Quote of the Day: Michigan Thumb

(Running around our church yard camping spot)
"Fireflies! Fireflies! Fireflies! I just lost my flip flop somewhere!"

Quote of the Day: Michigan

"Dad and me just saw a MILLION Mayflies on the walk back from the movies!" (They are so thick on the road they sound like popping bubble wrap when cars run over them. They hatch enmasse for two weeks, once a year.)

Quote of the Day: Wallaceburg, Ontario

"Mom, did you notice that the only car that didn't move over today had Michigan plates?"

Memphis, Michigan. The guy at the bike shop 20 miles away asked us if we were calling from Memphis, Tennessee. Not the sharpest tool in the shed.


We were feeling so superior buzzing past all the cars in the traffic jam until we got the second of four flats.


Sonia's first experience using a cornfield for a porta-potty.


Northeast Michigan is referred to as "the thumb".



Pinconning, Michigan


Rattle Run describes our bikes pretty well at this point.

Brief Update: Heading for ferry to Canada

Rough day yesterday: 4 flats and one today. Rode until well after dark last night. Slept in church yard. Doing ok today and heading for Wallaceburg, Ontario tonight. More from Writer Dan later... --Alison

Quote of the Day, Bay City, MI

"That boat in the front yard is bigger than that guy's car!"
"It's bigger than the guy's house."

Indelible Images

>Able-bodied teen female in North Dakota comes out of the Best Buy store and uses her cell phone to call her dad in a black Mercedes one hundred yards away to drive over and pick her up at the front door.

>Biking a slalom course back and forth between orange and white barrels on the shoulder of the road so Gus can reach out and smack them.

>Making up new words to old songs to make ourselves laugh after a stressful event over which we have no control: usually naughty drivers. Songs usually contain profanity.

>Gus being told he cannot approach the beach because it's private property, then the same man goes to check his truck, trailer, and Wavemaster which are parked on public property next door at the rest stop where we are drinking our warm bike water and using pit toilets. We have had many episodes like this. "You can't photograph the lighthouse from our property here, but you can go to the public area." (The one with no view.) In many societies of the world, heirarchies are not as fluid in America, but there is an invisible caste system here. I just wasn't affected by it before. I thought I had empathy for people who are struggling, but I realize I never truly understood until now. It's a gentle face-slap of reality to be a physician but to look and smell like a homeless person and be treated as such. Perhaps for the first time in my life, I understand what it is like to be cursed by motorists, shunned by barbers, and lied to about the availability of public restrooms because of how we look. --Alison

Photos: scenes from a life on the road

Sonia and Gus explore at Lake Huron.


Just add "Bike" to that list.



A campfire at beautiful Hoeft State Park.

The debate: religion vs. science!

This time NOT getting mauled by plastic wildlife!

Alison poses with her yellow helmet.

Ouch! Front yard fun in Michigan.

Sunflowers and a red barn in Michigan.

What else do you need for a party but smoked fish? Let's get the party started!

Dan strikes his best bowling form in front of Big Bowlin' Jesus, near the Dinosaur Gardens.

Outside the magnificent Bay City Library.

Bay City, also known for its fabulous architecture.

Another drive-through on the bike, this time at an A & W.

It's Alison's turn to get attacked!

After Paul and Babe were banished from Minnesota they moved to Michigan, where the progressive citizens had no problem with a man and his blue ox.

So this is where all those concrete steps went to.

Gus and Dan toast with frosty mugs at A & W.

Tawas Point lighthouse.

Help! We're surrounded by RVs and can't get out. We were the ONLY tent campers in Tawas Point State Park that night.

Gus, finally home with his people.

A penguin memorial? There has got to be a story behind this one.

Alison talks with someone about the trip. Not a day goes by that someone doesn't ask us about what we are doing.

Stay away from the worms!

Sonia and Gus play in Lake Huron.

At the Dinosaur Gardens. This was an authentic tourist experience!

Need we say more?

Yes, the food of kings!

