), and the Greyhound Bus Company.  There is also a huge iron ore mine here.  So - off 3 of us went.  The first thing we came to was the old railroad depot.  It has been turned into an Antique Store, which was closed, but outside we spent some time investigating a drill press that can be operated by a hand crank, or with a flat belt from some other power source.  An engineering marvel from the 1800's 

From there we rode to the Greyhound Bus Museum.  When we got to the door, there was a handwritten note on a piece of accounting paper which said "Volunteer went home sick, Sorry".  So we didn't get to go in, but we did learn about the history of the bus company from exhibits outside.  We also got this picture of an old time bus.

It turns out that the Museum is very close to the huge iron ore mine, so we rode over there.  The machines they use in the mine are unbelievably large as you can see in this picture comparing me and my bike to a dump truck.

The size of the mine itself is also hard to comprehend.

 Climbing on my bike up to the top where the displays were is not something I was able to do, but one of my fellow riders did get this picture of me rolling down the gravel drive from the mountain.

After that adventure, we were back in town, studying the city's displays honoring their favorite son, Bob Dylan.  Right outside his boyhood home, they have an interesting way to paint a crosswalk.

I'm not sure which of his songs the crosswalk displays.

At the high school there is a wall with one side commemorating his Nobel Prize.

And the other side having a permanent chair in front of a mosaic of his lyrics.  I am sitting in front trying to soak in all the wisdom.

By then it was time to get back to the hotel, go to dinner, and catch another sunset.

Not bad for a day off.

13 miles today