Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Day 28 Ashby Campground to Albany, MN


BIKE TRAIL!

After my post last night I biked a couple of miles for dinner and then back. I was pretty tired so I crawled into the tent, about 8:30, whacked a few flies and fell asleep. About midnight I woke up. All was quiet and the stars were out but I kept hearing what sounded like soft tiny raindrops on the tent and a faint hum. I realized that the mosquitoes were trying very hard to invade my tent. When I awoke at 5 the daylight confirmed my suspicion. Thank god for good mosquito netting on my tent!

Today was a relatively easy day, flat and bike trail the whole way. Listened to songs on Spotify in the morning and another Prairie Home Companion in the afternoon. Basically today was just laying down some miles in a low stress environment.

Turn up the volume!

Powdermilk Biscuits

https://youtu.be/9TV_ypjxEB8

Crops mostly corn, some sugar beets and miscellaneous other crops.

The bike trail - the closest similarity near Seattle is the Centennial Trail in Snohomish County


A morning view


Views from the trail

. 


I officially crossed the 1/2 way point for mileage today. Total anticipated mileage 3,765. Miles to date 1,867.

By the numbers:
Dist - 71.3 Miles
Elev gain -  930 Ft
Elev loss - 896  Ft
Moving time. 5:51

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Day 27 Barnesville to Ashby

 QUIET RAODS AND A BIKE TRAIL

I left Barnesville around 10:30 after more wonderful time, a great breakfast, and more rhubarb pie, with Bill and Elaine.

Rode Rt 52 to Fergus Falls. Very quiet road. The northerly wind held from prior days but now was my friend as I headed southeast. I think my average speed today may have been the fastest of the trip, but I am not really tracking it.

Lunch in Fergus Falls at an old diner type restaurant on the main drag. I picked up the Central Lakes Trail in Fergus Falls and will be on it for the next two days. Being off the road is sweet! Arrived Ashby Camground around 5. I had a nice chat with a guy on his recumbent trike on the trail.

I spent much of the afternoon listening to old Prairie Home Companion shows; seemed appropriate since I am near Lake Wobegon.

Turn up the volume. Wait a few seconds for it to start.

Prairie Home Companion - Rhubarb Pie

https://youtu.be/3i97mv8qyRc

Scenes from the road. Crops Mostly corn, some sugar beets





My campsite tonight. Now for a swim!


By the numbers:
Dist - 56.3 miles
Elev Gain - 1,104 ft
Elev Loss - 918 ft
Moving time 3:58

Monday, June 28, 2021

Day 26 Enderlin to Barnesville


MINNESOTA!

Left Enderlin around 8.  Another 40 miles on Rt 46. Narrow shoulder and much more commercial traffic than yesterday, Sunday. Sketchy.  Eventually saw this sign.


I was expecting a BIG  “Welcome to Minnesota” sign but I guess not for the smaller roads. The Red River is the boundary between ND and MN, from yesterday the creek did not rise.  I crossed it but no sign except this. There were some engineers inspecting the bridge over the river. I asked them if I was in Minnesota. Thank god for engineers to give me the correct answer!

A short while later I arrived in Barnesville. What more could I ask for - the first sign I saw was for DQ, one Blizzard coming up!


I am staying with the brother and sister-in-law of my great neighbor Nancy Grout. They have rolled out the red carpet! Bill is a 3rd generation farmer in the area. He gave me a royal tour of the fields and told me about the farming practices, crop yields, prices, harvesting, processing of the crops, etc. It was all very interesting. 
Bill & Elaine sold the farm to their son a few years ago, but they help out in the substantial vegetable garden. The view above is from the garden looking out over the adjacent soybean field.
Corn, soybeans, alfalfa are the predominant crop here, with oats, wheat, sugar beets, sunflowers, potatoes and others mixed in.


The water tower above is in Barnesville. I am sure my friends at WD 54 will appreciate it!

I don’t like to talk about future rides - it may jinx them, but by mid ride tomorrow I will be on a paved bike trail which I understand extends 150 miles towards Minneapolis. I will be glad to be off the roads for awhile.

At about the halfway point of the trip so ends phase 2 - The Great Plains. Now onto Phase 3 - the Midwest.  

Please remember I am also doing this ride as a findraiser for the Granite Falls foodbank. If you have contributed, thank you.  If you have not contributed there is still time. Links below.



By the numbers:
Dist - 60.2 miles
Elev gain - 570 ft
Elev Loss - 613 ft
Moving time - 4:49



Sunday, June 27, 2021

Day 25 Gackle to Enderlin



 CALM WINDS, BEAUTIFUL OPEN PRAIRIE, QUIET STRAIGHT ROADS

To finish off from yesterday, Doug’s hospitality was unreal, great breakfast! 
My general sense of the people I have met in ND, at mini marts having coffee and elsewhere is that they are kind and hospitable. There is a strong small town feel, where a handshake and someone’s word is all that is needed. Like Tom Bodett used to say “We’ll leave the porch light on.”

