Life On A B-I7

Route

• Medora to Dickinson

Metrics

• Miles: 37
• Average Speed: 10.56 mph
• Ride Time: 3 hours 19 minutes
• Climbing: 697 vertical feet

Notes

• I’m in a completely different headspace today. I’m taking a leisurely approach to riding.
• The lasagna yesterday was just OK. Not as good as my mother’s.

Tip: You know your motel is one of the oldest establishments in town when it’s directly across the street from the town’s grain elevator.

Summer has finally arrived! At noon today the temperature hit 79°. It’ll probably climb to the low 80s by the end of the day! Everyone I’ve chatted with in Montana and North Dakota has told me they’ve also been waiting for summer to arrive.

Yesterday after I posted, I spent some time wandering around town. Naturally I gravitated toward the bookstore. Wow. It was the best history bookstore I have ever seen. The entire shop was dedicated to history of the West, American Presidents, Native Americans, and various military conflicts. It was mind blowing. I was chatting with the owner telling him what a great shop he had, he said “let me introduce you to a couple of people.” He did, and I found myself shaking hands with the Architects that designed the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. A two woman firm from New York is responsible for the design. What a pleasure it was meeting them. They are in town for the opening and dedication on July 4th.

A bit later yesterday, in the campground, I was putting up my tent and the cross-pole broke right at the center connection. I tried various remedies but nothing was working. As a last resort I pulled the bandage scissors out of my first aid kit and performed a successful field repair. Meanwhile I have a new tent coming from REI. It is being shipped General Delivery to Bismark. I will probably be laid up for a few days while I wait for it to arrive.

I got out of Medora early to avoid the chaos that is likely to occur when Trump arrives. I thought briefly about seeing if there were any tickets available, then dismissed the idea. I don’t have the proper headwear. (I have the right color helmet, but that’s as far as it goes.)

It was another fantastic day of riding. Very comfortably and enjoyable. I will probably rest here in Dickinson since I’ll be waiting a few days for the new tent to arrive.

I’m in oil country. I snuck onto this pumping site to capture this photo.

Acrylic painting by local artist Cherie Roshau.

“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the door of deeds could have done them better.”

“The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly."

–Theodore Roosevelt

Itinerary / Maps

Route

• Wilbaux MT to Medora ND

Metrics

• Miles: 36
• Average Speed: 13.32 mph
• Ride Time: 2 hours 38 minutes
• Climbing: 315 vertical feet

Notes

• I was flying today! It felt good!
• Today’s secret sauce was less vertical and the wind at my back.

The first month is in the books! I’m starting to feel like I can do this!

I stopped for breakfast in Beach, North Dakota, about 10 miles outside Wilbaux. While I was chatting with the proprietor and listening to the coffee club at the table next to me, I learned a little bit more about what’s going on in Medora. In preparation for Trump’s visit tomorrow, about 90 percent of North Dakota’s Highway Patrol are currently in Medora. Two out of every three cars in Medora are either a City, County, State Patrol, or Secret Service vehicle. (They are running shuttle busses to get people into town.) As I was about 5 miles outside town, two Secret Service vehicles passed me. I say that because they had US Government license plates and the vehicles were unmarked. The town is expecting 25,000 visitors tomorrow. After chatting with the folks over breakfast, it wasn’t clear to me what is being celebrated tomorrow. No one seems to really know.

As I was packing the bike up outside the restaurant, one of the fellows came out to chat with me. He told me how wonderful what I was doing was. We talked about where we grew up, what we did for a living, and the places where we have lived. He was just as nice as can be. He wished me good luck and safe travels. His Trump MAGA hat was the same color as my bicycle helmet.

About 5 miles out of town I saw a couple on a Tandem bicycle heading West. I stopped to chat with them. They started in Upstate New York and they were headed for Anacortes Washington. They’re doing almost all of the Northern Tier. (All except the Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine portion.) What really surprised me was they told me I was only the second Eastbound rider they had seen since they left New York. I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around that.

I made it to Medora in record time. It’s my new personal best on this tour!

I’m sitting in the Medora Bar and Grill, waiting for my order of Lasagna. (i’m very excited about that.) Two Men-in-Black walk-in. I say that because they were wearing black shirts. I’m guessing possibly Secret Service but there is no way of really knowing for sure. They told the bartender they were just looking around. As they walked past me, I looked at them and said, “are you looking for suspicious characters?” The first one said, “I think we found one.” The second one said, “we just came in for the smell.” I did not work up a sweat today, honestly, so I’m sure he was referring to the pizza.

