Day 44

114 Miles
We started our day by waking up at 6. Although I think I was awake before that. The cold made it hard to stay asleep for very long. We all got up and packed up our gear. We headed to a convenience store. I bought food and they ate cereal and powdered milk. I was looking forward to learning lots from Oak and Lily. They used a backpacker sensibility in their travels. I knew I was about to learn lots from them and the thrifty way they traveled. I washed up in the store's bathroom. Oak and Lily chatted to some locals about what was ahead. They warned us of the upcoming reservations, saying they were rough places and that we shouldn't stay in one particular town called Poplar. We all dismissed this as prejudices against the poorer communities on the reservation.
We were on the road by 7:30. This was super great for me, and apparently pretty stellar for Oak and Lily as well.
The ride was hilly, but they were fun hills. The climbs were gracious and the descents enjoyable. We stopped about 20 miles into the ride and ate again. The next portion of the road took us through Williston, ND. We stopped at a grocery store and bought supplies. I enjoyed the socialization even though I was still being quite reserved and shy.

From Lily's blog

Our next stop was at a casino on the Montana border. it was only 1:30. But Mountain Time gave us another hour. It was now only 12:30, midday. We had so much day ahead of us. We rested in the shade of the only tree around. We filled our water and ate. We talked about lots of things. We talked about our bikes. They told me the names of theirs. I told them that I still didn't know my bike's name. But I was still hoping it would tell me it's name soon.
We rode through construction. We were not limited like the cars waiting in the long lines were. We breezed through waving at the construction workers as they paved the highway.
We stopped every 20 miles or so and ate. I was impressed with myself and my pace. I think I will enjoy riding companions. With each stop came more admonitions not to stay in Poplar. We were all still a bit in disbelief that it could really be that bad.
We caught a really good tailwind as the afternoon pressed towards evening. My pace was near 16 mph, I was guessing Oak's was 17 mph and Lily's over 19 mph. We were approaching 100 miles when we stopped at a very tiny town on one of the reservations. Lily who always was miles ahead of me was offered a place to stay at the local church. She told the person who offered she would have to wait to see what Oak and I wanted to do. Oak was gung ho about moving on. I was too. I wanted to hit that century mark. Poplar was about 20 miles away and at the pace we were going all day, and with that terrific tailwind we didn't want to waste any opportunity to push ahead. We were talking to one local woman who urged us to stay there instead of "stab city", which is apparently what they like to call Poplar. We decided to push ahead anyway.
We rode together, no one pulling too far ahead. We kept great pace. The road was dotted with what seemed like hundreds of crosses. This seemed like a very deadly stretch of highway.
As we pedaled into Poplar together we could see that poverty was an issue. It was more sad to me than scary. We stopped at a sub and burger shop. We ordered food and sat and ate. Oak and Lily asked if there was a place we could camp. Even if Poplar they told us not to stay there. Lucky for us a man overheard the conversation. The man, Tracy, called up a friend who had a shop outside of town where we might be able to set up camp. It was arranged and after eating we followed the directions to Donovan's shop.
The shop was a scrap yard with cars, machinery and even an old bus. We were delighted with the free place to stay. Both Tracy and Donovan stopped by to see how we were doing. They were both so friendly and helpful. They told us that Poplar used to be a nice place but that after 2 am when the place is a different town. It was a sad tale. But our tale for the day was happy.
Lily and I both set up our tents. Oak who just uses a tarp scoped out the machinery. He settled on sleeping in the cab of the truck.
We settled in and slept soundly after our epic 114 mile day. I was proud of myself. And new friends made me happy.

Day 43

40 miles

I woke up and wanted more sleep, more time off. But I was behind. I knew I needed to press on. My joints were better but still achy. My night's conversation stuck in my head. I headed out after a calcium rich breakfast.
I was without a map, but knew I just needed to follow route 2 until I reached the place where my next map started. The wind made my travel slow. The winds must have been 15mph or more. This made my pedaling slow to 5-7mph most of the day. The hills weren't very difficult, at least until I deviated off route, taking old US-2 which was slightly North of my route. I  encountered a fierce hill which took a great deal out of my already strained body.It took me much longer to climb the lofty hill than it should have.
I did get to encounter some of North Dakota's most beautiful scenery. The landscape was grassy hills with badland like rocks jutting from their peaks. I ran into a few farms along the way. Maybe they were more along the line of ranches though. I came to a field with a beautiful little lake in it. The water appeared so blue. Upon closer inspection and lengthy viewing I realized that the beautiful blue waters weren't waters at all. The lake was a blue violet patch of clovers. This was confirmed by the bees swarming about. I was in awe. It was gorgeous. The hill was worth the lake of clovers.

My detour brought me back to route 2 and its trucks and traffic. Hours had passed and I had barely traveled 35 miles. I stopped at the next town Ray, ND. I was exhausted. The wind was killing me. I ate at a convenience store near a overturned tanker. I talked to one of the firemen. I asked him if there was camping. He pointed to a place just about a block away. I thanked him and scoped it out.
It was a park and dam area. There were RV's parked around the outer part of the park. I didn't see any information or any bathrooms. I eventually saw a man outside of one of the RV's. I asked him about fees and where to set up camp. He told me it was by donation (sweet!) and pointed to the box to put my donation. He told me I could set up anywhere. I stuffed some change and a dollar in the box.
I found a pavilion surrounded with lawn and tall bushes around the lawn. I thought it was a good spot. I set up camp. The man came over and talked to me. His name was Ike. He was from Colorado and was working as a roughneck. The oil boom brought roughnecks from all over. He told me he all about drilling for oil and fracking. I told him of my trip. He told me he'd make me a burger later. He was off to a bar to have "one drink". I started to wonder what I should get for dinner. I wasn't going to rely on dinner.
I headed up to a little diner/ice cream shop. I ordered a grilled cheese. As I walked out I saw two cyclists pull into the diner lot. I smiled and the girl of the pair looked at me kind of curiously. I against my shy nature walked back. I greeted them and asked where they were staying. She asked if I was a cyclist too. I said yes and she told me she didn't know where they were staying. I told them where I was staying and pointed out how to get there. She thanked me and I  headed back.
My grilled cheese was delicious.

pic from lily's blog

It wasn't long before the cyclists found me. They set up near me. And we sat and chatted. Lily was an Australian and Oak, a Canadian. Oak was on his way home for harvest. Lily was on a cross continental trip that started in NYC. She was heading toward Seattle. I told of my travel plans. Lily suggested I ride with her through the Rockies and hit the coastal waters in Washington instead of Oregon. As we were all traveling the same direction for a few days I decided I would ride with them for a day or two. The echo of my friend's words about staying north resonated with me. I was definitely going to consider heading toward Washington instead. The idea of company through the mountains was rather appealing.
Ike showed back up inebriated. I was glad I had company now. He did make me the burger as promised though. It was quite good, albeit overcooked. Ike wished me well.
I settled in for the night. My new friends and I agreed to get up early and ride as many miles as possible. They had been pushing out 90-100 mile days. I was anxious to pump out some high mileage days after the let down of the days mileage.
I took awhile to fall asleep. The air and ground were cold. Eventually my body in all its exhausted strain succumbed to sleep.

Day 41 & 42

Day 41
60 Miles
I didn't rush myself in the morning. I was on the road at an acceptable time for me. There was plenty of traffic out of Minot. Still too much state fair testosterone as guys from their pickup trucks yelled for me to get off the road. One shouted loudly informing me that I had ruined his life. I smiled and waved shouting out that I did what I could.
I searched for a dollar store. I wanted a cheap radio. I was tired of the folk and children's songs that plagued my mind. I couldn't get a pop song stuck in my head for the life of me. It was torture. My phone had music on it. And I listened to it when I could, but I tried to save battery for calls, texts, and pictures. There are pluses and minuses to having a do-all device. I didn't find a dollar store that wouldn't require me to go out of my way extensively. I rode on.
I spent a good hour at a very busy convenience store. I listened to people go on about the state fair. I talked with a woman and pet her two dogs. She had come from Ohio. She was driving all of US-2. I was going to be riding it for the next several days.
The ride was up and down, rolling hills. The wind wasn't bad, mostly cross winds. It was even at my back a time or two. I was mesmerized by the winds sweeping on the prairie grasses. I barely noticed the miles fly by watching the grass and the wind rippling across it. It appeared like sunlight reflecting on gently swirling waters.
As I moved further on US-2 the oil drilling traffic increased. Tankers, dump trucks that more resembled barges on wheels whizzed by me every few minutes. The scenery was dotted with drilling towers and trucks. There were flare stacks and the smell of oil and gases burning filled my nose.

