Life On A B-I7

Route

• Bismark, Rest Day

Metrics

• Miles: 11
• Average Speed: NA mph
• Ride Time: NA hours NA minutes
• Climbing (Vertical Feet): NA

Notes

• NA - Not Available

A bicycle tour gives you a lot of time to think about things that you often don’t take enough time to consider.

I’ve been pondering some of the lessons I have learned in life and considering how best to benefit from them. Having the opportunity to step out of my normal routine has given me a focus that has allowed me to see these lessons more clearly.

The lessons I share here I have gathered from multiple great books. From the Bible to the Koran, to the teachings of Buddha and Confucius, even to Homer’s Odyssey, all the world’s great literature is a source of learning and inspiration. There is no better guide to daily living than the collected wisdom of the world’s greatest prophets and thinkers.

The question becomes, what do you do with this knowledge? Of course the first thing is to live your life every day in a way that follows these lessons to the best of your ability. That’s not all. It is important to keep close to you, people that observe these teachings, and shun, as much as possible, those that do not. This prescription applies to all that we do, from our recreational activities to our civic duties, including whom we cast our vote for at the ballot box. It is our obligation to strive at all times to build a better world. Never allow yourself to be led by someone that behaves in a way that is anathema to any of these principles, even if his promises benefit you materially… Especially if his promises are designed to benefit you materially.

Each of these lessons is short and to the point. It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to fill in the blanks. In fact, there is probably nothing here you haven’t heard before. What I plan to do is pick one each morning and say to myself, “today I am going to make this lesson my focus for the day.” Some days will be easy, some days will be hard. The point is to live these lessons, one day at a time, one lesson at a time. These can be helpful guides to a more useful and satisfying life. A life lived with purpose.

Here are 31 lessons I have chosen. One for every day of the month. I plan to focus on one each day and allow it to guide me. In time it will become easier and easier to incorporate these into my life, with less and less effort.

It’s important to appreciate life while we are living it. Incorporating these lessons daily can be a huge step toward doing that. I begin tomorrow!

• Ambition is good but ensure it serves mankind in some way.
• If you make a mistake, no matter how small, gracefully acknowledge it. Don’t forget to apologize if that is possible.
• Anger can’t always be avoided. The best way to make anger go away is to first recognize it, then tell yourself to set it aside.
• Use your gifts and your time to help others, not just help yourself.
• When you feel stress coming on, take time to relax. Focus on higher things than yourself.
• Work on your character every day. Character is like muscle, it gets soft if it is not exercised.
• When you are required to make a decision, are you doing so with the best of intentions to follow a higher will, or are you doing so only to benefit yourself.
• Do everything you do to the best of your ability. 
• Be gentle. It is the strong that are gentle.
• Protect your heart from things that would lead it astray.
• Spend time each day to think of things higher than yourself.
• Happiness is temporary, joy is permanent. Build on those things that will bring you joy.
• Be committed to those you’ve committed yourself to.
• Your past does not determine your future.
• Change cannot be avoided. The stress that comes from change can be avoided. To do so, spend time reflecting on those things that are higher than you.
• Remember that your Creator listens.
• Take time each day to think about those things that matter most. Use those thoughts to help you set your priorities for that day.
• What is your purpose? Your purpose is to find your purpose. Let your Creator help you do that.
• Never quit.
• There is no distinction between your public life and your private life. Both should reflect what is best in you, and do so all of the time.
• Show respect to everyone. Smile.
• Work hard and take time for rest.
• If you lose patience, remember that obtaining patience is a lifelong endeavor. Take a step back, take a deep breath, then you will be able to move forward.
• Remember to serve others.
• Use the gifts you’ve been given to the best of your ability.
• Success is not what you own or how rich you are. Success is who you are. 
• When tempted, look temptation in the eye and then walk away. Laughing at temptation helps to overcome it.
• Remember to thank your Creator every day.
• Periodically evaluate your values. Make sure they are in alignment with your purpose in life.
• Every choice you make has consequences. Making good choices is a sign of wisdom.
• Be courageous and work on developing determination. 

I offer these thoughts first and foremost as reminders to myself. When I look back on this adventure, it will not only be an experience to remember, it will also an inspiration.

Church and Abbey in Richardton, ND. There isn’t even a coffee shop in this town, imagine that.

Itinerary / Maps

Route

• Bismark, Rest Day

Metrics

• Miles: 10
• Average Speed: NA mph
• Ride Time: NA hours NA minutes
• Climbing (Vertical Feet): NA

Notes

• NA - Not Available
• After waking with the birds, I went back to sleep until 7 AM!

My favorite time of day is first light. That’s when the birds wake up and start to chirp. They are instinctively observing Brahma Muhurta time.