On an historical note, General Custer’s route from Fort Abraham Lincoln to the Little Big Horn River In Montana, passed just 2 miles South of Medora. The little Big Horn is where Custer and a large portion of his 7th Cavalry met their fate at the hands of “Hostile” Sioux Indians. Roadside Historical Markers should always be taken with a grain of salt. There is no mention on this particular marker of the “hostilities” committed by General Custer.

I am “Legendary!” (In my own mind.)

I’m having breakfast in Beach, 10 miles outside Wilbaux. The cinnamon roll was almost as good as my Mother’s. I told the proprietor that and she was thrilled!

Itinerary / Maps

Route

• Glendive to Wibaux

Metrics

• Miles: 28
• Average Speed: 8.29 mph
• Ride Time: 3 hours 17 minutes
• Climbing: 1,099 vertical feet

Notes

• The Climbing number was up from yesterday over a shorter distance. That can be confusing. The distinction comes down to grade over distance. I don’t have a way to measure that.
• I’m letting my right leg do too much of the work. I’m gonna have to keep an eye on that.
• I did my first stretch of Interstate today, I-94. The 12’ shoulder was down-right relaxing.

First things first. I broke my cardinal rule. I’m staying at the Roosevelt “Hotel.” I know, I said never do that, which only proves, never say never. This is the only place in town. It’s a two story affair but I can’t hold that against it, some motels are two story so I can’t complain about that. The price is about $20 higher than it should be. Possibly because of the name, but probably because there’s no competition.

Now, to complicate my Itinerary somewhat, I was planning to be in Medora tomorrow, the 30th. It seems that President Trump will be there on the 1st. The Secret Service is already there and accommodations have likely been booked well in advance. I’m not sure if I’ll even be able to get through town!

This is happening because the new Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora opens July 4th. The President has other plans for the 4th. Those plans do not include opening a new Presidential Library along with all four living former Presidents. As a result of both happenings, the towns of Beach, Medora, Dickinson, and perhaps beyond are all likely booked solid. It’s going to be interesting!

I was chasing a storm front all day. As I got closer to the front the headwinds picked up. At times I was pedaling against a 10-15 mph headwind. This also influences metrics. I got lucky and the storm bypassed me, or I bypassed it, one or the other.

What is the most important piece of gear you can carry on a bike packing trip? I’ve been asking myself that since I started planning this adventure. I can finally answer that question. A good purpose-built tent.

You would think since this is my third cross-country bike tour, I would have solved that problem. I thought I would be clever this time and go ultra-light weight, so I bought a one person single pole set-up. It’s just not up to snuff. To add pain to having made this purchase, even though this tent is considered very good, there are compromises. One of them is the fact that the tent requires staking at six points or it will not stand up. (Staking is another problem.) Even when staked properly, it is really not possible to make this tent waterproof. When I get home you will find it at Gear Fix in Bend.

I’m about 16 days from Minneapolis. When I get there I am going to buy the top of the line bike packing tent from REI. The Big Agnes Copper. Spur. The bad news is, I’m buying another tent. The good news is I now have a reason to do another tour next summer!

I could go on and on about gear, but I won’t bore you. I learn more and more each time I do this. In fact, I learn something new almost every day.

Speaking of next summer. I’m not thinking cross-country. Three cross-country tours will be enough. (Unless Clark decides to come with me…) I’m thinking The Selkirk Loop. Perhaps I won’t do that one alone… You know who you are!

There are very few things I would trade in this life for the pleasure of having this experience. A loving companion, a cat, good friends, those would qualify as better, but that is about the extent of what can be considered better, at least for me.

I can see North Dakota from here. It’s only a few miles away.

My friend that follows me everywhere.

I can’t resist the pastoral views.

Itinerary / Maps

Route

• Circle to Glendive

Metrics

• Miles: 48
• Average Speed: 9.82 mph
• Ride Time: 4 hours 48 minutes
• Climbing: 601 vertical feet

A good day. The flatter terrain was a big help.

You may wonder, “if he can go 48 miles in under 5 hours, why doesn’t he go further?” Two reasons:

1. It’s always best to stop in a town where there is a park for camping or other amenities.
2. You have to listen to your body. Or, as Harry Callahan would say, “a man’s got to know his limitations.”

I need a haircut and a shave. I’m looking like Chewbacca. (You’ll recall I met him back in Eureka and got his autograph.) On second thought, maybe not. Wookiees are considered to be a highly intelligent species. If I hold-off on that haircut and shave, I might be able to pass myself off as one…

I tried, it’s Sunday! Of course there is no place open.

