Day 36: To Gackle, ND

Wed.,  Jun 28, 2017
Stats:  Today - 42 miles; 1782 miles to date
  Elevation climbed:  548 ft;  52,394 feet to date
  Temp. Low: upper 50's High: mid 70's
  Cloudy, then sunny, 20 mph nw winds

After yesterday's exhausting ride we slept in this morning.   We did have a thunderstorm last night, but our tent has proven to be very waterproof and everything stayed dry except the fly.  The breeze this morning helped dry it out.  After packing up, we didn't hit the road until about 10:30.

Today's ride was mostly straight east again.  The wind was out of the northwest and proved to make our ride a little easier today.

Along today's route we met Gerhardt.  Gerhardt is from Germany.  He's riding west from Atlantic City, NJ to Vancouver, British Columbia.  He's giving himself four months to do it.  Then he flies back to Germany from Vancouver.

Tonight we're staying in a bike hostel in Gackle, ND, the "duck hunting capital of North Dakota".  Since we arrived by 2:30 we've had the afternoon to catch up on laundry and rest.  We also made it to the grocery store before they closed at 5:30.

Tonight two other guys are staying at the bike hostel also.  Chris and Nick are brothers from our home town, the St. Paul area (Roseville).  They are riding from Astoria, Oregon to New York City where their sister lives.  Nick just graduated from college and has the summer free until he starts a job in the Fall.  His younger brother, Chris, just graduated from high school and has the summer free also.  Besides a fun summer adventure they are raising money and awareness for ALS, Lou Gherig's disease.  Their father was diagnosed with ALS seven years ago.  They have a Facebook.com page, "Two Brothers Bike To Raise Awareness" where they write about their ride and have a "go fund me" link to make a donation for ALS research  (Click on "Learn More" for the link).

Since we ride the "back roads" of America we're dependent on whatever services that America's small towns and real small towns have to offer.  The small towns usually roll up their sidewalks by 5:30 for the evening and if we need supplies we need to buy them by then, especially on Saturdays and Sundays.  Sometimes when everything else is closed we can still find a gas station/convenience store that's open.  Last night that's how we were able to inquire about the city park.

As I stopped to take this picture, Gerhardt was coming up the hill.

Gerhardt

We've ridden past many large lakes in eastern North Dakota.  This is one of the larger ones.

Cows having a meeting.

They decided to pose for the photo op.

In the hostel

Chris and Nick

Day 35: To Napoleon, ND

Tues.,  Jun 27, 2017
Stats:  Today - 82 miles; 1740 miles to date
  Elevation climbed:   1270 ft;  51,846 feet to date
  Temp. Low: low 50's High: mid 80's
  Partly cloudy, south wind 25 mph with gusts up to 35

Our day started off well, weaving through Bismarck on a bike trail.  Once we started pulling away from Bismarck we climbed a steep hill and started riding past the University of Mary.  The University of Mary and Visitation Monastery had significance to Mary because one of her great aunts, Sister Hermina, lived there for a while.

Once we passed the University and got into the open plains we proceeded to have the hardest day of our trip thus far.  We went mostly east and battled a strong crosswind most of the day.  That was very wearing.  The only time we didn't have a crosswind was for a thirteen mile stretch where we had a headwind.  On Hwy 83 (the Lawrence Welk highway) it took us three hours to go thirteen miles south into the strong headwind.  Fortunately, we had a wide shoulder to weave around on.

At the point that we finished the thirteen mile stretch we had gone 51 miles.  It was 3:00. We took a long break at a Conoco station in Hazelton, stopped by a small grocery store to buy supper and breakfast and then headed out for Napoleon.

By the time we got to Napoleon (7:30) we had been on the road for 12 and a half hours.  I think that's a record time for us.  We were exhausted.  We stopped at Ken's Superette for some cold Gatorade, inquired about camping at the city park and off we went.  The Napoleon city park has campsites, showers and restrooms (open all night) by the pool.  Again there was no charge for this.

On our ride today we met a bicyclist heading west.  When I asked Andrew, "Where are you riding to and from?", he told me that he is riding from Chicago to Portland.  Then I asked him where he lives and he said, "Well, I'm moving from Chicago to Portland." He did add that he is shipping all his things to Portland and he's just getting there by bike.

Missouri River

Where Mary's great aunt lived.

Lawrence Welk Highway

Andrew going from Chicago to Portland

There are big lakes in this area.

Campsite in Napoleon city park

Day 34: Rest day in Mandan

Mon.,  Jun 26, 2017
Stats:  Today - 0 miles; 1591 miles to date
  Elevation climbed:  0 ft, 50,576 feet to date
  Temp. Low: low 50's High: upper 70's
  Sunny

We are taking another rest day.  Today we are at the North Country Inn and Suites in Mandan, ND.  We took a non-strenuous one mile round trip hike to a grocery store today.

On busy Business I-94

Dakota Farms Family Restaurant

We ordered Domino's for supper to night.  Half of it will be for lunch tomorrow.

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Day 33: To Mandan, ND

Sun.,  Jun 25, 2017
Stats:  Today - 67 miles; 1658 miles to date
  Elevation climbed:   1877 ft;  50,576 feet to date
  Temp. Low: upper 30's High: lower 70's
  Cloudy morning, sunny afternoon, little wind

Last night was one of only two nights where the temperature was in the 30's on our trip.  Even though it is about 10 degrees warmer in our tent than outside it was chilly and not conducive to a good night's sleep.

