The Loch Pepin 3-Speed Tour; The Runaway Airship
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Noah Holzer
May 22, 2025, 5:58:16 PMMay 22
to Gentleman Cyclist
In the glorious year of 1925 the new Airship R33 was the pride of English engineering and part of a grand scheme of Imperial Airship Service to the Continent plus India, Africa and North America. Indeed, the world wide reach of The Empire would now be connected together via the planned routes and new mooring stations. Mooring stations were being planned for the Eiffel Tower, Empire State Building, Lakehurst New Jersey and the Foshay tower in Minneapolis plus many more.
Testing the R33 was continuing successfully in April of 1925 and the airship was moored securely to its mast in Norfolk when gale force winds blew continuously for 48 hours and eventually managed to tear the R33 from the mast. By chance a small crew was aboard and they managed to maintain trim at a safe altitude but they had no choice but to be blown downwind since they could not pilot the airship into the gale-force winds with the engines. An awkward situation this; the mooring structure was torn free from the framework in the nose, the front gas bag was deflating and like crème on your cake, they were being blown backwards out to sea.
As they neared the Dutch coast, assistance was waiting but a change in the wind moved them further out to sea. They were facing a long cold night shipwrecked in the air, but by the morning, the storm had passed and the winds had dropped, so they started the engines and began the long journey back to Norfolk.
Our gallant Nutters were facing gale-force winds on Saturday but, after the Blessing of the Bicycles, we dropped the mooring ropes and cast off to begin our journey out of Red Wing and around the Big Loch. The winds were at our backs and were a welcome surprise as we could coast along in high gear and handle the Bay City Hill with ease.
Rolling into Maiden Rock is always a welcome sight and our friends at the Smiling Pelican Bakery had prepared extra rations for our hungry aviators but, alas, those at the back of the group had nothing. This may sound like a disaster but a new coffee shop with baked goods had opened just around the corner and saved the day.
Pressing on, we needed to arrive at Stockholm for lunch since the hard work and cold temperatures will produce a powerful hunger. Arrive we did and all the Nutters tied off at every fence, bench, or wall then scattered to find a sandwich. Nobody left hungry.
Pepin was the next stop and what a lovely little riverside town it is. A small grocery is downtown along with restaurants and a nice winery.
[Lord] Nelson is next but first the “Dead Zone” must be traversed; the delta of the Chippewa River. Anything but dead since the lowlands are filled with every sort of bird and, on a bicycle, you can look downstream and upstream to beautiful views and the occasional sounds of a train pounding through the woods.
Once we have passed through [Lord] Nelson, we cross back over the Mississippi and into Wabasha. Plenty of places to find a wonderful dinner here (including a Smithwick’s) and everyone scattered for the evening.
Sunday morning, we were a little slow getting started but soon we cast off to find cold temperatures again and a slight headwind. It does not take long to arrive in Reads Landing, then our favorite rest stop at the southernmost end of Loch Pepin. Pressing on, the rolling hills of Highway 61 pushed us into Lake City where a friendly reception greeted us with cookies, a greeting from the Mayor and, of course, Ann the receptionist.
The next stop was Old Frontenac and this is always a favourite. The Old Stone Wall we call it but it is actually the estate of the Garrards that dates back to the 1860s. Many Aviators lit up their pipes but everyone enjoyed the rest, chatted, and took a photo or two.
Moving on, most Aviators took alternate routes back to Red Wing including Ski Road, Hill Avenue or Flower Valley Road. All these alternates are simply stunning.
The crew of the R33 was a brave and resourceful lot and they all arrived back in Norfolk safe and sound and, for their trouble, King George V gave them all medals for bravery. We Nutters of The Lake Pepin 3-Speed Tour are much the same; we are given medals every year, are resourceful to a fault and are more than willing to stop and simply enjoy the view.
Our airship of choice? The ‘umble 3-speed bicycle.
From Jon Sharratt, Shirt-Tail Organizer Emeritus
www.3speedtour.com
Testing the R33 was continuing successfully in April of 1925 and the airship was moored securely to its mast in Norfolk when gale force winds blew continuously for 48 hours and eventually managed to tear the R33 from the mast. By chance a small crew was aboard and they managed to maintain trim at a safe altitude but they had no choice but to be blown downwind since they could not pilot the airship into the gale-force winds with the engines. An awkward situation this; the mooring structure was torn free from the framework in the nose, the front gas bag was deflating and like crème on your cake, they were being blown backwards out to sea.
As they neared the Dutch coast, assistance was waiting but a change in the wind moved them further out to sea. They were facing a long cold night shipwrecked in the air, but by the morning, the storm had passed and the winds had dropped, so they started the engines and began the long journey back to Norfolk.
Our gallant Nutters were facing gale-force winds on Saturday but, after the Blessing of the Bicycles, we dropped the mooring ropes and cast off to begin our journey out of Red Wing and around the Big Loch. The winds were at our backs and were a welcome surprise as we could coast along in high gear and handle the Bay City Hill with ease.
Rolling into Maiden Rock is always a welcome sight and our friends at the Smiling Pelican Bakery had prepared extra rations for our hungry aviators but, alas, those at the back of the group had nothing. This may sound like a disaster but a new coffee shop with baked goods had opened just around the corner and saved the day.
Pressing on, we needed to arrive at Stockholm for lunch since the hard work and cold temperatures will produce a powerful hunger. Arrive we did and all the Nutters tied off at every fence, bench, or wall then scattered to find a sandwich. Nobody left hungry.
Pepin was the next stop and what a lovely little riverside town it is. A small grocery is downtown along with restaurants and a nice winery.
[Lord] Nelson is next but first the “Dead Zone” must be traversed; the delta of the Chippewa River. Anything but dead since the lowlands are filled with every sort of bird and, on a bicycle, you can look downstream and upstream to beautiful views and the occasional sounds of a train pounding through the woods.
Once we have passed through [Lord] Nelson, we cross back over the Mississippi and into Wabasha. Plenty of places to find a wonderful dinner here (including a Smithwick’s) and everyone scattered for the evening.
Sunday morning, we were a little slow getting started but soon we cast off to find cold temperatures again and a slight headwind. It does not take long to arrive in Reads Landing, then our favorite rest stop at the southernmost end of Loch Pepin. Pressing on, the rolling hills of Highway 61 pushed us into Lake City where a friendly reception greeted us with cookies, a greeting from the Mayor and, of course, Ann the receptionist.
The next stop was Old Frontenac and this is always a favourite. The Old Stone Wall we call it but it is actually the estate of the Garrards that dates back to the 1860s. Many Aviators lit up their pipes but everyone enjoyed the rest, chatted, and took a photo or two.
Moving on, most Aviators took alternate routes back to Red Wing including Ski Road, Hill Avenue or Flower Valley Road. All these alternates are simply stunning.
The crew of the R33 was a brave and resourceful lot and they all arrived back in Norfolk safe and sound and, for their trouble, King George V gave them all medals for bravery. We Nutters of The Lake Pepin 3-Speed Tour are much the same; we are given medals every year, are resourceful to a fault and are more than willing to stop and simply enjoy the view.
Our airship of choice? The ‘umble 3-speed bicycle.
From Jon Sharratt, Shirt-Tail Organizer Emeritus
www.3speedtour.com
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