The General Sibley Campground where I stayed last night is beautiful. It sits along the banks of an old course of the Missouri River. The river now runs a couple miles west of here. General Henry Hopkins Sibley served in both the US Army and the Confederate Army. General Sibley served for 28 years in the US Army and saw action in three campaigns against Native Americans. He joined the Confederate Army in 1861 and served as Colonel and eventually Brigadier General. He was known for innovation. He designed the Sibley tent, which was a standard used by both the Union Army, and the British Army. In his later years, he served as an advisor in Egypt, helping to build fortifications on the Nile River.

The Sibley Tent is a conical design with a central pole that telescopes down to a tripod. It’s about 12 feet in diameter and 16 feet high. It can comfortably accommodate 18 soldiers. it would make my little backpacking tent look slightly inadequate.

Speaking of tents, today is a rest day while I wait for my new tent to be delivered to the central post office here in Bismarck. I’m going to get a motel tonight so I can get cleaned up and then Monday night, after picking up my tent, I’m going to come back to the Sibley Campground for one last night. Getting from Bismarck to the campground is a pleasure. There is a 6 mile long paved bike path that goes directly to the campground entrance.

It was a glorious morning! Camping doesn’t get much better than this. The field repair on the tent is holding, but I’m anxious to get the new tent in my hands. The new tent is a two person tent designed specifically for bike packing. It will be a lot more comfortable than this one. I now know I’m too old for this sort of tent.

Today’s Song: Life is a Highway Rascal Flatts.

Itinerary / Maps

Route

• Glen Ullin to Bismark

Metrics

• Miles: 64
• Average Speed: 9.23 mph
• Ride Time: 6 hours 31 minutes
• Climbing (Vertical Feet): 640

Notes

• It’s a beautiful day!
• Hot! Maybe Summer has arrived!

I started my morning in the Cenex gas station in Glen Ullin. I had a nice conversation with three locals. They meet there every morning, it’s part of their social network. Meeting at the gas station in the morning for coffee and breakfast sandwich is a very important ritual. They were kind enough to let me join them. On the way out one said, “hey peddler, how old are you?” I replied, “72.” The fellow said, “good on you, good luck out there.”

About 20 miles down the road I met a Cyclist going West. This is probably only the third Cyclist headed West that I’ve seen. This fellow started May 14 on the East Coast. Now I understand why I haven’t seen very many. As I go East from here I should start seeing more, I hope. This guy was particularly nice. We chatted for about 10 minutes alongside the road. I gave him my blog address, he was interested in following along. What I admired most about this fellow was the fact that he was pulling a Burley trailer. In the trailer was his dog, the dog looked like a medium size Collie. That takes strength and endurance that I’m not sure I have. But it is tempting to think that perhaps Mr. Tux would like to make the next road trip with me…

When I got to Mandan about 6 miles west of Bismarck, I saw a baseball game! I was thrilled! I pulled over, paid for my ticket and went inside the ballpark. It was boys age 16 to 18. It was fun to watch them and recall the days when I used to play baseball. That was a wonderful time in my life. The Home team won the game holding off a bases loaded rally in the top of the ninth. I’m hoping to see a Twins game in Minneapolis and a Guardians game in Cleveland. If not, I can say I saw a baseball game in Mandan North Dakota.

I wanted to stay in Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park south of Mandan. There were no sites available so I had to press on. I ended up in General Sibley Park 6 miles south of Bismarck. I wanted to stay in Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park because that was George Armstrong Custer’s homebase. There is a replica of his house on the grounds there. Custer was a complicated person. He wrote a lot for a periodical, which at the time, was noted for its serious historical and cultural articles. All of his works were eventually compiled into a book titled My Life on the Plains: Or Personal Experiences With the Indians." In the book Custer makes a serious attempt to justify his actions towards Native Americans. He also takes pains to point out their cultural importance. Some Indian tribes appreciated him because of those efforts, others did not appreciate him largely because of his actions.

I donated $15 to the Wikipedia Foundation today to celebrate the 4th of July! Wikipedia is completely “human” written by volunteer contributors. No AI is ever used in their articles.

Baseball. What better way to celebrate the Fourth of July!

I can’t stop taking photos of the beautiful sites that I see alongside the road.

Itinerary / Maps

Route

• Dickinson to Glen Ullin

Metrics

• Miles: 50
• Average Speed: 11.21 mph
• Ride Time: 4 hours 25 minutes
• Climbing (Vertical Feet): 221

Notes

• How do you know when to shift? Simple, when your legs start to burn.
• I’ve thrown away RideWithGPS, Komoot, COROS and Apple Maps, now all I do is follow the Duck.

I had a very good dinner last night at the Brick House restaurant in Dickinson.

No coffee this morning until I got to mile 35, the town of Hebron. I set up my stove on a picnic table in front of the public library. The sheriff waved at me as he drove by. A rancher drove by, waved and gave me a thumbs up.

