Bismarck North Dakota to Napoleon North Dakota 73 miles. 1670 miles from the Pacific. I started this adventure exactly one month ago today. how time flies when you’re having fun. I have crossed two time zones and now I am back on central time. I have pedalled in oregon, washington, idaho, montana, and part of north Dakota. last week I turned 55 1/2 years old. I feel like one of the luckiest guys on earth. how many folks will get a chance to do this.
I said goodbye to my friends Trudy and Frank after breakfast this morning. Frank gave me his bungie clothes line which will make doing laundry much easier. no clothes pins required. this trip makes one grateful for the little things in life.
the morning started out with a climb out of Bismarck leaving the beautiful valley of the Missouri River behind me (see photo). I made a turn on to Easy Street just to say that I was there (see photo). Lewis and Clark, and the Custer Trail are behind me now. the nice part about traveling at bicycle speed is that you get to read all the historical markers. the other things I notice at this speed is the morning glories and black eyed Susans tipping there flower heads towards the morning sun. the smell of fresh cut hay and clover lingers in air for miles. I hear the screech of the hawk and watch him as he searches for breakfast. deer and cattle look at me like I’m from another planet. sometimes they run and other times they just stare. life is simple. I eat, I pedal, I sleep, and I meet a lot of nice people along the way. I am staying in the city park next to the pool. that seems to be my MO on hot days.
I met several bikers today coming from the east coast. Daniel was coming from North Carolina and heading to Seattle. greg started in New Brunswick Maine and is heading to his home in Oregon. a couple from Australia in there late 70’s we’re on a tandem. I had lunch with them in Hazleton at a little cafe. they have bicycled all over the world. I ask myself if I would have met these interesting people if I was flying by in a car at 70 miles per hour. the lessons I’m learning are endless. some folks ask “what possesses you to do this”. I just smile and say “it’s not about me”. this type of travel is not for everyone, but it sure seems to fit me just fine. I thought I spent too many hours on the bike today when I saw pelicans landing in the lake next to me. so I took their picture and showed them to some local folks. sure enough they are pelicans. white pelicans with black tips on their wings. they are beautiful when they fly. who woulda thunk.
Take care,
Freebird

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