When I stopped people talked of little else but the oil boom in the region. This created issue at the end of my day. Campgrounds, hotels, all kinds of lodgings were filled up and catering to the oil field workers.Melissa looked up online for town camping. She found something but the directions were nonexistent. I eventually asked around the town of Stanley. I happened to ask a man who just that same day had directed two other cyclists to a town campground. The man told me to stop at his restaurant the next morning. I thanked him and made my way to the campground.
The campground was next to the courthouse and the train tracks, of course. I have come to believe all campgrounds are next to the rails. I greeted the other cyclists and set up camp in the special tent area. After setting up they invited me to sit with them. They were a couple from New Zealand. They were making their slow way east. Shaymus and Joan talked with me about my upcoming route. They told me some alternate southernly routes I could take and places to stay to avoid the very heavy oil traffic. We chatted for some time. Eventually my very tired muscles and joints caused me to retire. I wished them well and settled into my tent.

Day 42
5 miles (only around town)
I heard Shaymus and Joan leave in the morning. I contemplated getting up and setting off. It had been almost 2 weeks again since I had taken a day off. My body begged me for more sleep. I slept in for hours. I decided I would just spend another night here.
I looked ahead and planned my next few days. I showered. I ate tacos at the restaurant of my previous day's direction giver. I was full. The tacos were huge. I explored the small town. I found  some amusing items. It wasn't like most carbon copies of towns that I had come across. The only pharmacy was a local one. There were no chain stores. Everything was local. The quaintness brought with a sense of traveling back in time. I pedaled into a time warp, a time before Walmart ruined small towns everywhere. This was heightened by the amusing oddities I found stocking the shelves of the shops. I bought some soap and food and went back to my tent after my exploring. I slept more. I showered twice. It felt good after the sticky heat stuck to me all day.
Since the campground was so cheap and more of donation than a fee, I cleaned up the garbage and debris laying around the campsites. It was my good deed for the day. And it was a nice little town. I felt it was just a small fee to pay for the rest I was awarded during my day off.
I was in bed early after watching the moon rise big over the campground. I was awoken a bit into my sleep. A friend whom I hold very dear and shares with me a strong connection text me. He said to me that I needed to stay north. I was confused by this. He told me he had a dream. Trusting him I told him I would do what I could but that I wasn't sure how plausible it would be with my planned route. I told him I would keep him posted.
I settled into sleep.

Day 40

69 Miles
I woke up and strangely went and got breakfast prior to packing up.Spiders left me a piece of art that I was sad about destroying. It captured my morning beautifully.
I sat and ate as I watched people hurry out of their hotel rooms, packing up their cars and speeding off to wherever they needed to be next. I didn't envy them. I was developing a real affection for traveling slowly. I liked seeing things that people would never see racing by at 70 mph. My meager 10 mph suited me just fine.
I packed up and headed out. I was on US-2. This would be my tires' home the next week or two. My route only diverted from it on occasion. This was actually very helpful, because I was approaching a 100 mile stretch where I would not be assisted by maps. I had been following the ACA Northern Tier route. I would soon be jumping on the ACA Lewis and Clark route. I didn't bother buying a map to link the two routes. I figured I could manage it just fine without one. I discovered that this was very possible, all I had to do was stay on US-2.
My morning ride started with an eight mile stretch of construction. The westbound lanes were closed and westbound traffic was diverted to the eastbound side of the road. This created a two-lane cone divided highway with minimal to no shoulder. I tried to ride it for a short bit. But less than half a mile in some jerk in a truck towing an RV beeped and forced me off the road. I was pissed. All the side roads were rough gravel and would add lots of extra miles. As it was Saturday, the westbound lanes were empty of construction workers. The torn up pavement and muddy construction zone seemed like a safer way to travel than being driven off the road. I rode around.the barricades and through the sand and dirt piles. Occasionally I had to get off the bike and walk it around obstacles. Still it was much better than the danger of riding on the road.
After the construction the shoulder was mostly wide and usable. I noticed an increase number of trucks and tankers on the roads. I stopped at each town I came to for a brief rest.
I rolled into Minot expecting to find a campground fairly easily. But as I rolled into town I came to a huge traffic jam. Apparently it was the week of the state fair. North Dakotans don't seem to take their state fair lightly. I got friends on the case of finding a place to stay. I also began just riding around trying to find somewhere. Everywhere was completely booked up.
I made my way out of town. I figured if worse came to worse I would just wild camp somewhere. Drivers were very unfriendly and I was flipped off more than once. I don't know if they were just pricks or if it was the excitement of the state fair. I found a KOA and even though my friend had called and been told it was booked up, I figured I would try to get a site anyway. I played the nowhere else to go card quite pathetically. But I did end up with an RV site. I paid more than I wanted to, but a shower and peace of mind were worth the money.
The owner came and talked to me. She talked about other cyclists who had stayed. She told me most of them were traveling west to east. And all of those cyclist said the mountains were easier than the plains. Man I hope so. I slept soundly.

Day 39

63 Miles
I got up by 8. A man who was camping next to me made some comment about me being sleeping beauty because all the other cyclists that had stayed there were up and off by sun up. I didn't much care. I like to sleep in. It's too cold and dark in the morning to be riding so early. And to be honest, it was probably just because I was alone and didn't have anyone else to help push me along or make a plan with. I was becoming accustomed to my little routines. Even though I was up early, I left late. I ate a big breakfast.
Hills were plentiful. Mostly they were easy to tackle, although a few really made me push myself. They provided beautiful views. It was dreary but dry. I wasn't going to complain. Even the temperature held at a comfortable place. The winds varied. I enjoyed the flora and fauna. Wild sunflowers dotted the roads. And birds of prey swooped above me. On one of my roadside food breaks, I looked behind me to see a badger. I had never seen one before. He looked at me and I looked back at him. We sat looking at each other for a moment until I went back to eating and he scurried away.
I made several stops throughout the day. I wanted to work harder at breaking up my day. I ate every two or so hours. I succeeded for the most part. This part of my route didn't have many towns. I was glad I had stocked up on food. One stop wasn't particularly pleasant. I stopped in a metropolis of ants. I opted not to find somewhere else to stop because I really NEEDED to eat. I walked in circles trying to avoid the ants crawling on me. They left my bike alone.
 I reached Rugby about five o'clock. I was going to find my camping spot but was lured in by Pizza Hut again. (Seriously, the gift card was an awesome gift, Ron!).
I was excited about Rugby. Rugby is the geographical center of North America. I was standing in the middle of continent. I was definitely more than half way now. I had started some 400 or 500 miles west of the coast. I finally felt like I was making some progress. There some spark in the air that made it feel strangely magical. The center of a continent. Wow. I was moved inside. Maybe I would take a day off here. There were random touristy things to do.
After eating, it of course started raining. I waited out the rain by making some phone calls. I wanted to share my smile. The rain let up and I started looking for the motel/camping I had booked. I couldn't find it. Google maps was sending me the wrong direction. I finally asked someone where it was. They pointed me in the right direction. One good thing about getting lost, I pulled off into a field for a moment. I caught the glimpse of rainbow. It was small on the horizon. It was barely noticeable. It felt like it was there just for me. I stood staring in awe, in the center of a continent, at a beautiful rainbow. Perfect.
The motel had a small camping area for tents and a parking lot for RVs. $10 bought me a spot, a shower and access to a washer and dryer. The shower was cold which sucked. I did wash some clothes and charged my phone fully.
A Canadian with a room offered to let me shower in his room. He was a cyclist too. He said he had spent lots of dirty nights in a tent. I was clean enough so I declined. It was nice of him to offer. It was windy when I went to bed, but the rain had stopped. The motel was packed and I heard some bikers setting up camp quite late in the night, but I slept mostly just fine.