I arrived in Glen Ullin just as JD’s Bar was opening. I had a pizza and a beer and then went across the street to the city park to rest. I’m now at the Glen Ullin Memorial Park just outside the city. For $6 a night I have a covered picnic table, electricity, and believe it or not, free Wi-Fi.

Everybody I meet says I’m insane to be doing this. People just don’t get it. I’ve heard it enough times I’m starting to wonder what everyone means by that remark… I’m starting to feel like I’m missing something. If you think you are sane, but everyone tells you you’re insane, who do you believe?

Nature’s palette.

Wind breaks.

This is a field of Canola. I verified that with a local.

Itinerary / Maps

Route

• Dickinson / Rest Day

Metrics

• N/A

Notes

• N/A

Yesterday after I posted, I went for a walk. I stumbled into the Southwest Gallery of Art. I walked up to the front door to see if the gallery was open. Unfortunately, it closed at 4 PM and I was 10 minutes late. Before I could turn around to leave the gallery host opened the door and asked me if I wanted to come in!

I explained I was riding my bike across the country. They were thrilled and wanted to hear all about it. They took my photo for their Facebook page with one of the hosts handing me a yellow rubber duck. It seems they give a little rubber duck to all gallery visitors. I explained that I couldn’t accept their offer because back home, I drive a Toyota Tacoma and only people who drive Jeeps are allowed to have yellow ducks on their dashboard. They laughed and said, “so put it on your bicycle.” I thought about it and realized that was a pretty good idea.

The painting from yesterday’s post was one of the paintings that was hanging in the gallery.

What do you do with a yellow rubber duck if you don’t drive a Jeep?

Me, when it’s too cold to go cycling.

Itinerary / Maps

Route

• Medora to Dickinson

Metrics

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

Notes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Acrylic painting by local artist Cherie Roshau.

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

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

–Theodore Roosevelt

Itinerary / Maps

Route

• Wilbaux MT to Medora ND

Metrics

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

Notes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I am “Legendary!” (In my own mind.)

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

Itinerary / Maps

Route

• Glendive to Wibaux

Metrics

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

Notes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My friend that follows me everywhere.

I can’t resist the pastoral views.

Itinerary / Maps

Route

• Circle to Glendive

Metrics

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Itinerary Maps

Route

• Wolf Point to Circle

Metrics

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sunnyside School. 1923 to 1968.

Itinerary Maps

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

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

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

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

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

Itinerary Maps

Rest Day.

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

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

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

Tomorrow starts a new adventure.

Wolf Point on the Missouri River at Wolf Point Montana.

The “Big Muddy.”

Itinerary Maps

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Itinerary Maps

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

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

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

Green, meet blue. Blue, meet green.

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

Itinerary Maps

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

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

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

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

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

I would love to be able to paint this scene.

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

Mares watching over their sleeping foals.