My navigational instructions today were fairly simple, leave town north on Main St. At Rt 46 turn right to Enderlin.


Traffic was light, 6 cars passed me my direction in the first two hours 8:30 - 10:30.

I arrived at the vanishing point, photo below, in an hour or two.

Yesterday and today I rode through the prairie pothole portion of North Dakota. On days like today, calm and not too hot, it is serenely beautiful. Corn and hayfields interspersed with isolated prairie pothole wetlands and copses of trees. The area is loaded with birds. When I stopped to “smell the roses” it was quite peaceful. I probably did not stop enough. 




I remember there was a Supreme Court ruling about the filling of Prairie potholes, ie. wetlands, several years back “Should they be regulated as ‘waters of the state’?” There does seem to be two sides to the coin (not black and white) seeing them as they are.  

I found the sign below, about 20 miles west of Enderlin, confusing/out of place. Not sure that it even fits as the divide between Mississippi and Missouri basins. If someone figures it out let me know.


I stopped at local minimart to cool off and have a bite to eat. I ended up talking to a couple. Her sister runs the Hannah Grimes non-profit and gift stores in Keene NH. I expect Harry & Nina (uncle & aunt) are familiar with that organization. Small world at times.

To quote my good friend George “God willing and the creek don’t rise” I will leave North Dakota and enter Minnesota tomorrow. More on that later.

By the numbers:
Dist - 76.2 miles
Elev gain - 1,179 ft
Elev loss - 1,984 ft
Moving time 5:54



Saturday, June 26, 2021

Day 24 Sterling to Gackle

WINDY, TEMPS MID 80S

Thank you for your comments! They are very helpful to the morale which has been a bit low during the last few days.

Today was another long one 91.1 miles.  Started south on the Lawrence Welk Highway to Hazelton then turned east. Cross headwind (close reach port tack) most of the day. Wind from NNE. At one point the road turned and I was dead into it for about 8 miles. 4% grade up, granny gear, 5 mph.4% grade down, midish gear pedaling downhill at 12 mph. Then the road turned east again. What happened to my westerly breeze?

Raced a thunderstorm in Gackle. We arrived at the same time. Fortunately the little league dugout was empty and covered so I camped out there until the storm passed.  Only a few drops got me, but it poured with an accompanying squall.

As I was pushing my bike up from the baseball field a guy on his front porch (Doug) started talking to me. Soon beers followed and then dinner and a spare couch for the night! Incredible hospitality!  He had some friends from Wisconsin staying in his adjacent house, here for the fishing, all great guys!

Seeing lots of corn now, hay and beef cows. Big wetlands coming into Gackle, lots of birds including: coots, a variety of ducks & white Pelicans. Other birds: hawks, vultures, killdeer, meadowlark and redwing black bird.

The road out of Sterling 

Along the way 


The road into Gackle


By the numbers: 
Dist - 91.1  miles
Elev gain - 2,584
Elev Loss - 2,488
Moving time: 7:53


Friday, June 25, 2021

Day 23 Richardton to Sterling ND

 LONG DAY - 111 MILES. RAIN. 

Left Richardton early to get to bike store in Bismarck. One hour time change, now on central time,  Fair winds and threatening skies. The rain caught me, about 6 hrs riding in the rain, including some on I-94.  Riding in the rain was ok, except for the freeway portion. At least temps were ok. For you sailors, I started on a port beam reach but it turned into close hauled or even directly on the nose. Not strong, but strong enough.

I stopped under an awning at a local drug store to eat my candy bar and drink Gatorade (lunch). I must have been a pathetic site, they asked me to come inside. 

Arrived Bismarck as rain cleared. Went to 701 Cycles. Great folk, got a new chain and rear cassette. Tried to find a room in Bismarck, no luck. This is the weekend for the world’s largest softball tournament, all rooms booked.  So as Dori from Finding Nemo says “Just keep swimming”. 27 miles down the road I am happily at a little roadside motel for about 1/3 the cost of a Bismarck hotel room that I could not find. Less miles tomorrow. Don’t ask me about Bismarck, I did not see it.

I must admit these days on the road are quite lonely. Today with the rain, and then getting “kicked out” of Bismarck, it was hard to smell the roses. I suspect that playing the soundtrack to Dr. Zhivago was not the most spirit uplifting soundtrack that I could have chosen.


The Missouri from the Bridge into Bismarck.