Day 38

62 Miles
I woke up early, like before the sun. I used the latrine at the rec area. I listened to music and tried to convince myself I could get up and ride then. I fell back to sleep. Thunder woke me a few hours later. Dammit. I should have gotten the earlier start. I packed quickly.
The rain started with my pedals. It wasn't long before I was soaked. The rain was very heavy. 45 or so minutes of heavy heavy rains. I was several touring cyclists traveling east. Only one couple stopped to talk to me. The woman said that where they had come from it had been raining for 3 hours. I guess sleeping in actually saved me a few soggy hours. The couple also explained a detour ahead. I was grateful for this. I knew there would be a detour but had no idea where I needed to go. There was flooding from all the rains they had been getting.
I rode through some more rain. The lakes along the road stunk terribly. I can only describe it as smelling like sauerkraut and sulphur. It actually made me a little sick to my stomach.
My detour took me through the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation. I seemed to be lost on the reservation. I was saddened by the poverty I rode through. The roads were littered with just about everything but the kitchen sink. I had never seen so many cans or bottles along any road. There were clothes and random garbage. The people all looked at me rather curiously as I pedaled through the hills past their modest homes.
A dog, which looked part coyote began to follow me. I figured she would eventually turn back. She didn't. She followed me almost two miles. Finally, I rode back to where she had started following me. She followed me again. I tried to send her off. She kept right near my rear wheel. She seemed content with the idea of joining me. I can't say I would have minded the company. When I  was again trying to send her off, two men pulled up in a truck and had her jump in. Guess she was theirs or that of some one they knew. They apologized for her following me. I really didn't mind. I took it as a good omen.
Eventually I found my way back to my original route. I made my way to a little park on Devil's Lake in Minnewaukan, ND. There were showers at this park. I cooked macaroni and cheese and Ramen noodles for dinner. My belly was full. My phone was charged. Service was choppy, but at least I could check in with loved ones for the day. I went to sleep early.

Day 37

67 Miles
I was up early and in town ready to buy breakfast and supplies early. I headed out of town by 9 am. The ride was mostly flat. And I had yet to encounter any ferocious winds that I had heard so much about prior to arriving in North Dakota. I didn't have any cell service until midday. I stopped in a cute little town and did laundry and checked in with family and friends. I washed my sleeping bag. It was smelling kind of skanky. Actually, I was beginning to smell a bit skanky myself. It'd been a few days since I had showered. I chatted with a lovely woman while doing laundry. She told me of the area and how it was home to her. I told her of New York and Pennsylvania and its hills and trees. She said she always wanted to see it. I recommended she do so in the fall. She went on and on about how it was so great that I was traveling and how I should do as much as I could while I was young. I let her think I was young. I knew she was probably only a few years older than me. It seemed easier to let her think it. Although, I'm not going to lie, I enjoyed being mistaken for a young college student on summer break.
I looked into several towns to camp for the night. They were mostly deserted and I didn't find anyone to ask about camping. I kept on until I found a dam recreation area. I had the place to myself. I set up and ate dinner.
A family showed up and was fishing at the dam about an hour before sun set. The three young children came up to me and talked my ear off. I didn't mind. Although when the little boy used half my bug spray on his shirt and moved my bike mirror around, I wasn't entirely impressed. But mostly I didn't mind their curiosity or conversation. Before leaving. the children's mother sent each of them over to me with a little snack. I thanked them and waved goodbye.
I didn't have cell service again. That was probably okay though, I didn't have an outlet to charge my phone either.I passed out as soon as the sun was fully set.

Day 35 & 36

Day 35
51 Miles
I woke up to the sounds of thunder. I packed up quickly. I back tracked 2 miles to the closest town. I wasn't about to have a day like yesterday. The rain was light after breakfast. I bought some actual food for the day. I didn't want to rely on C-stores.
I hit a detour about 15 miles into my day. I headed North to make my own detour. I rode a very busy US-20 for nearly 20 miles. It was a direct route into Fargo though. I was very ready to be in North Dakota. I was beginning to tire of Minnesota. Maybe tire isn't the right word, rather I was just ready to be somewhere new. I was ready for some progress. I came to a Walmart shortly before Fargo. I purchased a new inner tube (I should have just bought some good patches). It was getting later in the afternoon and I wanted to find the campground in Fargo as early as possible, so I opted to wait to change the tire.
I rode into Moorehead, which is basically the Minnesotan side of Fargo. I crossed the Red River and just like that I was in Fargo. Hello North Dakota! I maneuvered my way through the city. I followed a lot of bike trails. Somewhere along the way my tire finally gave up. I walked the last 2 or so miles to the city park with a campground. I set up along the Red River. I asked a random Ontarian couple if I could charge my cellphone at their RV's power outlet. They kindly obliged. I must mention that Fargo has terrible AT&T service. I was appalled by how slow it was. I had a feeling that most of North Dakota might be the same.
I fixed my tire before showering and eating.
There was rain before I went to sleep. I joked with a friend on the phone that they would be sorry if I was washed away by the river in the night. I, of course, wasn't swept away.

Day 36
79 Miles
I got up fairly early. The tent wasn't as wet as I had expected. The sun was shining. It could be a good day.
Finding my way out of Fargo was a little harder than I had anticipated. But getting lost gave me a chance to really see the city. I, much to my surprise really, really like Fargo. And that isn't just because Fargo has the best mullets. (Seriously, I saw some pretty bad-ass mullets in Fargo). Getting lost I somehow ended up riding to the airport. This actually brought me a great deal of joy. I love airports. I love planes and I love travel. What's not to love about an airport? I smiled as the planes flew over my head.
I finally found my way out of the city. I heard North Dakota was flat. But really this only seemed to be in the first 50-60 miles on the eastern side. I just kept pedaling all day. I rested and ate when I needed to, but I just kept pedaling.
I was quite proud of myself at the end of the day when I had pumped a new record for me of 79 miles. I ended in a little town called Hope. There was a city park and pool. It was free, Sweet! I set up camp. I could have showered at the pool house, but I was starving and opted to cook dinner over showering. It was getting late and the pool was closing anyway.
There was no cellphone service. I knew my friends and family worried if they didn't hear from me. But there wasn't much I could do.
The ground was a little soft and wet and it smelled a bit like pond scum. I wasn't thrilled with that. I passed out to rain on my tent's fly.

Day 34

56 Miles
I attempted to repatch my tire when I woke up. I knew it wouldn't hold. I made a poor choice of patches for this trip. Quick patches are most definitely not the way to go for long journeys. I enjoyed a quiet morning watching chipmunks and gophers run around the campsite. I ate what little bit was left of my food and filled up on water. It was Sunday morning. I knew I would need to get some more food soon.
There were people everywhere on the roads. I passed beautiful lakes and the tourists that enjoyed them. The roads were almost crowded. People everywhere seemed quite happy. The sun was shining and there was no reason not to be smiling I suppose. Except of course that small town shops aren't always open on Sundays. I missed two such shops as a result of this.
I didn't mind this until I was fighting wind and hills and was low on energy. The humidity was climbing and I was drinking down my water like it was nothing. There just seemed to be more and more hills. I was becoming exhausted. I finished my water about two thirds into my day. I knew the next town was still 10 miles away. I sat on the side of the road and just tried to gather energy. This was not easy. I found a random Fruit Rollup stuffed in a random pannier and devoured it. I pushed on with the little energy it provided.
I passed a Catholic church that had a sign outside letting people know that next week would be the Outdoor Polka Mass. I enjoyed the thought and wished I could be around to witness that cultural treat.
The tire had to be pumped every 15 or so miles. It wasn't flat at this mark, but low enough that I didn't want to be riding on it.
Eventually I happened upon a Dairy Queen and consumed a fairly large meal and a huge amount of beverage. I really enjoyed a nice Coca Cola towards the end of my day. It was truly refreshing.
The same friend who had previously found me places to stay found me another place to stay this night. The rough day closed with a super cheap campsite ($5), a shower, and a million dollar view. My tent was pitched right on Lake Ida. The owners of the campground were very friendly with their very thick Minnesotan accents. I couldn't ask for anything more perfect than the stars reflecting on the lake as I drifted to sleep. The worst days always seem to end so beautifully.