All the climbing today was in the first 26 miles, after that it was essentially flat. That played into the better numbers. If I were an 8th Grade Math Teacher, I would come up with a formula the could be used to measure performance based on climbing, distance, and mph. Unfortunately I’m not that good at math. Anyone out there that teaches 8th grade math (or has in the past) that wants to take a swing at that, be my guest.

I’m still waiting for Summer! I’m hoping the weather will figure out the calendar and start behaving like it is supposed to! looking forward to July. I would like to be doing more camping and less staying in motels.

Not a fun hill, as hills go. This shot is looking back at the mile below. Notice the shoulder. The dark tarmac on the far left is a no-go zone (rough). The area to the right of the white line is (obviously) a no-go zone. That leaves the 18” in between for navigation. Not always easy when the wind is blowing. I have no complaints about the drivers. The vast majority give me LOTS of room. I don’t use a mirror, I rely on my sense of sound to tell me what’s coming. I’m focused on the pavement ahead and the sound behind. This may be hard to believe, but that can be very meditative.

This is one of the 12 “Montana Call Home” Projects in Central and Eastern Montana. The sculptor, Jim Dolan, has placed these “phone booths” as a reminder, not only to call home, but also to seek help if mental health issues are troubling you. Dolan is a world famous artist and has voluntarily installed all of the sculptures. This is the third one I have seen on my journey through Montana.

Itinerary Maps

Route

• Wolf Point to Circle

Metrics

• Miles: 53
• Average Speed: 8.93 mph
• Ride Time: 5 hours 55 minutes
• Climbing: 1,357 vertical feet

I’m trying out a new way to summarize the day’s ride. It provides more information. (The HTML is simpler too.) To me, the most interesting piece of information above is the “Climbing.” As I suspected, the climbing reported by my other apps has been less the actual amount. I’m glad to now have a handle on this stat. I used Cyclemeter for this data. The data Cyclemeter generates is as good as a that provides by a Garmin.

A word about Average Speed. I’m not unhappy with just under 9. I think the gold standard for humans carrying 35 pounds of gear is probably 13. A younger man, by that I mean 30 or so years younger, would probably be in the 10 to 11 range. I’ll take 8.9 every day. I’m going to continue using Cyclemeter the rest of the way, so over time that number will tell an interesting story. (Ya, I’m kind of a data guy at heart.)

I wasn’t out of town this morning before I had to put my rain jacket on. About 5 miles out of town I crossed over the Missouri river. I’m now heading south on State roads. I’m no longer riding on U.S. Highway 2.

The rain came down for the first 10 miles and then miraculously stopped. The forecast for today was for much worse. Another 20 miles down the road I was able to take my raincoat off. You know things are going to be OK when you can hear the birds chirping. I saw two pair of deer, I scared a bunny rabbit out of its wits, and I flushed numerous birds out of the grass alongside the road. It seems I would make a good hunting dog.

Two miles outside the town of Circle, I stopped to look at the sky. There was a dark bank of clouds spewing thunder and lightning. The storm front appeared to be just over the town. I watched for a few minutes, but couldn’t tell which way the front was moving so I pressed on. I arrived in town, checked into the motel, and just as I was opening the door to my room hail and rain started coming down in buckets. I guess you could say today was my lucky day. In the time it took to write this post, the storm completely moved on. I can hear birds chirping. The birds are telling me the rest of the day will be just fine.

Sunnyside School. 1923 to 1968.

Itinerary Maps

I purchased the “Northern Tier” route information in digital form from the Adventure Cycling Association. They are a non-profit that has been selling cycling route information since 1976. I have used their paper maps to navigate the “Southern Tier” trans-continental bicycle route and the “TransAm” (central) trans-continental route. As noted previously, this will be my third trans-continental tour. This is the first time I have gone with their “paperless” route information.

The route information they sell for the Northern Tied contains a digital map set and a visual map set (images). It is difficult to build an itinerary from digital information so I used the visual maps that came with the digital information. Well, the two don’t agree. I’ve been following the itinerary I built in advance. I only planned to use the digital routing tool in a pinch. Today I discovered the maps that come with the digital product are (apparently) an older version of the route. Curiously, I now know why people in the towns I’ve been going through have been telling me they don’t see as many cyclists passing through as they used to!

All of this is probably my fault for not digging more deeply into what I was buying but I don’t remember a disclaimer stating that the two tools do not agree with one another…

If you are using the links below (“Itinerary” and “Maps,”) I’m not completely sure how useful they will be going forward. I’m tempted to continue following the itinerary I built (based on the maps) before starting the tour, but frankly, all bets are off. As you have probably noticed, each daily post includes my starting point and ending point. I will continue that practice going forward.