And another animal attack!

Anyone see the resemblance?

Adversity, or Hell on Wheels

Sweet are the uses of adversity, Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet a precious jewel in his head; And this our life, exempt from human
haunt, Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, Sermons in stones,
and good in everything.

~ William Shakespeare, As You Like It

Yesterday was the toughest day of the trip for me. But let me start with the day before.

We left Alpena at 9 AM headed for Point Tawas State Park. Although the ride was to be a long one, we figured that if we left early enough we could take our time and even play in Lake Huron for awhile at some point during the day. We were also looking forward to the state park as our experience at Hoeft State Park the day before was very good.

We decided to take our long afternoon break in Harrisville, which turned out to be a very good choice. As we cycled into town and past the local ice cream shop (as you faithful readers know, we seem to find these as if by some sort of magnetic draw or by primeval instinct), we stopped to speak with a woman enjoying a cone on a bench by the street. She directed us to a very good lunch spot just down the block by the harbor. We spoke with her for awhile about our trip and off we went (but vowing to come back for ice cream after lunch).

While we were eating lunch the very same woman we had just been talking to a few minutes earlier came in. She said that she thought our trip was amazing and offered us a warm bed, a home cooked meal, and a bonfire at her house for that evening (she lived right on the lake). What an amazing offer! Here we are, total strangers (and some might say totally strange), and she invites us to stay for the evening. Unfortunately we had to decline (that would really put pressure on us to ride over 90 miles the next day and few options to make up the distance over the next few days). We did give her our blog address. If you are the woman who made this kind offer: thank you! We wished we could have taken you up on it.

After eating lunch we made our way back to the ice cream shop. The sign said "home of the big dipper" and they weren't kidding. The cones were huge. We enjoyed our afternoon ritual sitting on a bench in front of the ice cream shop, enjoying the day and the cool breeze blowing in from the lake.

Alison wisely suggested that we take time for the kids to play in Lake Huron before we left (there was a state park just a few blocks away). We rode there, the kids jumped in their swim suits and were off. Sometimes I need to be reminded that we need to find fun things to do during the day. My inclination would be to stark early, hit the road, and get to where we are going. Some days, however, there isn't much to see at the end of the day so we need to take these opportunities as they come to us.

We finally left town at about 6 PM (ok, it was a long mid-day break!) and headed out to Tawas Point (another 30 miles south). We arrived at the state park at about 9:15. When we checked in at the park office we were told that there was only one campsite left in the whole park (of 200 sites). And it was a corner site (she mentioned this to me twice as though I wouldn't want it, since apparently 199 other campers didn't want it). And it was in the RV section -- in fact, the entire park was an RV section. There was no tent-only or primitive sites. And it was $27! Alas, it was 9:30 at this point, we were all exhausted, and we just needed a spot to put our tent.

As we rode toward the camping area I was worried that we wouldn't be able to find the site because it was dark. Our way, however, was lit by the glow of multi-colored hanging lantern lights strung on nearly every RV in the park (I bet you can tell a lot about the owners of the RVs by the types of lights they string). It was like when I was a kid sneaking downstairs on Christmas morning, my way lit by the lights on the tree).

When we got to our site I saw something I have never seen before. I had to do a double-take. In the campsite next to us (hey, all the campsites were next to us; this was the pinnacle of urban camping) a kid was playing Nintendo Wii. Outside. The television was on a table next to the RV. At least he was playing baseball and getting his exercise, I guess. Now, let me say that I am not fanatically opposed to video games. I have played my share (maybe more than my share in video game parlors of my youth). Every Thanksgiving when my brother-in-law Rob visits us in Walla Walla we usually have a video game marathon of some kind or another. SOAPBOX ALERT: but while camping? One thing this trip has shown me is that kids do NOT need to be tied to electronics. They DO have imaginations. They CAN play and make up games and have fun without being connected to an electronic umbilical cord. They WILL survive being unplugged for awhile. I don't want to sound pious here. We own a TV and watch it. My kids like to play on the computer. As a society, however, I think that we have swallowed the mass-media lie that our kids will not be happy without these things.