Day 33

71 Miles
Town was just a short few miles into my morning. Still weary and homesick I took my time eating breakfast and a Nutrageous bar. I stored another Nutrageous bar for later. They are the best energy bar I have ever had. Okay, so they aren't an energy bar. But they are really freaking good!
I took a few deep breaths and hoped for a better day. It started good. I was making good time over easy rolling flats.Even when I reached the big hills I found myself chugging up them with ease. The wind was at my back, until it wasn't anyway. The storms rolled in quickly. Even the previous day's storm didn't really compare. The winds pushed the rains sideways as it stung my face. The lightning sizzled all around me. And I loved it! The squishy of my shoes as water sloshed out of them  was somehow enjoyable. I pushed through the cutting rain leaning almost sideways into it. Thank goodness for that new tire. The sky was black and the thunder was barely audible over the pounding droplets on my helmet and raincoat. There were breaks in the clouds with an eerie glow of green. I watched the horizon for tornadoes and saw none. My adrenaline was so high that I wasn't sure a tornado would stop me from pedaling on.  I did try to take cover outside of a church at one point, but was almost blown away. I decided to just keep pedaling.
Eventually the rain slowed and I descended from the hills into a small town. I dried off and ate. I overheard people talking about 60 mph winds during the storm. I couldn't help but grin. I had found my mojo. I realize how insane it is that riding through an intense storm is what made me love my bike trip again. But that is what did. I wasn't afraid. I knew I could do this. There was nothing that nature could throw at me that I wouldn't try to brave it. I felt so pumped.
I set out again. I still managed to conquer hills with ease. The lakes along my route were gorgeous. I took in the surroundings and barely noticed the amount of work my body was doing. I was approaching my desired end point for the day when the lightning kicked back up. I had never seen lightning like this. I couldn't count to 5 without another flash somewhere on the horizon. The clouds were almost an emerald green. It was beautiful and mystical.
A woman pulled over and asked if I wanted a ride. I told her I was almost to where I needed to be and it was fine. She told me to be careful and seek cover. Lucky for me about 3 miles up the road I happened upon a C-store, which I incidentally never realized anyone called anything but convenience stores. The little store in Clitheral called Koep's became my haven. The rain came down in buckets as soon as I had opened the door to the store. I let the shop keeper know I may be there for a bit. I ate dinner of hot dogs and chips and soda. There was flash flooding and bigger storms expected to bust through. Bruce, the man running the store that night kindly offered to let me pitch my tent outside if it didn't clear up. I was thankful because all the motels and campgrounds were full. I was actually getting quite worried about where I'd stay. So his offer was especially appreciated. I had some nice conversations with the people there. I really liked it. Right about the time I was getting ready to set up my tent I received word that the storms would pass us and head south. The sun was out again. It was getting late. I questioned Bruce on the mileage to the nearby state park. He said about 10 miles. I looked at the sun edging toward the horizon. I could make it.
I was ready to leave when I noticed that my previous day's patch had not held. My tire was flat. I couldn't be bothered with a repair. I pumped it up all the way and set out. I stopped twice to pump it up again before I made it the 12 miles to the Glendalough State Park. The park signs said it was full. My heart sank. I ventured in anyway. The sun was just kissing the last bit of the horizon. It was really my only option at this point. I had to ask around. Lucky for me, people left because of the rain. It was a tent only campsite and it was nice to see so many people enjoying the outdoors without an RV.  I got a campsite close to the showers and set up. I showered away the days rains and mud. I smiled as I laid down in my tent. I fell to sleep quickly.

Day 31 & 32

Day 31
46 Miles
I couldn't wake up for the life of me. I was devoid of energy. I didn't check out until after 10. I decided I would just do laundry.
I found the laundromat. I chatted with a man about my trip and he gave me fabric softener sheets.
I didn't set out for the day until 1 pm. And then it was slow going. The winds were in my face. The wind coupled with my lack of energy made the day near impossible. To top it off, all the stores and towns along the way seemed to be abandoned.

One month on the road

Five hours into the day and barely 30 miles had passed. I couldn't stand the wind. I was ready to lay in the road and just give up. My friend manned her computer and phone and worked tirelessly to find me someplace to camp. She did an awesome job. She found me a place 15 miles from where I was. It took me almost 3 hours to get there though. Some of that was a result of roadwork. But it was still so much effort.
I got to the golf course/campground about 8 pm. I asked a woman playing with her grandchild where I needed to check in. She pointed it out to me. When I was setting up camp the same woman came over to talk with me. She invited me to eat dinner with their family. I accepted gratefully. I showered before I headed to their camper.
I spent my evening eating with Sharon, Ted, their daughter Jill, and Jill's son Jackson. The food was delicious and warm. I sat around the fire with them until it was late. I enjoyed the company immensely. I retired and fell asleep quickly.

Day 32
56 Miles

 I slept well. I didn't get up as early as I wanted but still managed to hit the road by 9. Sharon offered me coffee and talked me through the detours on my route ahead. I thanked her for her kindness. I waved goodbye.
The detour was confusing so I made my own. I made much better time than the day before. The winds had calmed. I was in Little Falls by 1 pm.
I ate Pizza Hut (thanks again Ron). It tasted good. While the pizza was digesting I made some phone calls. I suddenly became more homesick than I had been yet. I began crying. I knew Melissa had a few days off and actually come retrieve me. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to give up, but going on seemed so tough. I was so alone. I was so tired.
I called Ron. He told me to do what I needed to do. He told me the only person who would care if I gave up was me. He told me I was the only person who would judge me. He was right. And I knew I would not be okay with not finishing this trip. I gathered all my courage and got on my bike still crying a bit.
I was pedaling along thinking of home when...
I got a flat tire! In pure disbelief and frustration I threw my bike to the ground. My front rack popped off. Seriously!?! This just made more tears come. My desire to go home was only heightened. Nevertheless, I fixed both the tire and the rack. A tack had caused my flat. Yes, I said a tack. Ridiculous.
I carried on.
The same friend who found me the campsite the day before found me one again. It was cheaper than expected. and I had it all to myself. I sent some emails from my phone and went to sleep.

Day 30

66 Miles
I did manage to get up early. I was packed and ready by 8 am.  I filled my water and headed out by 9. I did however feel a bit sick.
The winds were ferocious. It was work to keep my bike straight. The winds whipped across the road and pushed me all over. I stopped a few miles from the park and got some more food. I was sitting outside eating when the thunder and lightning started rolling in. A woman pulled up in her truck. She asked if I was considering riding in it. She told me not to, as her pager had been going off like crazy. She went inside. The rain started. It was wicked and the wind teamed up with it make it impossible to see beyond the parking lot. The woman came back out and I asked her if she knew how long this would last. She told me tornadoes were coming through and that she had told the shop owners I would be hanging out for awhile. She didn't want to pull me out of a ditch somewhere. I thanked her for her concern and waited inside. They even let me put my bike inside the back room.
 I waited maybe an hour. The rain let up and I was off again. I was making good time considering. Lunch brought rains that were on and off. After lunch I made my own route again. I got caught in another downpour. I couldn't see 10 feet in front of me. I stopped at another convenience store. I almost got blown away. I was soaked to the bone. I waited again until the rain slowed. I went on.
I was having a hard time finding accommodations for the night. I was feeling crampy and tired. I called in a favor from a friend or two. They sent me $20 each and I got a hotel room. I showered and put on clean clothes. I passed out early.