This presents an interesting twist to my journey, but certainly not insurmountable. My inclination is digital be damned. Que sera sera. (What will be will be.)

Itinerary Maps

Rest Day.

Here’s a tip. If you want to find the center of a small town in Northeastern Montana. Look for the grain elevator.

I’ve covered 211 miles over the preceding three days. That was overdoing it a bit. I’m going to have to take a hair off each day to go the distance. I’ve mentioned the weather, it has not been ideal. I’ve been trying to make it to destinations that have motels. Not every town I pass thru does. I’ll be doing a lot more camping once summer starts. Yes, this feels to me like April. What a weird weather year we have had. All over it seems.

This morning I hiked down to the bank of the Missouri River. I wanted to see the famous namesake spot. I couldn’t pass up the chance to view the mighty Missouri. I think I’ll have more chances down the road but I was curious what it looks like here. Perhaps a little known fact, the Missouri and the Mississippi combined, form the fourth longest river system in the world.

Tomorrow starts a new adventure.

Wolf Point on the Missouri River at Wolf Point Montana.

The “Big Muddy.”

Itinerary Maps

I love getting text messages while I’m on the road that say: “Let’s crush your fitness goals.”

Strong headwind out of the East today. Weather here in Northeast Montana is being very uncooperative. Because of the wind, the mosquitoes were not a problem today.

About 15 miles outside of Wolf Point, on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, I pulled over at an historical landmark. The landmark was dedicated to the history of the smallpox outbreak that decimated the Assinboine (Ah sin ah boine) Indians. This is the Tribe’s native Homeland. There was a pickup truck parked next to me. The fellow in the truck rolled his window down and introduced himself to me, his name was “Duck.” We had a very nice conversation. He told me all about the smallpox outbreak. He showed me photos of caves 20 miles north of where we were and explained their significance to his people. Members of the tribe infected with smallpox were taken to these caves to live or die. Every day, healthy members of the tribe, lowered food and water by rope to the victims in the caves below. We talked about the Fish Wars in the Seattle area. He knew a lot about them, having spent time up there. He even met Marlon Brando, who was an advocate for Indian fishing rights at the time. He represented his tribe in Washington D.C. and met Senator Daniel Inouye.

Duck told me how he helped build the 200 mile long freshwater pipeline that brings potable water to the Fort Peck reservation. His current job is to take measurements and test the water quality at both ends of the pipeline every day. Duck is getting ready to retire and move to the Seattle area to live with his daughter on the Nisqually Reservation.

The Assinboine keep a small herd of genetically pure buffalo acquired from Yellowstone National Park. Not many people know about this herd. The Tribe doesn’t publicize the fact because they don’t want people wandering around on the reservation looking for them. Duck offered to drive me out to have a look at the herd and also take me to a Pow Wow 10 miles North of Wolf Point over the weekend. A truly amazing offer. I thanked him generously and told him the road was calling.

I’m staying in the town of Wolf Point. A nearby bend in the Missouri River took on that name when fur trappers stacked a pile of wolf carcasses on the bank of the river. The bend in the river, and what at the time was a trading post, both became known as “Wolf Point.”

I suppose this begs the question, where does the Missouri River start? There is considerable debate over where the actual headwaters of the Missouri are. It is generally agreed that the official starting point of the Missouri River is the confluence of the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin Rivers at Three Forks, Montana (Southwest of here). This is the point where the river officially takes on the name “Missouri.” Above the confluence, the consensus is that the source of the Missouri River is Brower’s Spring, at 8,800 feet near the Continental Divide.

Duck’s Grandfather, Chief Digsaground. Duck was careful to point out that his tribe is known for their quiltwork which is very different than traditional beadwork.

During the 1960’s and 1970’s there were a lot of protests in the Puget Sound area of Washington. The protests were held in support of Indian fishing rights granted by US Government Treaty but ignored by the State of Washington. Possibly the most famous event in support of the protests was a benefit concert attended by the Grateful Dead and the Eagles, among other performers. Duck provided me this photo of the event’s poster. These protests were known as the Fish Wars. It was a fascinating period In Seattle’s history, especially if you were born and raised there like I was.

Itinerary Maps

I left Malta at 6:30 AM. This was the first morning that I started out with three layers on instead of four. (Four layers is all the outerwear I am carrying.) Ten miles down the road I was swapping out my long sleeve layer for my vest layer. By mile 20 I was down to shirt and windbreaker. That said, the average temperatures are still 8 degrees below normal for this time of year.

