Day 17 – Finally… Northern Tier Cyclists!

Date: Thursday, 28 July 2016

Time on Bike: About 5 hrs

Total Travel Time: 7:53:05 (from Runtastic)

Miles Covered Today: 66.1

Total Trip Miles: 1,070.6

Average Speed: ??.?, Maximum Speed: ??.?

From: Gackle, ND

To: Hazelton, ND

(Uploaded from Dickinson, ND on 31 Jul 2016)

Cateye bike computers are crap! If you are a cyclist reading my blog and you are considering buying a new bike computer, DO NOT get a Cateye. This is the second time in 16 days of travel that apparently the function button was pressed too long and I lost all my ride data from the day. Luckily, odometer data is never lost so I can do math to figure out what today’s mileage was. But the rest of today’s parameters… gone, gone, gone!!

I about depleted my food supplies yesterday on the bike. With limited rest stops where I could meet Bunny, and hardly any stores/shops (hell… or even shade!) along my route, I had to take care of myself. Here is a pic of what I pack out in the morning. How much it I eat depends on what we do for lunch. Sometimes Bunny makes PB&J sandwiches or if we have it, sliced turkey & cheese sandwiches.

Three things from this stash really save me when the going gets rough. When I feel spent, the Jelly Belly Power Beans are great for reviving my energy level. Same for the PowerBar Performance Energy Blasts. They are like huge gummy bears. I like to put one in each check and slowly let them dissolve. Yummy!! And the Cliff Mocha caffeinated energy gels are awesome.

So if I can keep hydrated- and that is easy to do with a sports drink mix in my water bottle on my bike and the 70 oz. CamelBak filled with ice cold water (glad I got the 70 & not the 50 oz!!!) – and keep munching all day, I am good to go!

Started the day at Micky D’s. They have a large hot tea that is only a buck! Then the ~1.5 hr drive back to Gackle, ND. We turned left on HW 46 to get to Gackle.

Bunny has met some of the locals. She first met Samantha and her sweet kids at the park. Shortly after that she met Jason & Ginny and their 4 kids--they own Miller Honey Farms. They live in Northern California during the school year and bring the family to Gackle every summer while Jason works on the bee farm (millerhoneyfarms.com). Ginny had kindly invited us to stay at their Honey Hub and get laundry done, but we already had paid reservations in Bismarck. If we had only known, it would have saved us a serious schlep and given us the ability to do much needed laundry. The best part for Bunny was she & Woz had some friendly company while waiting.

Ginny also related to Bunny that a cross-country cyclist was killed in Gackle last year. It was late in the day and a truck driver didn’t see the cyclist from the sun. Very sad. This of course worries Bunny… more than she already is I guess.

Wind is already kinda strong for this early in the morning. But it is out of the south southwest. All good.

A cross country cyclist that stayed with us in Richmond is now biking the Trans America Bicycle Route (check out his blog at http://coast2coastbikeride.com/2016-bike-ride/ - a great read, Michael is a hoot!!) He is tearing up the Trans Am Route! And BTW, yours truly is mentioned on Day 1 & Day 2 of his blog!!

Michael posted a picture not too long ago about his helmet suntan (I can’t do that as I have too much hair!!) and suntan lines from his biking gloves. Well Michael, I got you one up on that. I have a suntan line from my cycling sandals!!

Finally on the road a little after 10 AM. No shoulder, but no traffic!

My first rest break is at the same signposts I took a picture of ~2 hours ago on our way to Gackle. Deja vu all over again!

Yup, I know you have seen a lot of pictures of roads that apparently disappear off into the distance. Well… think how I feel as I am cycling those same roads! What is at the end of this road??

I needed some shade for my break. So I parked my Trek in someone’s front lawn and rested up. A car was in the driveway, but no one ever came out. I was just happy to have a respite in the shade.

I had no cell coverage for a while now. But Bunny knew we were meeting in Napoleon, ND. I just needed to get there! A BIG long downhill about 13 miles east of Napoleon where there were two large lakes.

Apparently, the wind must kick up some mean waves as they have protected the shoreline from erosion. I was quite surprised to see all the concrete & rip rap in place. Must be some big waves!

As I have been telling ya, the problem with those big long downhills… the uphills that follow! It was granny (small front gear) time to climb out of there. I needed a break. No trees around this time!

I saw these on the top of a ridge for miles in advance. What the hell was it??

I soon found out – “Dinosaurs on the Prairie” by John “Custer” Grenz. But still not sure I know what a threshing machine is…

As I enter Napoleon, a huge piece of farm equipment is heading out of town. In fact, taking up the entire road. You can just make out a fifth-wheel travel trailer up the road coming into town. It took a while for them to safely pass each other on this narrow road.

I arrived in Napoleon before Bunny & Woz. I found the local park this time. We took our normal break together.

Bunny has become an expert in locating these gems. Almost all of these small towns we stop in have these wonderful parks. Clean, well maintained, nice bathrooms, picnic tables, shelter. Well done small town America!! Bunny also had some very important info from her friends in Gackle. A great milkshake place called White Maid Drive In. I got a chocolate shake. Bunny a chicken sandwich... which she said was fantastic.

After that, I was ready to call it a day! I already had the bike loaded as Bunny was taking me back out to the main road so I didn't have to bike it twice.

Woz didn’t get anything from the White Maid, but he knew exactly how I felt after my shake I think!

But glad I didn’t quit early as I had some really great treats to come up the road…

I met my first Northern Tier cyclist!!!!! They were traveling west to east. Bunny gave me a heads up with a text. She said she also honked the Prius at ‘em too!

I didn’t give these guys a chance not to stop and say hi. I had not seen any cyclists on the Northern Tier Bicycle Route now for 6 days! I crossed the road and biked right at them. That is what I do now. Cut them off at the pass!!

First, I came upon two guys moving at a nice clip. John (from Oakland, CA cycling to New York),

and Miles (also from Oakland, CA moving to New York and staying there! He apparently doesn't have a lot of "stuff" in his life!!).

We talked for like 10 minutes. I was sooooo pumped up. They probably thought I was on crack.

And then within 2 or 3 miles, another group of three more west to east cyclists! This was just making my day!!

From right to left it was Everette, Jay, and Steve. They were cycling from Florence, Oregon to DC. They were really loaded down with gear. Made me feel like I was cheating having Bunny haul all my crap!!

Oh... I pass on to everyone the most critical information of the day- the location of the White Maid Drive In!!

Safe travels my fellow cross country cyclists! If you read this in my blog please give us an update on your travels.

I was soon in Hazelton, ND where I did call it a day. It was a camping site operated by the city. I personally thought the $12 fee for tents was outrageous.

I loaded my bike & gear and we drove the 45 minutes or so back to our crappy hotel in Bismarck, ND. Stopped at Wendy’s for dinner. Arrived at the hotel at 7:40 PM. With all that traveling back & forth, another long day.

Hummm… maybe $12 ain’t so bad after all!!

More pics.