Day 28 & 29

Day 28
69 Miles
I woke and showered. I slept wonderfully. I had a smile on my face. I packed up. Marta and I ate breakfast. She loaded me up with snacks and drinks. She gave me a new water bottle. Sweet! I hugged her and thanked her again. I told Jesse goodbye and headed on my way. Really glad I got to meet such awesome people. They really lightened my spirits.
I texted Kelly letting her know I was just going to move on. I have been a little behind schedule. I had a prospective place to stay in Fargo. I wanted make it there sooner rather than later.
Getting out of Minneapolis proved easier than getting in. I ditched my Adventure Cycling maps for Google maps bike routes out of the city. The route, although way over explained (as Google does), was quite enjoyable. It was mostly bike trails.
I had meant to find a bike shop on my way out of the city, but didn't want to get lost again. I needed a back tire. The tread was completely worn. The Kevlar was showing. I NEEDED a new tire. I found a really nice bike shop 35 or so miles out of the city. I bought an Armadillo tire made by Specialized. I put it on on the lawn behind a Walmart. I ate lunch. I headed back out. The tire made such a difference. Every pedal stroke was more efficient.
The scenery was gorgeous. Lakes were everywhere. As the day progressed I entered the very Swedish portion of Minnesota. The towns all had sister towns in Sweden. They welcomed me with signs saying Välkommen. I felt close to my heritage.
It was late evening when I arrived at the Wild River State Park. I paid for two days. I need a day to just relax. Maybe I was working myself too hard and that was why I couldn't seem to go on.
I set up camp. My flashlight and bike light both had gotten turned on in my panniers. Both had dead batteries. Then my phone crashed. I lost everything. I lost all my most recent numbers. I lost almost a week's worth of pictures. And I lost words of encouragement from loved ones. I was less than happy.
I tried to go to sleep.
There were warnings all over the park about bears and skunks. They said to put your food in your car... yeah great! I could do that! It was too dark to hang my gear. I packed everything up as tight as I could and went to sleep. Sleep did not come, but the animals did. I saw what I thought was a raccoon outside my tent at the last of the day's light. Noises all night kept me up as I heard creatures try to get into my gear. I heard breathing, loud breathing. I was sure there was a bear. I heard them manage to get something out of one my less secure panniers. I was terrified. I was up all night. I had no light, no phone, and no idea what to do. I took Benadryl, Sometime before sunset I fell asleep.

Day 29
Day Off

I only slept a little bit before the sun was up. I looked out my tent. My gear seemed relatively intact. I went back to sleep. I showered early in the day. I spent the day sleeping and trying to restore my phone  to its previous settings. The animals had only gotten into my electronics and not done any damage. I found tracks where my gear had been pulled out. Deer tracks! I had been freaked out all night about a deer! Sigh.
I repacked all my gear. I used more ziplock bags. I hung my food and toiletries in a tree. I made a bear piñata of sorts. I made a few adjustments on the bike. I wanted to head out early the next morning. I went to bed early.

Day 27

35 Miles
I woke up refreshed. I ate a good breakfast. I headed out into the rain toward Minneapolis.
My route was almost entirely bike trails.  It was a nice easy ride and the rain only lasted the first 30 or so minutes. The trails were busy. Runners, cyclists, walkers all seemed to be enjoying the weekend morning. I chatted with one cyclist for a mile or so about my trip. I enjoyed the dialogue. I was making good time and  I was aiming to meet a friend for lunch around noon. This proved rather difficult. St. Paul was easy to navigate through but as I ventured into Minneapolis my maps began to fail me. They were sending me up roads that didn't exist and I became very frustrated. At one point I was standing at a crosswalk with my map in one hand and my phone opened to Google maps in the other. I must've looked terribly lost. A gentleman riding his bike with his son stopped and asked where I was trying to go. I told him and he told me to follow him as he darted off. I pushed my heavy loaded bike after him. He darted along the bike paths and made sure I was still on his trail. We reached a fork and he stopped. He told me to follow the midtown Greenway until I reached my exit. I was still a bit confused but thanked him and we all went on our way.
The Midtown Greenway is a walking and bicycling trail cutting through the city. It proved very useful and quick. I still got lost briefly again but eventually found my designated meeting spot. I met Christine, a long time Internet friend at the Bad Waitress. Christine was with two friends. We had never actually met, but have been chatting online and the phone for years. I felt as though I was seeing an old friend, and I suppose I was. The conversation was pleasant and filled with laughter. It was great to put a face to the voice. I ate a delicious three cheese grilled cheese sandwich compliments of Christine. I didn't get to visit as long as I would have liked because getting lost had made me almost two hours late. I hugged Christine and her friends goodbye and set off to find my host for the night.
It took me awhile to get hold of Marta as she was busy with work. But I did find a really great park to just hang out in for awhile. Even though I had just had social interaction that I had so desperately needed I felt a huge pang for home. I was so tired of waking, packing, eating, pedaling, eating, setting up camp, sleeping and repeating it all over again. I didn't imagine that my biggest challenge would be to just keep doing it.  I sat in the park filled with emotion. I watched people laughing and walking along. I missed my friends. I knew they were all spending time with other loved ones, swimming, hiking, drinking, eating. I was alone with strangers day after day. Some days the only people I spoke with were the cashiers who rang up my chocolate milk. I love meeting people, I do. But I pined for familiarity. I pined for physical contact. I pined for shared laughter. If there was a good time to go home, now would be it. The airport was easily accessed and bike-friendly Minneapolis had plenty of shops to pack up my bike for me.
While sitting in the park I was hit with an intense rainstorm. It only lasted maybe five minutes before the sun came back out. There was a giant rainbow stretching across the sky. It lightened my mind, but I still wasn't sure I wanted to carry on.
I finally met up with Marta.She was a friend of one my friends. Her house was actually right off the park where I had been relaxing.  Marta welcomed me graciously. I relaxed and pet Bentley, her very handsome dog. We chatted lightly. After awhile she, Bentley and I went to pick up her boyfriend, Jesse. They showed me a little bit of the city and we headed to Lake Calhoun. We walked along the water and the told me about the city and the lake and the people. They were very kind and bought me dinner there too. I was beautiful talking and eating along the water at sunset. I came out of my shell with them a little and really relaxed and talked. I told them all about my trip, my gimpy hands (which I was barely noticing anymore, despite their getting worse). I told them about Kelly and her Boy Scouts. They encouraged me to contact her and ride with her. I was still turning it over. While sitting enjoying the atmosphere I saw a gentleman ride by where we were eating. He was riding with his son. It had been the man who had helped me earlier. I smiled. I approached him. I told him I had met him earlier and thanked him again. For the first time in a week I felt better. I was where I was supposed to be. What are the odds really? The man seemed just as surprised as me. It was warm smiles.
Marta, Jesse and I headed back to Marta's. We watched TV and ate cookies. I was quickly ready for bed though.
The bed was so comfortable. I was smiling when I went to bed. Bentley jumped up onto the bed and curled up near me. The warmth and the breathing was soothing. I drifted off to a wonderful sleep.

