Memoirous

Wednesday June 24, 2020, 54 miles (87 km) - Total so far: 1,531 miles (2,464 km) It was hot last night in the tent. So I set the alarm early to get out before the heat. I wanted to somehow find a cell tower to let folks know I'm okay. I rode past several, always checking. In Sand Springs a woman said the carrier is Verizon. So not sure when I can connect with folks and post updates to trip diary. I reached Sand Spring at 33 miles. Already it was warming up. I refilled water from a bottle dispenser which makes me wonder about drinking the water in this area. The ladies at the store/way station in Sand Springs were very helpful and welcoming. There are clean toilets and a shower room. They invited me to camp, but it was too early. The hills were not as bad as yesterday, but I could tell I didn't have umph. The legs just aren't there after so many continuous days in the saddle. My goal for now is Lewistown where my friend's sister will come to get me from FT. Benton, tak...

Tuesday June 23, 2020, 70 miles (113 km) - Total so far: 1,477 miles (2,377 km) Those were 70 miles of climbing. Over 1,800 feet. It was continuous. You surmount one hill and there in the distance are 3 more. I'm exhausted. How she did it: I got out at 6 because I heard the road narrows and there is truck traffic. At 32 miles I reached a rest area on 200. A guy told me most of the climbing was behind me. Hmmm. I would ride 36 more miles to Jordan. No shade, climbing in the sun. Temps were in the 80s. Low humidity. I rode most of the day through Garfield County, where more dinosaur skeletons have been dug up than any other area. Info from sign at rest area: 300 skeletons exhumed. The area was a shallow sea billions of years ago. Now it is pretty dry, with exposed rock, but mostly rolling grassland. At one point I pulled over, there was a house with a barn/garage. I just needed a little respite. The family arrived while I sat there and brought me water and stool to sit on. To be ho...

Monday June 22, 2020, 55 miles (89 km) - Total so far: 1,407 miles (2,264 km) A perfect day, really. I knew I only had about 50 miles. Intel from the lady at the welcome center at Wilbeaux had said it was somewhat level. I awoke at 5:30, left the hotel an hour later, got a breakfast sandwich to go at a gas station, was at a grocery when it opened to get more tuna packets and bars. On the road by 7:15. It was level, some noticeable up. Train tracks stretched to my left. I think they use them for parking because for about 30 miles cars were parked. A long stretch of them. I made Lindsay by 9:30 , a very small place but was able to use a bathroom at Ag place. I kept going. The sky was a perfect blue bowl turned over top of me. Big Sky Country. You can see for miles, rolling grasslands. After I left the tracks there was more climbing, but reciprocated with downs. I made it to Circle, really just a circle on the prairie, by 12:30. It seemed too early to stop. Tomorrow's ride is 66 mil...

Sunday June 21, 2020, 65 miles (105 km) - Total so far: 1,352 miles (2,176 km) 4 States down, 4 to go I feel quite accomplished, though I'm not resting on any laurels yet. It really was nice of that couple last night to let me camp in their spot. The last few days I've been saving $$, so even while riding today I thought of getting a hotel. A bit of a review of Medora Campground: ( https://tinyurl.com/y23mt7qn ) hello, if you are sold out, no vacancy, then have a crew restocking the restrooms. This a.m. the festering bathroom had no tissue. Each woman was taking her life into her hands reaching into the garbage to re-use TP. I know, gross, add on top of that Covid. Someone said it'd been like that all weekend. I got started at 6. With Mountain Time, no need to pack up in the dark, already light by 4:30 a.m. I wanted to start early because of the highway. Also, being Sunday traffic should at least start light. The winds were calm and the gradients gentle. I didn't feel...