When morning came we were up at 7:00 and as we were packing up, a few drops of rain encouraged us to leave our sleepy thoughts behind and move quicker.  We also had the benefit of the roof of the pavilion in the city park to help keep our things dry.  After packing and eating a little breakfast we were off with no more rain, for now.

The morning started out with a heavy cloud cover, but the rain was to our north and the radar (we had cell phone access, yeah) suggested it was moving east, so we proceeded with rain gear ready if needed.

For the first twenty miles we were fine, no rain. But now we needed to ride the next thirteen miles on the freeway.  Since we didn't want to have to stop on the freeway we each decided what rain gear to wear for the next thirteen miles.  (On the freeway we just want to keep to the business of riding and not take more time than needed.)

Eight miles into our ride on the freeway there was a rest stop, so we took advantage of a restroom break.  (There are not many trees along our route.) Besides, it's not everyday you can stop at a freeway rest stop while on a bike ride.  Even there people asked us questions about our ride.  One guy commented that we were the first bicyclists he had seen today.

Since we didn't have any rain to this point we decided to pack away our rain gear.  Just as we entered the freeway again we started to get some sprinkles.  We just rode on.  By the time we exited the sprinkles stopped and we just continued our ride.

For lunch we ate at the Sunset Cafe in New Salem.  After lunch the rain clouds were gone and it had warmed up nicely.  On the way out of town we waved to Salem Sue by the Morton County fairgrounds - a sign claims she is the world's largest heifer (see pictures below) - and we were on our way.

It was a beautiful day for the last twenty-three miles of our ride.  Our destination was the town of Mandan, just west of Bismarck, ND.  In Mandan, we got a motel room for two nights so we could enjoy another rest day.

At the start of our ride for the day.

Just before we got on the interstate.

The rest stop

"Salem Sue"

Sunny afternoon (with just a few clouds)

This area was hilly.  Notice the houses built between the hills/mounds.

Day 32:. To. Hebron, ND

Sat.,  Jun 24, 2017
Stats:  Today - 63 miles; 1591 miles to date
  Elevation climbed:  817 ft;  48,699 feet to date
  Temp. Low: low 40's High: mid 60's
  Mix of sun and clouds, strong crosswinds

Today we had strong crosswinds for most of the day.  Since we weren't going straight east the strength of them depended on what direction we were going.

We met one guy traveling west.  Rolf is from Germany and is bicycling from Connecticut to Seattle.  He has had a lot of headwinds.  Although riding into headwinds can be somewhat comparable to riding in the mountains, Rolf said he would rather ride in the mountains.  I agree, I think.  However, Rolf has more experience in the mountains since he rides in the Alps.  The steepest hills in our area of Minnesota are near Afton Alps (a local ski area near St Paul where the hills are very short, for those of you who don't know the Minnesota area).

Tonight we are staying in the city park in the small town of Hebron.  Tonight we have restrooms available all night but no shower and no sprinkler system to worry about.  Also, no charge, which has been the case for all the city parks we've been in.  Eureka had a suggested donation of $10.00.  I guess three out of four isn't bad as far as amenities and cost.

There's an old bike

Day 31: To Belfield, ND

Fri. June 23, 2017
Stats:  Today - 83 miles; 1528 miles to date
  Elevation climbed:  2467 ft;  47,882 feet to date
  Temp. Low: upper 40's; High: upper 60's
  Mix of sun and clouds, up to 25 mph nw winds

The map doesn't show our route exactly, since Google Maps doesn't give directions for a bicycle on a freeway.

The temperature may have been a little cool for late June, upper 60's, but even with the cloud cover it made for nice bicycling weather.  At times we had a nice tailwind and at times it was a crosswind depending on the direction we were going.

Today we entered North Dakota and were treated to some beautiful scenery with the Badlands.  We also rode on the interstate for about 31 miles.  We are allowed to do this since there are no parallel roads nearby.  The traffic was minimal.

When we left this morning we weren't sure of our destination, either Medora or Belfield.  When in Medora we decided to continue on to Belfield.

Medora, ND is home to the Medora Musical.  "The Medora Musical is the rootin'-tootinest, boot-scootniest show in all the west!  There's no other show quite like it.  Set in the outdoor (2300-seat Amphitheatre) splendor of the rugged North Dakota Badlands, this professionally produced, high energy, western-style musical show is proudly dedicated to the legacy of America's 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt, and the time he spent here in the Badlands of the Dakota Territory." (medora.com)  The musical is a look back at the "Wild West" days of the region.

Though Medora boasts its entertainment, it is also near the south entrance to Theodore Roosevelt National Park, "where the Great Plains meet the rugged Badlands of North Dakota." (google.com)

And for a period of time Medora also houses Benji Daniel's large sculpture of a buffalo skull.  Something we referred to in our blog last Tuesday. 

After stopping for supper and a few photos we moved on to Belfield.

Onto I-94

Entering North Dakota

Old Hwy 10

Benji Daniel's sculpture of a buffalo skull

Cowboy Cafe in Medora

Medora is also home to the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame

Oil drilling.

Sunset from our campsite in Belfield.

Campsite in Belfield