Day 26

56 Miles
I woke without the tooth pain of the night before. I was however starving. I looked ahead on my maps to find a place to get breakfast. After I packed and left finding food was more difficult than I had anticipated. It took me quite some time. And when I did, I was struck again with that dread of going on another day. I tried to push ahead. Minneapolis was in reach. I could make it by night if I pushed myself.
I rode on the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi the entire morning. It was quite hilly and my spirits were growing weary. I oddly thought I heard drums randomly in a mostly forested area. I don't know where it was coming from. I didn't see any houses or buildings. But then again, there were hills and bluffs. The noise could have been echoing from anywhere.
I ate lunch at a Dairy Queen and charged my phone. I was having a hard time eating. I think it was because I was feeling so down. After lunch, I crossed back to the Minnesota side of the river. As I pedaled up and down more hills I saw a fully loaded bicycle ahead of me. The girl on the bike had stopped. Kelly was looking at her map. She asked where we were exactly. I told her and said the next town was another 8 or so miles. We rode and talked for a bit. She told me of how she started in Connecticut and was heading to Oregon as well. She asked if I was riding alone. She asked if I was going crazy. I said I often thought so. She told me how she rode solo all the way to Cleveland before meeting up with a group of Boy Scouts. She hated riding on her own. She told me how she enjoyed riding with people much better. She'd been riding with the Boy Scouts and was much happier. She suggested that I could ride with them as well. I told her I'd think about it and we exchanged numbers and agreed to meet up in Minneapolis. I stopped at a state park to relax. Kelly rode on. The socialization felt good. The prospect of company felt good.
The rest of my day was fairly easy. The hills became more rolling and I handled them much better. I passed some of the Boy Scouts along the way, although I didn't talk to them as they were stopped and I wanted to push on.
I debated carrying on to Minneapolis that evening, but came to the conclusion that resting up would be a better option. Stillwater Minnesota was a beautiful town, very rich from the looks of it. I opted for a hotel room. But this proved a stupid mistake. There were only two available hotel rooms available in the town. I overpaid for my accommodation. But the hotel bed was warm. And the sleep felt nice. Only 25ish miles to Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Day 25

61 Miles
The other campers were up long before my eyes opened. I ate a small breakfast. My food was pretty low. I looked over my maps and decided to cut out some of my route and take a more direct line to the next town. This worked well for me. It was shady forest and the hills were small. I was feeling good and excited about buying more food some 8 miles ahead.
I was devastated when I ran into a closed road sign. I wanted to brave it. They were tearing it up. It was mostly dirt and gravel. It was a bit rough but I could manage. The first mile was void of workers. As I crested a hill I saw the trucks and other equipment and workers. The road ahead looked much less navigable. I pulled over to check Googlemaps for alternates. The roads weren't straight. They were hilly, long and gravel. There was no easy route to go. Cutting through the road work would be fastest. Right around the time I was braving to go through the workers working one of them drove up to me. He stopped and asked if I was lost. I explained where I wanted to go and that through the construction would be fastest. He quickly discouraged it and said it'd be hard to get through there. He pulled out a county map and showed me a way around. He said it was all paved not too hilly and wide shouldered. I thanked him and turned back toward the way I'd come.
I began wishing I had risked going through the construction about 12 miles into the detour the worker had pointed out. I was low on water and starving. I ate the last of my food. To be fair the scenery was gorgeous, but my 7-8 miles had turned into 21 miles. By car 14 miles isn't a horrible tax on a journey. But by bicycle, 14 miles of hills or wind is two extra hours. I was low on fuel. I rolled into the first gas station I saw and bought junk food and beverage. I consumed them rapidly. I sat exhausted and mentally drained. I called friends looking for encouragement. I received enough to carry on. But I rested almost a full hour.
I liked Lake City. Apparently it was the birthplace of waterskiing. I took my time leaving and enjoyed the views of the Mississippi that I rode along. I did more off my map trekking. I found it cut out miles. I didn't mind the highways so much. Traffic didn't really scare me.
The rest of my ride was moderately hilly but bearable. I rolled into Red Wing Minnesota near 7 pm. I ate again before finding a campground. It was on an island in the Mississippi. I wasn't sure whether I was in Minnesota or Wisconsin. I found the campground attendant very helpful. I showered off the days frustration and curled up in my tent when the sun set. My tooth pain was almost unbearable again. I had taken painkillers with a sleep aid. I was glad. The campers next me waited until the wee hours of the morning to get to sleep. I slept through most of their noise.

Day 24

40 Miles
I woke up and decided I would take my time and make it a short day. I treated myself to a sit down breakfast of waffles and eggs, oh and sausage. I washed it down with my sports drink of choice, chocolate milk. After breakfast I headed to Target to look for some bike gloves and shorts. My cargo shorts had ripped and my gloves were wearing through. The shorts were getting too big anyway, or rather, I was getting too small for them. I didn't find gloves, but I did find a really great pair of lightweight all purpose shorts. I also found a great shirt I could ride comfortably. I used a gift card to make my purchases. (Thanks Meg. You're the best, most supportive boss ever.) I did a load of laundry before I headed out into a sun filled day.
My ride was easy and mostly flat. The wind was at my back. I enjoyed the river view and the rolling hills and farmland that I was riding through. I also enjoyed the turtle crossing sign. Surprising to me, I saw more dead turtles than any one kind of mammal on my trip. There weren't any dead turtles near the sign. I guess maybe the sign worked.
I found a nice campground by early evening after just a few hours of riding. I set up camp. The campground had quite a few people there. The campers were curious and asked me about where I was coming from and where I was going. Being a good way into my trip now, they seemed more than impressed. Two guys from Wisconsin talked to me for quite awhile. They offered me a beer and, as I don't and have never consumed alcohol, I declined. They offered me coffee in the morning before they headed out fishing. I felt bad declining again, but I don't like coffee. They probably thought I was blowing them off. I wasn't, I just didn't need anything they offered. Nice guys though.
I further secluded myself after dinner. While eating I bit down too hard on something and ended up with a terrible tooth/headache. I took several painkillers and retired to my tent long before the sun had set. It took ages before the pain subsided enough that I could sleep.

Day 23

68 Miles
I hit snooze when my alarm went off. I was comfortable. Sleeping on the ground was beginning to feel natural. When my alarm went off again, I heard thunder with it. I grumbled and got up immediately. I began to pack up, but the rain beat me. It started slow. It began to increase. I unstaked my tent and carried it still assembled in full to a pavilion. I packed my gear up under its shelter. I felt clever. I waited for a bit to see if the rain would slow. After about 35 minutes I resolved that I was stuck with it. I had a 60 mile day planned. I donned my rain gear, which I had only worn twice before. Normally I skipped the rain pants and just wore the jacket. But it was near torrential when I took off. I didn't want to start my day off like that.
My route followed the Mississippi. The road was lined with hundreds of dead frogs. They lay splayed out on the pavement. Most were weren't even squished. I wondered how those ones met their demise. I rolled into a small town and sat in the rain for a bit. I was hoping for cell service. I had none. I moved on to my delight, directly after the town was the Minnesota border. Six states down, six to go.
This part of the river was home to a wildlife refuge. I stopped at the wildlife viewing area. I didn't see much wildlife. The only cranes I saw were moving dirt along with bulldozers and trucks. It was some project to help restore the river to its natural state.

The humidity hit quickly after the skies cleared. I finally had cell coverage and contacted my usual bunch before heading on. I stripped off the rain gear. It wasn't meant for physical activity and created a personal sauna. I wasn't into that.
The ride was much flatter than the previous day. When there was a climb, it was lofty, followed by lofty inspiring views and ridges to cruise along on. I strapped my wet shoes to the sides of my panniers to dry. I thought it made me look the part of hobo much more to have a shoe dangling off each side of my bike. They dried quite quickly in the hot sun.
As my day was coming to an end I accidentally passed by my intended campsite. I was rolling into Winona Minnesota by the time I realized it. As it turned out I was happy with this accident. Winona brought McDonalds and a super cheap hotel room. And thanks to Melissa who had given me a little extra money to "do something nice" I could afford the food and motel.
The motel was just as nice as the one I had stayed at a few nights prior but half the price. I could live with this.