By the numbers:

Dist - 111.3 miles
Elev Gain - 2,918
Elev Loss - 3,508
Moving time 9:26




Thursday, June 24, 2021

Day 22 Medora to Richardton ND


HEADWINDS ALL AFTERNOON.  LONELY ROADS. 
Left Medora about 7:30. Climbed for about 1 hour on I-94. Medora is in the Little Yellowstone Valley. The Little Yellowstone looked to be almost dry.

Stopped at the Painted Canyons visitor center. Awesome views!

After the visitor center lots of long rolling hills on lonely roads. Seemed like more up than down, which by the numbers turns out to be correct.

Lunch at Subway in Dickinson.  I watched with interest as a family tried, and succeeded, to decipher the meaning of my flag/banner.  We had a nice conversation after they succeeded.

Not sure you can see it, but guess how far to the water tower (one of my mindless games). Answer below.

3.2 miles

Getting greener, and more humid.


Passed through a few small towns, they seemed mostly boarded up, with just a few store fronts open, sad.

Now in Richardton, ND home of a Benedictine Abbey established 1880s.  The Abbey is renowned for its acoustics. I could not go in as the monks were in service.

Richardton is mostly a suburb of other places. Employment includes an ethanol plant, a seed cleaning company (removes dirt and non conforming seeds) which exports, and grain silo manufacturing.


Staying with Joel & Sasha, found through Warm Showers. Great family, wonderfully hospitable.

By the numbers:
Dist 61.1 miles
Elev Gain 2,369 ft
Elv Loss 2,143 ft
Moving time 5:56




Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Day 21 Glendive MT to Medora ND


NORTH DAKOTA! HOT! BIG TAILWIND!



Arrived Medora, ND in time to poke into T Roosevelt NP. Heat, winds, hills and fatigue kept me from going too far into Park. Visitor center was nice! I would have camped in the park but no food. Terrain is badlands, park features bison, elk, antelope and others. My pics won’t do it justice. Google the park for good pics.

Medora was founded in 1860s by Marquee de Mores, and named after his wife, the daughter of a wealthy NY banker. Original industry was meat packing. Plant burned down, chimney remains.  Medora has a regular musical show and is a tourist town. 

Teddy Roosevelt came here in the 1880s after his wife & mother died the same day in the same house in NYC. His wife died in childbirth. He arrived “a broken man” and needed to escape.  I think his sister raised his daughter. Evidently TR and the marquee were not best friends. 

TR’s cabin in the Park


Lots of lonely roads today. Saw 4 cars all afternoon outside of town after lunch.

.

Counted cars on a parked oil train (95), as I rode by.


By the numbers:
Dist - 64.6 miles
Elev gain - 2,040 ft
Elev loss - 1,854 ft
Moving time 4:57



Tuesday, June 22, 2021

Day 20 Miles City to Glendive

HOT AGAIN (90+) - JEFF'S TURN FOR A FLAT TIRE

We left Miles City about 7:30, trying to get an earlier start to Glendive.  We were on I-94 for about 30 miles total, 10 in the morning and 20 late in the day.  Frontage roads for the rest of the day.

On the frontage roads we were generally riding side by side, cars were far and few between. Wide open expanses with cattle and crops, similar to the past few days. We are still following the Yellowstone River.  We arrived Glendive MT about 5.  Glendive was established by the Union Pacific RR.

We had a nice lunch in Terry, population 605.  After lunch the frontage road crossed the Yellowstone River. We wallowed in the river for a while to cool off. A Montana Fish & Wildlife maintenance guy came by and we chatted for a bit. The river is low and dropping fast. Low snowpack and dry weather are creating abnormally low flows for this time of year.


The road out of Miles City

 

From whence we came



Getting bored (3 week beard)


About 6 miles east of Terry Montana - Prairie Restoration signpost 

The view from the marker board

Tomorrow Jeff returns to Seattle, unfortunately for me. He has been a great riding partner and I will miss him.  I will set out on my own and cross into North Dakota.  All road signs now point to Bismarck to the east, a bit less than 200 miles from here.

By the numbers:
Dist 80.8 miles
Elev gain 1,870 ft
Elev loss 2,061 ft
Moving time 6:20



Monday, June 21, 2021

Day 19 Forsyth to Miles City


UNDER THE BANNER OF OLD GLORY

I received many kudos today for flying the American Flag high on the pole. “Thank you for flying the flag!” Numerous honks and thumbs up. One guy jumped out of his lawn chair and saluted!

Challenges today - 2 flat tires, both on my rear wheel.

Knowing it was to be a short day we left late, around 9:30. The first 25 miles was on lightly used frontage roads or near the freeway back roads. We had about 18 miles on I-94, to end the day.  I felt much safer on I-94 than on many of the roads we have ridden.  Like the prior time on the interstate, an 8 ft shoulder with rumble strips, light traffic, and much easier than gravel roads. One has to be careful to avoid steel belt tire remnants.