Saturday June 20, 2020, 64 miles (103 km) - Total so far: 1,287 miles (2,071 km) It was so relaxing staying at the Abbey. I left after breakfasting with the monks. Last night I participated in Vespers. The place reminded me of home--except no women. The mornings have been overcast and chilly. I forgot to take my sunscreen shower. The first miles were hard--1) leaving a secure place, 2) no watch, 3) and a sore on my bum. I made it to Dickinson, a substantial size town, where I bought an egg sandwich, a used watch from a thrift store, and moleskin at a pharmacy. I felt lucky to get these things. It was 40 more miles to Medora. Winds were not ferocious but not exactly favorable. At times I struggled to make 9 miles an hour on flat ground. At Belfield I ate a snack and then got onto the highway. I wasn't looking forward to it, but it actually ended up faster. The hills were more gradual. I had a wide berm to myself. I just had to remind myself to relax. It was 18 miles to camping. Al...

Friday June 19, 2020, 27 miles (43 km) - Total so far: 1,223 miles (1,968 km) Last night it dropped below 40 degrees. There was a heavy dew on plastics and tent. Jeremy and I headed out together at about 9 a.m. We made it to Hebron for an egg breakfast at a cafe. We discovered after we left that we entered mountain time zone. I said goodbye to Jeremy in Richardton. I also bought a watch battery, but watch problem not resolved. Do I need a watch? Can check time on phone. I think the sweat killed it. I was achy, and though the climbs were not bad, the wind made progress slow. Arrived at 12 noon, in time to have lunch with the brothers. Assumption Abbey is where Kathleen Norris wrote Dakota and Cloister Walk. Her work has been very influential in my own life and writing. In their bookshop were books by Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton. Later will eat dinner and attend Vespers. The next few days will be rainy, would still like to chug along. Jeremy Assumption Abbey ...

Thursday June 18, 2020, 61 miles (98 km) - Total so far: 1,196 miles (1,925 km) Yesterday when the mechanic fixed me up, he said the new rear cassette would give me more teeth in the climbing gears. Today I felt like a lion. As per my MO,I struck out early, but not before stopping at a supermarket. I was surprised it was open so early. It is also the first grocery I've been in since Chicago that had more than 3 aisles. I bought some granola bars and am I glad. I needed that snacking power. The first 15 miles out of Bismarck and Mandan to old 10 were easy enough. But, then. The climbing started. Definitely feeling like the West. I climbed over 1.000 feet in 20 miles. Into 17 mph winds. What's weird is that I felt fine. I was super hungry by the time I made it to New Salem, home of the world's biggest fiberglass Holstein to celebrate the town's dairy history. There was a GREAT small-town grocery there. They had prepared foods!! I bought some great cheese and hot chicken...

Wednesday June 17, 2020, 50 miles (80 km) - Total so far: 1,135 miles (1,827 km) I'm sitting here with the fluff from cottonwood trees drifting around me. No winds, except for a breeze. Temps low 80s. Everything feels good, normal--except this is like a rare day for me. I loved the campground last night. First I was fed the brat plate by Donna at her trailer, then Pat and his extended family fed me an all-you-can eat beer batter fried fish dinner. They kept talking about how many calories I must burn. I tried to tell them about the extra Covid weight. I always turn in early, since I'm up early. I really do like lighting out at dawn. Anyway, last night an electrical storm blew in. I think it passed in 3 stages. The first had big wind. I thought it might flatten my tent, but the poles held. I'd seam sealed the tent, but wasn't sure how well it shed water. I didn't get wet. Lastly, the thunder and lightning scared me. One hit fairly close and I felt the ground shake....

Tuesday June 16, 2020, 80 miles (129 km) - Total so far: 1,085 miles (1,746 km) Well, all the prayers, positive vibes, etc worked, because I made it through the heat, tough terrain, and wind. A few people have commented, supposing I am naive: didn't you know about the wind? Yes, I expected it and also knew that it normally blows from the West. What I've been recording here and for the past 2 weeks have been historic winds. For example I just had a brat in the trailer of life-long ND-oans, 2 couples, they said never have they seen it like this. He said it is 20 miles OVER the norm. He said it was likely blowing at 30, possibly getting over 50. At all these campgrounds are fishermen disappointed because they cannot go out on the water. The wind doesn't stop; it just blows. That said, they were favorable today. I packed up and left the city park in Selby at 5:45; I wanted to get a jump on the heat, etc. I had 5 FULL water bottles. Once heading north there would be nothing. N...