Day 22

  

61 Miles
I woke up early, well, early for me. I packed up all my gear. Most of it had dried out. Even my shoes were slosh-free. I set out by 9. I ate a big breakfast and partook in the forbidden energy drink (I am hypersensitive to caffeine). I set off with a good pace. The hills didn't seem to phase me. I couldn't tell if it was the energy drink or if I was just kickass. I pretended the latter. I rode several miles along the ridges of the hills. I found that I liked this. I noticed the wind was at my back. I was pumping out comfortably at 18-19 mph. I felt amazing. I whipped out 30 miles within a short while.. I ate again. I stocked up on water.
I enjoyed some good fast downhills. I pedaled along the Mississippi River. The towering bluffs both intimidated me and put me in awe. I enjoyed thinking about Wisconsin on the other side of the river. I saw the trains in Wisconsin and pretended to race against them. It kept me entertained for a bit.
The road pulled in away from the river. I had some really big climbs and the sun climbed with me. It pulled the moisture from the ground and into the air. The humidity kept thickening. I found myself climbing the biggest of these hills in the afternoon. The temperatures were in the 90s. The sun shone directly on me. The bluffs offered little to no shade. Every pore in my body seeped sweat. I was dripping wet with water from my own body. I tried to ration my water, but was still drinking it down a litre at a time. I had to stop every quarter mile or so to wipe my brow, my arms, my neck.
I finally finished the biggest of the climbs.
I was looking forward to the downhill, but my front rack was angling dangerously close to my tire's spokes. I needed to take it all off and reassemble it entirely. However, without a knife, I had to wait. As I coasted down the hill at much slower than I would have liked pace, I saw a woman walking up the hill. She was using a walking stick and looked as though she was hiking or some such outdoor activity. I stopped and asked her if she had a knife I could use. She did. She helped me cut the zip ties. We chatted as I tore down the rack. She had been fishing, with no luck, and was on her way back to her cabin just up the road. After a bit when she seemed sure I'd be able to move along fine she went to leave. She turned around and gave me a multi-tool with a knife on it. She told me to keep it because she had other knives and tools. I thanked her and asked her name. It was Kristi. We both laughed when I said my name with a "k" and she said hers too. It's a common question, followed by the exchange of y, i, ie, or just e. I thanked her again and she hiked up the hill.
My repair of my rack was extensive. I had to strip off the rubber around the U-bolt. It had been bunching up and hitting the spokes. I wrapped it with electric tape to cushion it against the front fork. I had to find new ways to zip tie the rack on so it would hold more securely. I used about 8 zip ties in the process. No super glue was needed in this repair. I packed back up and cleaned up the many zip ties. During this whole process 15 cars must have stopped to make sure I was okay. I assured all of them I was fine.
Finally, I carried on ascending into a small town where I rehydrated and ate. I rested for a good hour outside a small store. I rode on another 14 miles along some moderately hilly forests. It was easy compared to the days earlier climbs.
I ascended for the last time this day. I rode along the Mississippi into a tourist area. House and fishing boats lined the river. The train tracks ran between me and the river. The  views made me feel good about my day. Also making me feel good about my day was the convenience store clerk who asked where I had ridden from. I responded wanting to know whether he meant today or for my trip. He said both. I told him where I had started and how many miles I'd done. He was impressed and commented on the big climbs I would have had to completed to make it there that day. I felt hardcore awesome. When he asked why I was biking across the country I said just because I want to. His reply "That's what I like to hear." The admiration felt good. Without cell service I could not get my daily encouragement from friends and family, so it was doubly appreciated.
 I found a campground outside of Lansing Iowa. I ended up with a grassy spot along a creek. The campground was quiet. I got some writing done. I showered. The showers took quarters. I spent a few dollars just to enjoy the hot water and wash the layers of salt that I had accumulated in the day. I went to bed as soon as the sun was down. I slept well.

Day 21

42 Miles
The rain was persistent throughout the night.There were two tiny spots where water dripped through the zipper of my tent. But my gear stayed dry. The rain was still quite heavy. I laid listening to it for some time. I looked at my day's route. I planned out a 60-70 mile day. I had hoped the rain would stop so I could pack up without the inconvenience of getting my gear soaking wet. I wasn't so lucky. I packed up as quickly as I could. My gear stayed relatively dry considering. I messed around doing nothing for a bit. I ate breakfast and called my mom. Then rain finally started to dissipate as I set off for the day. It was after 10 when I started pedaling.
I chose to make my own route again. I found that this pleased me for several reasons. First, I liked the not having to backtrack. Backtracking is a huge pet peeve for me. Anything over a mile, and I'd rather find an alternate route. The second reason my chosen route pleased me was the scenery. It was mostly farmlands, which I suppose should be expected in the region. The rolling hills and freshly paved road proved enough to make me smile.
I connected back to my Adventure Cycling route. I encountered some incredible views. I could hear trains echoing back onto itself creating an eerie chorus in the hills. I liked the song. I smiled. The hills were bigger than I had anticipated. The wind had picked up and I felt like I was making no progress. My efforts were hampered even more as the rain again began to fall.
The rain met me at the top of a big hill. The next town was only 7 or so miles away, but the next listed camping after that town was 30 some miles beyondt. I wasn't feeling up to that battle. I resolved to find lodging in town. I had several miles of downhill. The rain increased with my speed. As I rolled into town it was an all out downpour. My shoes sloshed with each push of my pedal. I was soaked to the bone. I found a Dollar General and bought some food. My shoes squeaked on the floor. People looked at me but didn't speak to me. I climbed back on my bike. I just wanted to find somewhere to sleep. A man in a truck offered me a ride, but I declined. I was already so wet that I didn't see the point of trying to get dry until I was ready to settle in.
I found a small motel. It was very overpriced. But they didn't want to come down on price. I reluctantly put my card on the counter. I was too wet and tired to find somewhere else.

I went to my room. As I was pushing my bike into the room my front right rack fell off. Awesome. Just what I needed. I began the now ridiculous task of removing all the zip ties from the bag and rack. It was then that I realized I no longer had my knife. I must have lost it somewhere along the way. I borrowed scissors from the front desk. I managed to get the rack and pannier back on. It was tedious.
I finally showered and ate. I crawled into bed. I checked email on my phone and watched television. I got excited when I saw the weather. Not only was it supposed to be much nicer but the weather map showed me just how close I was to Minneapolis. Looking forward to the big city.

Day 20

56 Miles
I woke with the sun. Or maybe it was finally just quiet. The revelers partying had ceased. The firecrackers had all been set off.  The deer had his fill of corn and was now probably laying in a field, belly full and happy. I began to pack up immediately. I was anxious to carry on with my travels. I was lucky to have awoken with the sun. A gentleman arrived while I was packing up. He was setting up a firework cannon. He told me it was going to be loud in a few minutes. Oxford Junction had a tradition of a sort of wake up call on the morning of July 4th. The bang of the cannon echoed through the hills. I waved goodbye to the man who had set it off and thanked him for the warning.
The town shop was closed this early holiday and Sunday morning. I would have to enjoy breakfast at the next town. I set out for the short 7 or so miles.
There were more hills than I had expected. And the sun was warming my arms quickly. I changed from long sleeves to short on the side of the road. I ran into a sign claiming the road was closed 6 miles ahead. I looked at my map. I contemplated the detour. But I figured I could brave it. I pedaled on. I was glad when I reached the town to realize that I had made the right choice. A bridge was out in town, but I only had to go around the block. I found a convenience store and enjoyed some chocolate milk and breakfast pizza. The store had a constant flow of customers and I sat outside watching the variety of people coming in and out. I saw people ready for a picnic, ready for church, ready for a rodeo. Ah, America, your variety is something I am coming to appreciate. I left the town with a bit of a smile on my face.
My next stop was about 20 miles away. The hills were big but with an even amount of downs and ups. I arrived in the town to traffic. People seemed impatient with me and zoomed around me. I turned down a side street to check out my map. I sat at a baseball diamond and pulled out my maps.