I also noticed that there was no picnic table (which we needed to eat our dinner). When I mentioned this to Alison one of our camping neighbors sheepishly said that they were using it. She delivered it back to our site but only after saying that we really needed it.

After a quick meal of turkey and cheese sandwiches, pudding cups, Gatorade for the kids and a 24 ounce beer for me (this is the only size they sell in singles here!), we went to sleep.

Now, to the hard day. Yesterday we needed to ride from Tawas Point to near Bay City. The road had a very narrow shoulder and more traffic than we have seen anywhere else on this trip. It was, in fact, non-stop. I think Gus said that the longest time he counted between cars was 19 seconds! Our original plan was to find a small motel north of Bay City. Up to this point there were numerous options in the towns we rode through. But not yesterday. The day seemed to drag on and on, we were fighting traffic and a headwind, and the miles seemed longer than usual. When we got just north of Bay City we saw a couple of motels. The first I wouldn't have sent my dog to. The second looked better, but we decided to pass on it an ride a couple of more miles into town. At this point (about 9:00) it was starting to get dark and I was worried about our safety.

So, this is where I can either gloss over what happened, or not write about it at all. But in an effort to keep the narrative honest, and to show that there can be bad days on the trip, I will relate what happened.

As we rode into town I asked Alison to pull over so we could look at the map. She said that she would stop up the road at the McDonald's. I was in no mood for this so I stubbornly stopped my bike in a small parking lot about a block away. Now, Alison also being on the stubborn side, rode to the McDonald's. Gus and I sat there for a few minutes, me fuming that I was NOT going to ride down the road and that SHE could ride back here. Gus, after sitting with me for a few minutes, wisely said that maybe we could just go down to McDonald's and figure things out. I agreed, but I have to admit that I was fuming (you need to understand that we were 70 miles into the day and it was getting dark and we had no motel prospects at this point). When I got to the McDonald's I found Alison getting some food. I was even more unhappy (what I didn't know at this point was that she had already found out where a motel was and that it was less than 10 minutes away; on a well-lit street; with very little traffic). At this point my brain should have said "Dan, before you do anything crazy, ask Alison if she found a place yet". But, as you probably have guessed, I didn't. I went into a bit of a rant and even, if you can believe it, threw my helmet on the floor. Yes, even 47 year old men can have tantrums. I left the restaurant and waited outside. Needless to say, both Sonia and Gus were stunned (as was I, in fact). When Alison came out I apologized. We decided that if we found ourselves getting into a situation like this again we would try to calmly sit down and assess the situation together and come up with a plan. And no more helmet throwing. As I write this the next morning after getting a good night sleep, I can hardly believe it happened. Hey, maybe it was a dream. I have the feeling, however, that when the kids wake up they will remind me of the reality of the evening!

So, adversity can show the real character of a person. I'm not sure I did well on that test!

Today should be a shorter day since we rode about an extra 15 miles yesterday. The next few days as we head toward the border crossing for Ontario there may not be a lot to see. But we will make due, and the kids will find their own fun as they always do. Everything will be fine. We will, as Shakespeare said, find "good in everything". And we will live to ride another day.

~ Dan

Quote of the Day, Alpena, MI

If these hills had a machine for the uphill, they'd be just like roller-coasters!

Quote of the Day

Mom, I don't care about fancy hotels or swimming pools. I just want a dry place to lay down and my family next to me. (Gus earns extra hug points for that one. Maybe he's just buttering me up for more ice cream.)

Quote of the Day, Epoufette, MI

I saw a bear and a coyote and some wild turkeys today, and they weren't even squished! (Gus savoring wildlife that actually moves. Interestingly, roadkill changes as you cross the US, from antelope and foxes and prairie dogs to porcupines and turtles and frogs.)

Photos!

When the people leave, the geese party.


Sunrise over Lake Huron.