I’ve been following U.S. Hwy 2 since I was in Eastern Washington. What I learned is that this highway was the first interstate highway. It was built in 1919 and named the “Theodore Roosevelt Highway,” in honor of the recently deceased President. When first built the road was a simple dirt affair that was nearly impassible in winter. The original route went from Portland Maine to Portland Oregon. It was instrumental in providing livelihoods for many of the residents in small towns all along the route.

Buffalo was a staple in the Plains Indians diet. The buffalo also provided the plains Indians with clothes, bedding, shelter and utensils. When winter set in, it was still the buffalo that sustained the Indians, even though there were no animals to hunt. It was pemmican made from buffalo and berries that was the winter staple in their diet. Pemmican was made from buffalo meat, bone marrow, berries and oil. The Ascorbic Acid in the berries acted as a preservative. The pemmican was wrapped in skin bags for storage. Properly prepared, it would last indefinitely. What made it special and allowed it to sustain the Indians through the winter is the fact that pemmican has 10 times the nutritional value of fresh meat. That made it easier to transport than freshly caught game. One pound of pemmican was equivalent to 10 pounds of fresh meat.

Green, meet blue. Blue, meet green.

A crop of Rapeseed, grown for its oil-rich seeds. Say hello to your next bottle of vegetable oil!

Itinerary Maps

Not quite a “Century,” but pretty darn close!

Light wind today. The wind was out of the West for the first 72 miles. This is the first day I’ve had a West wind since I crossed the Continental Divide. The wind shifted and came out of the north for the last 20 miles, that did not present any real problem.

Let’s see, how to choose a motel when you are traveling across the country by bicycle? First things first, if the sign says Hotel, keep moving. Next, look for a one story complex. If the motel has two stories look for easy access to the second floor, but remember to ask for a ground floor unit when you check-in. If they tell you, they have a “no bicycles” in the room policy, just keep moving (even if they offer to lock your bicycle up in their laundry room). Now we get down to the critical factors. Look for a good paint job on the building, that’s a +1. Look for chairs to relax in outside the door of the each unit, that’s a +2. Look for fresh flower baskets, that’s a +3. If the baskets are hanging baskets, that’s a +4. Finally, if they have a well lighted sign that’s attractive, that’s a +5. You just found your next night’s rest.

I stopped on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation to grab a cup of coffee at the convenience store there. On the way out, I met the Reservation’s Sheriff. He told me how he grew up here on the Belknap Reservation and joined the army right out of High School. He became a paratrooper and served in the army for 30 years. After he retired from the army. He moved to the Colville Indian reservation in Washington. When Belknap offered him a job as Sheriff, he returned to his home. He was a proud man. He showed me his gun, his club and his taser. Then, just to make sure I knew he wasn’t kidding, he showed me his badge. I showed him the handmade knife I bought in Joplin from Martin Ash. He assured me it was the real deal. I thanked him for his service and we both parted smiling.

A few miles outside Malta, I passed near the spot of the Great Montana Train Robbery. Kid Curry and his gang held up the Great Northern Number 3 passenger train. The gang made off with $40,000 in gold coin as well as a stack of unsigned worthless bank notes. Kid Curry’s partners were Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. After the robbery, Curry and his gang left Montana. The rest is history (and a movie).

I would love to be able to paint this scene.

I’ve been looking at these for miles. It finally occurred to me to get off the bike a snap a photo.

Mares watching over their sleeping foals.