I had to return the busy road to continue on my route. I soon noticed horses, marching bands and twirlers walking the sidewalks. People were carrying chairs and their children in tow. Families started to line the road with their chairs. A parade was about to commence. I ate at another convenience store. I sat and watched the people. I didn't stay for the parade. I wanted to keep moving. But I enjoyed watching all the people.
Getting out of the town using my maps was annoying. The road listed was a dead end. Google maps was of little help. Eventually I found the road and the big sign claiming that it was closed. Local Traffic Only. I looked at Google maps. There didn't look any suitable alternate routes, at least any short ones. I decided to try my luck.
I approached road signs and blaze orange cones. The site was quiet and abandoned. The Sunday holiday meant the workers were off with friends and family. I was happy to discover that the road still had one lane open. It was dirty and gravel packed, but I could ride across the closed section without any trouble. That was easy. I felt happy with my decision to try my luck. My heart sunk a few more miles down the road when the signs again told me the road was closed. It had worked twice today, I went ahead and rode on past the signs. Yes! It was much the same as the previous site. I wasn't in the clear though. A few more rolling hills and I approached another road closed sign. This one was missing a bridge. The road was completely closed off. I got off my bike and looked around. The stream was fairly deep and quick moving. I could walk it but it wouldn't be fun. Then I noticed the dirty ramp lined with equipment. It was narrow, but my bike and I could manage it. I squeezed my bike and gear around the blockade. I crossed the dirt ramp and was pleased with my luck. I could barely squeeze through the blockade on the other side. I hurried on. I imagined all the time and miles I had saved myself by braving the closed road.
 I reached Farley a short time later. I stopped again. I rested longer and charged my phone at a gas station. I have gotten quite good at finding outlets to plug in to. It may be a bit of a talent.
The route leaving Farley to Dyersville left me 2 options. One was a shorter path along the Iowa Heritage Rail to Trail. The other a hilly road passing by the site of the movie Field of Dreams. I chose the shorter flatter route. Apparently just because you build it, doesn't mean they will come.

The path was quick and my excitement grew, because as I neared the end of the trail my odometer was ready to turn  over from the hundreds to thousands. 1000 miles. One Thousand Miles! I had really traveled that far!
Dyersville was a bit of a bleak town and the rain started as I rolled in making it look even more bleak. I looked for places to stay. I decided on a state park about 7 miles North. I made it there only partially soaked. I found a site and payed at the self-registration. I set up and took a shower. I cooked a gourmet dinner of Ramen

Day 18 & 19

Day 18
56 miles

As I woke up to golfers and the striking of the balls, I realized I needed to get up and ride again. This idea did not appeal to me. I packed up and headed back to town. I ate a convenience store breakfast and just sat texting friends looking for the ambition to do this day. I just didn't want to ride. The extra rest and previous day's enlightened spirit did not extend here.
Despite my disdain at the idea of pushing pedals all day I saddled up and pushed ahead. However, my ill-ambition had cost me most of the morning.
The afternoon sun poured down on me. And the hills worked up on me. The sweat poured. I kept trying to look ahead. I'd see the Mississippi by evening. But this also worried me. What if the bridge across the mighty river was like the Illinois river? Would I be able to even do that again when my spirits were so low?
These worries may have caused me even more sluggishness.
Just before the Mississippi there was a good downhill. This was refreshing. But it was getting so late in the evening already that its joy only lasted a moment. I was pushing hard to make it across the river.
When I reached the bridge there was relief. Although she was a steel beast like the one across the Illinois river, she kept a lower arch and carried broader shoulders. I rode her broad shoulders and enjoyed my triumph for a few moments.
I was west of the Mississippi. I was really far from home now. I rode my bike to Iowa. I let it sink in for a few moments. But I couldn't revel too long. The sun was moving further into the western horizon quickly.
After climbing a huge hill in Muscatine, the town I was in, I looked for the route to my intended destination.
I was aiming for a state park 7 miles up river. I found the route, down the other side of the giant hill I'd just climbed. I saw more hills in the distance.
I noticed all the recreational traffic on the roads. Ah yes, it was Fourth of July weekend. What if the park was full? It was a holiday. It was likely to be filled. Did I really want to ride 7 miles just to be turned away? I did not. And if that were to occur, it would be dark by the time I got back to town. I began to wonder why I was doing this at all.
I opted to look for an alternative accommodation. I really couldn't deal with 7 more miles just to be turned away. And 14 miles and dark and still nowhere to stay seemed unbearable.
I followed a bike trail into a park. I sat down at a table to try to clear my head before my next move. My options seemed limited. There was an cheaply priced motel in the town, but I'd just splurged on a motel.
As I sat there contemplating just sleeping somewhere in the park I hear someone call out to me.
A woman pedaling up the hill to where I was asked if I was a cyclist. Three children pedaled up behind her. I told the woman that yes I was a cyclist. She asked me if I knew how to pump up the tire on her bike. It was a presta valve. I told her I did and asked if she wanted me to do it for her. She seemed surprised I had a pump with me. I told her I had everything.
This brought on the usual questions of where I was going and why and where I was from. They all seemed very impressed. The two boys with the woman were especially enamoured with my conquest across country. They felt my legs to see how strong they were. I welcomed the enthusiasm. As I pumped up the tire I asked their names.
The woman's name was Nancy. Her daughter Jenci and her son Jose were with her. And the other boy was her nephew Tony. They were on their way to play tennis. They invited me to join them. I accepted the invitation.
I had never played tennis before. I enjoyed it and I enjoyed the conversation. It extended beyond my trip and into general conversation. Eventually I asked Nancy if she knew of a cheap place to stay. She mentioned the motel I had already considered. She said she would lead me there.
I don't really how it happened, but somehow, someone suggested I pitch my tent on their deck. Nancy seemed to think this was a great idea. I asked if she was serious, sure. She said she was so I said okay.
All five of us mounted our bikes and I followed them through the town. There were immaculate and extensive bike trails all through the town. I got to see the river again and from some really nice angles.
We arrived at the house and I unpacked my tent and sleeping bag. Jose and Tony helped me set it up. The three of us talked outside. They cracked me up. My cheeks hurt from laughing. Although, they did inform me I was uncool for not really caring about Justin Bieber. I guess I didn't know he was so important to 10 and 12 year olds.
Nancy and Jenci had been busy inside. But I was offered a shower and was delighted at the prospect. I washed the sweat away and changed into clean clothes. Nancy cooked up some hot dogs and some venison. The venison was incredible! I don't know how Nancy seasoned it, but it was the best venison I'd ever eaten. And this Swede has had her share of venison.
I watched a movie and then was ready for sleep. Nancy lit a fire outside and we sat and talked for a bit. Then I went to sleep. I slept so well. I was so cozy.

Day 19
52 miles
I woke up around 8. Nancy was already up. She offered me cereal. Of course, I accepted. I love cereal! They were even Lucky Charms, yum!
She told me she was making me a soup to take with me. I can pronounce the name of it, but there's no way I'd know how to spell it. While I waited I watched the weather report. Rain is definitely in the forecast.
I packed up and soon the soup was ready. I said goodbye to my new friends. Nancy hugged me. I don't think she knew how much I needed it.
I don't think any of the four knew how much I needed them or how much they helped me. It wasn't just a place to sleep or food for my belly that I needed. I needed the socialization, the laughter, the conversation, the reminder of human kindness and goodness.
I am eternally grateful for their kindness. They turned a terrible day into one of the best days I could imagine.
I set off waving goodbye. I cycled with a new found fervor.
It took me awhile to get out of the town. But when I made it out I covered ground quite quickly.
I reached the small town I hoped to camp in before 6pm. I ate the soup Nancy made, which incidentally was amazing. It really hit the spot. And i still had some left for tomorrow. Bonus!
The town had a small park and baseball field. My cycling maps mention it as a place to camp. There seemed to be some sort of dance going on at the building adjacent to the park as part of their Fourth of July celebration. I felt very self conscious about setting up my tent there. I asked an older gentleman if I was allowed to camp there. He said of course. But I wasn't entirely sure he heard me right.
I waited until almost dark before I set up my tent. I set it up next to a concessions stand by the baseball field. I was mostly out of sight. I left the rain fly off because it made me even less noticeable. I enjoyed the view of the stars. It was quite nice to only have mosquito netting between me and the night air.
Cars and fireworks roared most of the night. Though it was the noisy deer munching on corn in the field next to me that made it hard to sleep. Eventually the sound of the deer comforted me. If the felt safe close by, I was likely very safe.
Nancy called before I fell asleep to see how I was. I thought that was nice.




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