Our bikes look longer than the boat.


A throng of tourists descend on Mackinac Island.


Pasties, as we learned, are a local delicacy.


This is a pastie, a meat and root vegetable-filled, hand-held pie.


Enjoying an empty beach on Lake Michigan.


The only mystery is why I didn't stop.


Look at the sign above us. Do you think we are the kind of bikers they meant?


Crazy hair on the ferry.


I took this picture while riding. Sonia, Alison, and Lake Michigan.


What else is there?

Good Bye UP, Hello LP?

What do they call the rest of the state of Michigan? The Lower Peninsula? Which would be odd since it is not very peninsula-like.

I am having a hard time believing that we have really made it this far. When we look at the state maps we have I don't really get a sense of distance since we are looking at only a small slice of our entire route. Back in Minnesota we stayed at a motel that had a map of the US in the foyer showing locations of motels in the chain across the US. I showed Sonia where we were. We both kind of stood there in shock for a moment. Last week in the UP we saw a similar map. I was again amazed.

I thought back to when we were planning the trip. I can remember looking at maps for the route, studying the town names, looking for clues to what we might see. When planning, every day is 70 degrees, the wind is at your back, and the cars give you a wide berth on the road. And the town names can sound romantic and mysterious. At times while planning, I will admit, I was somewhat apprehensive about what we might encounter and how we would handle adversity. What if we had a mechanical issue we couldn't solve and were far from a bike shop? What if one of the kids got hurt or sick (although that one we should have covered with a pediatrician in the group!). What if we just hated every minute of it and wanted to go home? Those fears seem to fade once I was on the bike. So far we have managed to deal with issues as they have come up. We have been flexible enough to change plans when necessary. We have taken the time to wade in Lake Michigan at an empty beach even though we had miles to make that day. We have made sure to take the time to try the local restaurants, staying away from most chains when possible. And we have made sure to sample as much ice cream as possible. I keep thinking of something I read once: the worst day on the bike is better than the best day at work. I count myself very lucky to have a job I love and still be able to have an adventure like this.

The Ride

Two days ago we rode to Epoufette, Michigan and stayed in a small "motor court". These motels seem to have come about as part of the car culture in the United States in the 1950s. These small, one story motels are iconic: neon signs, vibrant colors (often pink),room doors facing the parking lot, chairs sitting under an overhang so people can sit outside and visit after a day of travel. The motor courts are mostly gone in cities (although you can sometimes find a few hanging on in between mega-hotels). They can still be found on the back highways of America, however. We have stayed in several. I find them charming. It hearkens to a time when people traveled not on super-highways (since there were none) that cut the most direct line between big cities by passing all the small towns along the way, but on the interstates of the time: two-lane black top that snaked from small town to small town, luring weary drivers with bright neon and catchy names. The interstates all but killed these motor courts. But some are still out there if you get off the main roads and look around.

Our motor court, the Wonderland Motel, had a great view of Lake Michigan. We fell asleep to the glow of the pink neon shining through the curtains. What more could a tired traveler ask for?

Yesterday we rode from Epoufette to Mackinaw City via Mackinac Island. We were all looking forward to visiting the island. We had read that it had a quaint charm to it: no cars were allowed. Bikes and horse drawn carriages ruled the road. But when we got off the ferry and rolled our bikes out to the main street we found ourselves in the middle of tourist trap hell! I'm sure that Mackinac Island has its charms, but at that moment we were in a swarm of people, all going from one store to the next, trying to fill voids in their lives by purchasing cheap t-shirts and over-priced fudge. We stood there for a few minutes and watched as the boats disgorged their tourist loads and like zombies, they made their way to the street, themselves overwhelmed with all the shops and restaurants trying to draw them in. You could almost see a hypnotic trance come over them as they went from one store to the next.