Itinerary Maps

Section 1, Anacortes, WA to Sandpoint ID, 460 Miles

FINISHED

6/1 - 66 miles

Anacortes to Sedro Woolley

• Sedro Woolley to Marblemount

6/2 - 74 miles

• Marblemount to Mazama

6/3 - 64 miles

• Mazama to Twisp
• Twisp to Okanogan

6/4 - 67 miles

• Okanogan to Tonasket
• Tonasket to Republic

6/5 - 41 miles

• Republic to Kettle Falls

6/6 - 46 miles

• Kettle Falls to Ione

6/7 - 49 miles

• Ione to Newport

6/8 - 29 miles

• Newport, WA to Sandpoint, ID

6/9 - 0 miles

• Rest

6/10 - 0 miles

• Rest

Section 2, Sandpoint, ID to Cut Bank, MT, 450 Miles

FINISHED

6/11 - 28 miles

• Sandpoint to Clark Fork

6/12 - 61 miles

• Clark Fork, ID to Troy MT

6/13 - 20 miles

• Troy to Libby

6/14 - 76 miles

• Libby to Eureka

6/15 - 57 miles

• Eureka to Olney
• Olney to Whitefish

6/16 - 0 miles

• Rest

6/17 - 0 miles

• Rest

6/18 - 46 miles

• Whitefish to Apgar
• Apgar to Essex

6/19 - 28 miles

• Essex to East Glacier

6/20 - 38 miles

• East Glacier to Browning
• Browning to Cut Bank

Section 3, Cut Bank, MT to Dickinson, ND, 550 Miles

CURRENTLY NAVIGATING

6/21 - 38 miles

• Cut Bank to Shelby

6/22 - 0 miles

• Rest

6/23 - 0 miles

• Rest

6/24 - 56 miles

• Shelby to Joplin
• Joplin to Inverness

6/25 - 35 miles

• Inverness to Havre

6/26 - 25 miles

• Havre to Chinook

6/27 - 30 miles

• Chinook to Fort Belknap

6/28 - 0 miles

• Rest

6/29 - 29 miles

• Fort Belknap to Dodson

6/30 - 50 miles

• Dodson to Malta
• Malta to Saco

7/1 - 56 miles

• Saco to Glasgow

7/2 - 40 miles

• Glasgow to Nashua
• Nashua to Frazer

7/3 - 24 miles

• Frazer to Wolf Point

7/4 - 0 miles

• Rest

7/5 - 29 miles

• Wolf Point to Vida

7/6 - 42 miles

• Vida to Circle

7/7 - 63 miles

• Circle to Glendive

7/8 - 41 miles

• Glendive to Wilbaux

7/9 - 52 miles

• Wilbaux MT to Medora ND

7/10 - 0 miles

• Rest

7/11 - 47 miles

• Medora to Dickinson

Section 4, Dickinson, ND to Fargo, ND, 350 Miles

NOT YET STARTED

7/12 - 55 miles

• Dickinson to Hebron
• Hebron to Glen Ullin

7/13 - 64 miles

• Glen Ullin to Bismark

7/14 - 46 miles

• Bismark to Moffit
• Moffit to Hazelton

7/15 - 0 miles

• Rest

7/16 - 0 miles

• Rest

7/17 - 35 miles

• Hazelton to Napoleon, 35

7/18 - 41 miles

• Napoleon to Gackle, 41

7/19 - 58 miles

• Gackle to Litchville, 58

7/20 - 68 miles

• Litchville to Enderlin, 36
• Enderlin to Kindred, 32

7/21 - 30 miles

• Kindred to Fargo, 30

7/22 - 0 miles

• Rest

7/23 - 0 miles

• Rest

Section 5, Fargo, ND to Walker, MN, 175 Miles

7/24 — 57 miles

Fargo, ND to Hitterdal, MN, 32

Hitterdal, to Richwood, 25

7/25 — 59 miles

Richwood to Two Inlets, 36

Two Inlets to Lake Itasca, 23

7/26 — 38 miles

Lake Itasca to Bemidji, 38

7/27 — 45 miles

Bemidji, ND to Walker, MN, 32

Walker to Hackensack, 13

7/28 — Rest

7/29 — Rest

Section 6, Walker, MN to Stillwater, MN, 260 Miles

NOT YET STARTED

7/30 - 41 miles

• Hackensack to Backus
• Backus to Pine River
• Pine River to Peguot Lakes
• Peguot Lakes to Nisswa
• Nisswa to Merrifield

7/31 - 62 miles

• Merrifield to Fort Riley
• Fort Riley to Little Falls
• Little Falls to Bowles

8/1 - 56 miles

• Bowles to Merrill
• Merrill to Milaca

8/2 - 47 miles

• Milaca to Dalbo
• Dalbo to Harris

8/3 - 0 miles

• Rest

8/4 - 0 miles

• Rest

8/5 - 40 miles

• Harris to Osceola

8/6 - 33 miles

• Osceola to Stillwater

Note: Minneapolis would require a side trip.

