Our heartfelt gratitude to the Country Inn and Suites by Radisson, Red Wing, for assisting us with our overnight accommodation.
Before heading out today, we collected a Minnesota soil sample. A small amount of soil is being collected from all 50 states and will be used to plant a Peace Tree in New York at the completion of the Peace Run.
We had the extra challenge today of an inescapable smoke haze from wildfires burning in Northern Minnesota. We even drove further south to try to avoid the smoke, but it was ever present.
Those runners who were brave enough to try running today, cautiously shared the miles. Although the phone camera does not always pick up the smoke haze, it was clearly visible to us.
As always, the Peace Run team ran through amazing American countryside. Vast fields of corn and soya beans continued to impress us.
We are always coming across encouraging and supportive locals as we run. This group were in Stockton MN. They offered their appreciation and goodwill to the Peace Runners.
We often see these 'Adopt a Highway' signs. USA has a volunteer clean-up scheme, where individuals or groups commit to remove litter at least twice a year for two years from a section of highway and are given safety gear and a special sign like this one. The idea originated in Texas in the 1980s and continues to be used.