Itinerary Maps

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

FINISHED

6/1 - 66 miles

Anacortes to Sedro Woolley

• Sedro Woolley to Marblemount

6/2 - 74 miles

• Marblemount to Mazama

6/3 - 64 miles

• Mazama to Twisp
• Twisp to Okanogan

6/4 - 67 miles

• Okanogan to Tonasket
• Tonasket to Republic

6/5 - 41 miles

• Republic to Kettle Falls

6/6 - 46 miles

• Kettle Falls to Ione

6/7 - 49 miles

• Ione to Newport

6/8 - 29 miles

• Newport, WA to Sandpoint, ID

6/9 - 0 miles

• Rest

6/10 - 0 miles

• Rest

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

FINISHED

6/11 - 28 miles

• Sandpoint to Clark Fork

6/12 - 61 miles

• Clark Fork, ID to Troy MT

6/13 - 20 miles

• Troy to Libby

6/14 - 76 miles

• Libby to Eureka

6/15 - 57 miles

• Eureka to Olney
• Olney to Whitefish

6/16 - 0 miles

• Rest

6/17 - 0 miles

• Rest

6/18 - 46 miles

• Whitefish to Apgar
• Apgar to Essex

6/19 - 28 miles

• Essex to East Glacier

6/20 - 38 miles

• East Glacier to Browning
• Browning to Cut Bank

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

CURRENTLY NAVIGATING

6/21 - 38 miles

• Cut Bank to Shelby

6/22 - 0 miles

• Rest

6/23 - 0 miles

• Rest

6/24 - 56 miles

• Shelby to Joplin
• Joplin to Inverness

6/25 - 35 miles

• Inverness to Havre

6/26 - 25 miles

• Havre to Chinook

6/27 - 30 miles

• Chinook to Fort Belknap

6/28 - 0 miles

• Rest

6/29 - 29 miles

• Fort Belknap to Dodson

6/30 - 50 miles

• Dodson to Malta
• Malta to Saco

7/1 - 56 miles

• Saco to Glasgow

7/2 - 40 miles

• Glasgow to Nashua
• Nashua to Frazer

7/3 - 24 miles

• Frazer to Wolf Point

7/4 - 0 miles

• Rest

7/5 - 29 miles

• Wolf Point to Vida

7/6 - 42 miles

• Vida to Circle

7/7 - 63 miles

• Circle to Glendive

7/8 - 41 miles

• Glendive to Wilbaux

7/9 - 52 miles

• Wilbaux MT to Medora ND

7/10 - 0 miles

• Rest

7/11 - 47 miles

• Medora to Dickinson

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

NOT YET STARTED

7/12 - 55 miles

• Dickinson to Hebron
• Hebron to Glen Ullin

7/13 - 64 miles

• Glen Ullin to Bismark

7/14 - 46 miles

• Bismark to Moffit
• Moffit to Hazelton

7/15 - 0 miles

• Rest

7/16 - 0 miles

• Rest

7/17 - 35 miles

• Hazelton to Napoleon, 35

7/18 - 41 miles

• Napoleon to Gackle, 41

7/19 - 58 miles

• Gackle to Litchville, 58

7/20 - 68 miles

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

7/21 - 30 miles

• Kindred to Fargo, 30

7/22 - 0 miles

• Rest

7/23 - 0 miles

• Rest

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

NOT YET STARTED

7/24 - 57 miles

• Fargo, ND to Hitterdal, MN
• Hitterdal, to Richwood

7/25 - 59 miles

• Richwood to Two Inlets
• Two Inlets to Lake Itasca

7/26 - 38 miles

• Lake Itasca to Bemidji

7/27 - 45 miles

• Bemidji, ND to Walker, MN
• Walker to Hackensack

7/28 - 0 miles

• Rest

7/29 - 0 miles

• Rest

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

NOT YET STARTED

7/30 - 41 miles

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

7/31 - 62 miles

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

8/1 - 56 miles

• Bowles to Merrill
• Merrill to Milaca

8/2 - 47 miles

• Milaca to Dalbo
• Dalbo to Harris

8/3 - 0 miles

• Rest

8/4 - 0 miles

• Rest

8/5 - 40 miles

• Harris to Osceola

8/6 - 33 miles

• Osceola to Stillwater

Note: Minneapolis would require a side trip.

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

NOT YET STARTED

Note: Minneapolis would require a side trip

8/7 - 45 miles

• Stillwater, MN to Hager City WI

8/8 - 46 miles

• Hager City to Maiden Rock
• Maiden Rock to Alma

8/9 - 0 miles

• Rest

8/10 - 64 miles

• Alma to Trempealea
• Trempealea to LaCrosse

8/11 - 36 miles

• LaCrosse,WI to Lansing, IA

8/12 - 43 miles

• Lansing to Elkader

8/13 - 62 miles

• Elkader to Dyersville
• Dyersville to Cascade

8/14 - 74 miles

• Cascade to Muscatine

8/15 - 0 miles

• Rest

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

NOT YET STARTED

8/16 - 54 miles

• Muscatine to Cambridge

8/17 - 57 miles

• Cambridge to Henry

8/18 - 57 miles

• Henry to Weona
• Weona to Odell

8/19 - 84 miles

• Odell to Rensselaer

8/20 - 0 miles

• Rest

8/21 - 0 miles

• Rest

8/22 - 73 miles

• Rensselaer to Buffalo
• Buffalo to Denver

8/23 - 77 miles

• Denver to Monroevill

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

NOT YET STARTED

8/24 - 45 miles

• Monroeville to Defiance

8/25 - 0 miles

• Rest

8/26 - 46 miles

• Defiance to Bowling Green

8/27 - 38 miles

• Bowling Green to Fremont

8/28 - 46 miles

• Fremont to Huron

8/29 - 50 miles

• Huron to Cleveland

8/30 - 0 miles

• Rest / Watch a Guardians Game

8/31 - 0 miles

• Rest / Watch a Guardians Game

9/1 - 80 miles

• Cleveland to Painsville
• Painsville to Conneaut

9/2 - 33 miles

• Conneaut, OH to Erie, PA

9/3 - 0 miles

• Rest

9/4 - 50 miles

• Erie, PA to Dunkirk, NY

9/5 - 46 miles

• Dunkirk to Orchard Park

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

NOT YET STARTED

9/6 - 71 miles

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

9/7 - 34 miles

• Albion to Rochester

9/8 - 63 miles

• Rochester to Walcott

9/9 - 0 miles

• Rest

9/10 - 54 miles

• Walcott to Pulaski

9/11 - 51 miles

• Pulaski to Osceola
• Osceola to Boonville

9/12 - 75 miles

• Boonville to Long Lake

9/13 - 60 miles

• Long Lake to Ticonderoga

9/14 - 0 miles

• Rest

9/15 - 0 miles

• Rest