Section 7, Stillwater, MN to Muscatine, IA, 370 Miles

NOT YET STARTED

Note: Minneapolis would require a side trip

8/7 - 45 miles

• Stillwater, MN to Hager City WI

8/8 - 46 miles

• Hager City to Maiden Rock
• Maiden Rock to Alma

8/9 - 0 miles

• Rest

8/10 - 64 miles

• Alma to Trempealea
• Trempealea to LaCrosse

8/11 - 36 miles

• LaCrosse,WI to Lansing, IA

8/12 - 43 miles

• Lansing to Elkader

8/13 - 62 miles

• Elkader to Dyersville
• Dyersville to Cascade

8/14 - 74 miles

• Cascade to Muscatine

8/15 - 0 miles

• Rest

Section 8, Muscatine, IA to Monroeville, IN, 415 Miles

NOT YET STARTED

8/16 - 54 miles

• Muscatine to Cambridge

8/17 - 57 miles

• Cambridge to Henry

8/18 - 57 miles

• Henry to Weona
• Weona to Odell

8/19 - 84 miles

• Odell to Rensselaer

8/20 - 0 miles

• Rest

8/21 - 0 miles

• Rest

8/22 - 73 miles

• Rensselaer to Buffalo
• Buffalo to Denver

8/23 - 77 miles

• Denver to Monroevill

Section 9, Monroeville, IN to Orchard Park, NY, 420 Miles

NOT YET STARTED

8/24 - 45 miles

• Monroeville to Defiance

8/25 - 0 miles

• Rest

8/26 - 46 miles

• Defiance to Bowling Green

8/27 - 38 miles

• Bowling Green to Fremont

8/28 - 46 miles

• Fremont to Huron

8/29 - 50 miles

• Huron to Cleveland

8/30 - 0 miles

• Rest / Watch a Guardians Game

8/31 - 0 miles

• Rest / Watch a Guardians Game

9/1 - 80 miles

• Cleveland to Painsville
• Painsville to Conneaut

9/2 - 33 miles

• Conneaut, OH to Erie, PA

9/3 - 0 miles

• Rest

9/4 - 50 miles

• Erie, PA to Dunkirk, NY

9/5 - 46 miles

• Dunkirk to Orchard Park

Section 10, Orchard Park, NY to Ticonderoga, NY, 450 Miles

NOT YET STARTED

9/6 - 71 miles

• Orchard Park to Buffalo
• Buffalo to Lockport
• Lockport to Albion

9/7 - 34 miles

• Albion to Rochester

9/8 - 63 miles

• Rochester to Walcott

9/9 - 0 miles

• Rest

9/10 - 54 miles

• Walcott to Pulaski

9/11 - 51 miles

• Pulaski to Osceola
• Osceola to Boonville

9/12 - 75 miles

• Boonville to Long Lake

9/13 - 60 miles

• Long Lake to Ticonderoga

9/14 - 0 miles

• Rest

9/15 - 0 miles

• Rest

Section 11, Ticonderoga, NY to Bar Harbor, ME, 440 Miles

NOT YET STARTED

9/16 - 71 miles

• Ticonderoga, NY to Sharon, VT

9/17 - 35 miles

• Sharon, VT to Haverhill, NH

9/18 - 76 miles

• Haverhill to Conway

9/19 - 0 miles

• Rest

9/20 - 65 miles

• Conway, NH to Lewiston, ME

9/21 - 65 miles

• Lewiston to Brunswick
• Brunswick to Waldoboro

9/22 - 59 miles

• Waldoboro to Rockport
• Rockport to Bucksport

9/23 - 42 miles

• Bucksport to Bar Harbor

FINISHED

What’s there to do on a day of rest? Why, watch the movie Forrest Gump of coarse! (…I have to give my editor something to do…)

“Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.” That applies on the road as well.

Below are some photos I didn’t want left out of the story…

Itinerary Maps

The birds start chirping at 4 AM, almost on the dot. By 4:15 they’re in full voice.

It was windy last night. That is putting it mildly. It looks like today I’m going to get my West wind. So far I have slept in cold, in rain, and now high wind. If I had to choose between the three, I would take wind. The tent performed better in the wind than it does in the rain. One thing you don’t have to worry about in high wind is condensation inside the tent.

It turns out the wind was out of the Northwest, but it still helped riding. The Northwest wind pushed me slightly forward, but also away from the white line, which is helpful.

The Sweet Grass Hills (see photo below) possess special powers for the Blackfeet Indians. According to legend, the Creator Napi fashioned the hills in the distant past from remnants left over from the creation of the Rocky Mountains. Napi liked the hills so much that they became one of his favorite resting places. The Blackfeet people used these hills as a vantage point when hunting game and watching for enemies. Because these hills are so closely tied to the creation of the earth, they are a spiritual place for the Blackfeet people. Often teenage boys would go up into the hills on a vision quest to help guide them into adulthood. Many epic stories have been handed down through time of great journeys and important discoveries made by young men on their vision quests.

Sweetgrass Hills outside Northwest of Joplin.

Horse of many colors.

