Northfield, MN. On September 10, I added Minnesota as state number 33. This century was part of "The Defeat of Jesse James" festival. Jesse James has become somewhat of a folk hero in Hollywood and in Missouri (which is where he was from), where he's painted as a post-Civil War Robin Hood. But, historians have found no evidence that James gave the proceeds of his ten-year murderous rampage to anybody but himself.
The James Gang attacked a bank in Northfield, MN on September 7, 1876. The folks of Northfield, in those pre-911 days, realized what was going on, and initiated a firefight in downtown, killing two members of the gang at the scene. They then formed a posse, and chased down most of the gang in Madelia, MN -- 81 miles away. The two James brothers escaped, but the gang was essentially destroyed. Some historians have suggested, since James was a Confederate partisan and targeted the assets of former Union leaders, that this was really the last battle of the Civil War.
The festival includes a century. As most centuries, this goes a bit long -- 105 miles. It was a delightful day, with temperatures in the 80s (they think this was 'hot'!) and no wind. There were beautiful views of farmland in late summer as we climbed the many hills on this ride. I decided that, as I'm visiting Minnesota for my first time, I would slow my pace down and enjoy the scenery and weather. After all, it's not as if I'm chasing down a desperado or anything!
Thus, it was late in the day as I glided into Northfield Middle School. The post-ride shower felt great, the Subway sandwiches were delicious, and it was nice to sit and reminisce. I thanked the organizers, who were dressed as the original Western posse.
Today, the day after the ride, is the tenth anniversary of September 11. I will honor this in several ways. I'll fly on two United Airlines flights, happy to know that I'm a lot safer. I rode my bike this weekend in honor of those who brought other murderers to justice, successful in part because they rode harder and faster. But most of all, in a conflict with enemies who declare that they celebrate death, I've spend the weekend drinking deep from the cup of life.
No comments:
Post a Comment