The second flat was on the freeway about 3 miles from the Miles City exit. Fixed it, with previously used tire and previously patched tube. Pulled into Miles City and there was a bike shop! I bought two new tires (Schwabe Marathon Plus) and 4 tubes. The owner (Miles) “entertained” us with much colorful language. He knows his stuff about bikes. He wished me good luck and said he hoped I reached Maine before the revolution breaks out.

Wide open, lightly used country. Very dry. From yesterday - the Yellowstone River is getting low and they (local irrigation districts) are likely going to shut off some irrigation canal diversions. Water wars to come?

Stops for the next week or so (until Fargo) including today, are dictated by where there is food, water and either a hotel or campground. This will make for some long and some short days.

Pics from today:




Generally a tailwind today at about 12 mph. I was riding at about 12, the cottonwood seeds were traveling with me and my flags were hanging down. Much better than 12 mph against me - that would be 24 mph in my face. It is all about the apparent wind!

By the numbers:
Dist 46 miles
Elev gain 1,764 ft
Elev Loss 1,751 ft
Moving time 3:34


Sunday, June 20, 2021

Day 18 Custer to Forsyth MT

An easy day!

Departed Custer about 10:00 - thank you to Lori for driving us there from your home.

Rode on backroads the whole way, few cars. Lunch in Hysham, pop 350, where we met some local residents.  Less than 6 cars passed us all afternoon. All roads paved!  Wide open country, many more cows than people.

Event of the day, a rain shower for 15 min in the morning.  

Mostly a tail or cross wind today. Wind speed and direction will, among other variables, dictate my progress from here to Minnesota. Fingers crossed.

Now in Forsyth, home of the Quigley Buffalo Rifle Match, which was ending as we arrived.

https://www.quigleymatch.com/

Pics below from today’s ride.


                


We spent some time and had supper with John & Patty from Missouri. John is a retired commercial pilot and competed in the black powder contest. He has been a hunter all his life and took up black powder riflery as something different. Patti is a retired accountant. We went to the local pizza joint and had a very pleasant time.

By the numbers:
Dist 51.7 miles
Elev Gain 994 ft
Elev Loss 1,221 ft
Moving Time 3:58








 

Saturday, June 19, 2021

Day 17 Billings to Custer, MT

 EASIER RIDE - POMPEY'S PILLAR

Departed Laura & Mark Nicholson’s around 9. Mark and his friend Mark Severe rode with us for the first 10 miles or so, escorting us on backroads out of Billings.

The ride, except for my flat (the second) was uneventful. We spent most of the day on unused frontage roads. Generally we rode through farm lands slowly graduating to cattle country but still much agriculture (alfalfa, sugar beets and corn?).

Wind, generally a tailwind. Temps into low 90s.







Highlight of the day was stopping at Pompey’s Pillar. William Clark carved his initials in the rock, still visible. It used to be meeting area for native Americans as it is visible for miles.





Clark’s signature behind the glass 


Typical of the day’s ride.

Now at friends of Alee’s about 18 miles south of Custer, near Hardin, Lori & Rob Byron. They picked us up at the local tavern near I-94. Their daughter is at UW med school. 

By the numbers:
Dist 62.3 miles
Elev gain  957 ft
Elev Loss 1,057 ft
Moving Time 4:44

Friday, June 18, 2021

Day 16 Big Timber to Billings

 A GRUNT DAY! I DID NOT EXPECT THIS ONE TO BE SO HARD.

Left Big Timber around 8:30 and rode “alongside” the Yellowstone River all day. Beautiful ride in the morning, ending with lunch in Columbus. 


Yellowstone River

While at lunch my old friend, the tailwind, turned into a dreaded headwind. Speed  dropped about 5 mph and we just had to slug it out for the afternoon. 

The other adventure of the day - riding on I-90. Other than faster vehicle speed, it actually felt safer than some of state routes we have been on. The shoulder was about 8 feet wide and had rumble strips separating it from travel lanes.

Sam, Hank’s friend had recommended this route and not go via Rapeljae. Thank you Sam, much better than 40 miles of not great dirt road.

We finished the day with a long slug into Billings, arriving around 6:00 at our friend’s house (Mark & Laura Nicholson). Their daughter Margie is a friend of Alee’s and played on the Piranha soccer team that I coached for years. At that time Mark and Laura, both doctors, were getting additional training in Seattle.

Jeff after the ride

By the numbers:
Dist 87.4 miles
Elev Gain 1,323 feet
Elev Loss 2,080 ft
Moving Time 7:05