Itinerary Maps

A little more about Shelby before I tell you about Joplin…

The Lake Shel-Oole Campground is just North of Shelby. It was a good riding day, temperature in the mid 60’s. The wind was steady all day out of the South-East. That has a tendency to push the bike toward the white line so you have to pay attention to what you’re doing. Out here when you see a wide-load coming, you have to get off the bike. I’ve been riding on a 2’ shoulder most of the day. Not my favorite thing.

Shelby is a railroad town and supports the area’s farming community. In 1922 when oil was discovered just North of Shelby, the City Leaders decided to capitalize on the discovery by hosting a Heavy-Weight Prize Fight. The fight was scheduled to pit Jack Dempsey, the undisputed champion against challenger Tommy Gibbons. An Event Publicity Center was built along with more infrastructure including a 20,000 seat arena for the fight. Dempsey won the bout in a 15 round unanimous decision. Unfortunately, the fight was a financial disaster for the city and several banks went bankrupt over the their investment in the event. The Publicity Center became the Town Hall and it still stands today as an historic landmark.

Now a bit about Joplin…

I reached Joplin at around 1:00 pm. I had to stop because the town was having their 25th Annual “Art in the Park and Car Show.” There were classic cars, live music, food, and local arts and crafts. I had to take it in. I’ll be spending the night here in the city park, once the car show cars have left!

I met some awesome people, and they took great care of me. Several people came up to me and chatted. Another group invited me to sit down at their table and we talked together like we were family. They offered me beer and the lady running the event told me she would turn the sprinklers off in the park for me. I sat down to listen to live music and the guitar player singled me out because, well, I look different than everyone else. He asked me where I was coming from and where I was going I told him and he said “you’re crazy…” He was speaking into the microphone. He looked at the crowd, told them what I was doing, and said “give this man a round of applause! They all did. It was quite a scene.

I’m hoping tomorrow I’ll get a West wind that this part of the country is famous for. Haven’t had one yet since dropping down out of the Rockies.

Roadside East of Shelby.

When at an arts and crafts fair, one must indulge. This is an heirloom. Handmade nickel-steel blade with polished moose and deer bone inlaid handle. This will be handed down along with my Grandfather’s handmade carving knives with walrus tusk handles.

Itinerary Maps

I’m camping at Lake Shel-Oole Campground. It is just outside Shelby.

Sometimes my mind wanders when I’m riding. It occurred to me that I should come up with some sort of definition of the different types of bicycle touring. When I think of touring, this is kind-of how I classify it. I’ve never been an Elite level tourer. When I was younger, I was able to easily ride at the Enhanced level without trouble. I’m hoping to reach the Enhanced level on this trip. Maybe even reach Enhanced Plus…

Casual Touring: Under 50 miles per day average.

Enhanced Touring: Over 50 miles per day average.

Enhanced Plus Touring: Enhanced Touring with a minimum of one Century.

Elite Touring: Over 75 miles per day average with a minimum of one Double Century.

A “Century” is 100 miles or more in a single day.

There are four conditions:

• 1. Electric assist not allowed.
• 2. You must be carrying a minimum of 35 lbs. of gear on your bike, which includes camping gear.
• 3. Inn-to-Inn is not allowed
• 4. You must be at least 72 years old.

These are my rules. Of course if you play with me, you have to play by my rules!

So, how am I doing against this (arbitrary) standard? I have ridden 15 days so far and my average daily miles is 48. By my definition, I currently fall into the Casual Touring category. One thing should be kept in mind. Over the course of the last 728 miles, I have crossed both the Cascade Mountains and the Rocky Mountains. (The most elevation I will encounter in any similar length section from here to Maine.) Cut Bank Montana is considered the “beginning of the plains.” What that says to me is that in a couple of weeks I have a good chance of working my way into the Enhanced category. I’m sure you and I are both waiting with baited breath to see if either of those can be accomplished. Well, maybe just me…

Note: My Editor informs me that use of the word baited in the sentence above is incorrect. The correct word is “bated.” The word baited may be used occasionally, but only after eating a large portion of deep fried onion rings. My Editor informed me the word bated first appeared in the English language in Shakespeare’s “Merchant of Venice” in 1605. Leave it to a good editor to know that bit of trivia.

Yesterday, after crossing the Continental Divide, I confirmed that indeed all rivers now flow either East or South, rivers are no longer flowing West or South. Yesterday, about half-way through the day, I came within 4 miles of the most northerly point reached by the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They named their encampment, “Camp Disappointment.” They were hoping to find headwaters that would allow them to report to Jefferson that the Louisiana Purchase was even larger than originally anticipated. That was not the case.

I’ve decided to camp here tonight and push on in the morning.

No longer in the Rockies!

Itinerary Maps