Needless to say, we did not stay long. In fact, only long enough to get the bikes from the main street back to the dock for the ferry to Mackinaw City. I'm not against tourism (we are, after all, tourists ourselves). I'm also not opposed to entrepreneurs taking cash from people who have more money then they know what to do with. What does bother me is the taking of a place and reinventing it for the sake of drawing in visitors. I don't think you can have an "authentic' experience of a place if the place is portrayed and marketed in a way that draws in tens of thousands of visitors each year. To be honest, I would rather visit the "Mystery Spot" that we passed up before getting to Mackinac Island than a Potemkin Village like Mackinac Island (unfortunately we did not stop at the Mystery Spot -- something I regret as I write this!).

After escaping Mackinac Island with our bikes, lives, and wallets intact, we found a motel in Mackinaw City and watched the day come to an end over Lake Huron from our balcony.

Quote of the Day

People say you can't do this kind of trip with kids. And you guys are proving them wrong!

~Smilin' Joe, a fellow cross-country cyclist we met in the UP of Michigan

Photos: Michigan Upper Peninsula

Voyageur outside Manistique.


Self-explanatory.


Bart Simpson runs for office in Michigan.


We get endless amusement out of being attacked by plastic fish.


And we thought Alison was Our Lady of the Highway.


A Star Trek fan finds a home.

Quote of the Day

"The fun factor has been too low recently."

Photos: Manistique, Michigan

Those iron ore miners must have had BIG appetites.


Pining for the fjords in Norway, Michigan.



Home-made Packer enthusiasm.


In case you didn't get enough of the real thing, you can buy one--a really BIG one-- for your yard.



Sonia and Alison get a formal moose welcome to Manistique.


An evening ride along Lake Michigan.


Let Bret play.

Quote of the Day: Manistique, Michigan

"You're riding all this way and you're pregnant?"
"No. Just Fat."

I'm so grateful to strangers for letting me know that I'm maintaining my girlish figure, even after 2300 miles. Sigh.

Quote of the Day: Escanaba, Michigan

"I need a seatbelt on this thing."
"Good idea. I always wear my seatbelt. Even on the toilet."

It's Funny How Things Happen

Living at risk is jumping off the cliff and building your wings on the way down.

~Ray Bradbury

Is this a risky thing we are doing? Some days I wonder!

Two days ago just near the end of the day Sonia and I were approaching a stop sign within about 1 mile of our destination. We were going to wait for Alison and Gus to catch up so we could ride into town together. As Sonia tried to unclip from her pedal she got her heel wedged between the bike frame and against the rear tire, causing the wheel to lock up. The bike skidded, I was able to keep it upright, but the rear tire wore completely through in a matter of seconds. There was a loud bang just as I brought the bike to a stop (see previous photo posts for a picture).

There we were outside of Iron River with a huge gash in the tire and no way to repair it (I didn't bring a spare tire on the trip. I've never needed one!). The incident occurred, however, in front of a house, the first one we had seen for some time. The noise was so loud it brought out Sheldon, a young man, and his young daughter, LeiLani. When he heard the sound he thought it was a gun shot (it was loud!).

Just then Alison and Gus rolled up. We all looked at the tire in amazement. We were also unsure of what to do next. Luckily, Sheldon had a bike in his yard that he didn't need and said we could take the tire. It was a bit too big, but we were able to put in on the rim anyway. This would allow us to push the bike into town without damaging the rim.

Alison and Gus went on and Sonia and I walked the bike into town -- again, lucky that it was only a little over a mile away to the motel.

When we got to the hotel I called the local bike shop in the hope that someone might answer (it was nearly 8 PM at this point). A woman did answer but said that she didn't have the size tire that I needed. The next closest bike shop was 50 miles away. Alison and I decided to walk down to Subway to pick up sandwiches and contemplate our next step.

When we got back to the motel the desk clerk told us that the woman from the bike shop called to say that she did have a tire our size and we could come by in the morning to pick it up. Our first stroke of luck!

The next morning Alison and I rode her bike to the shop to pick up the tire. On the way there I noticed a clicking noise from her bike. It was coming from the front brake (one side was rubbing the tire rim; it had been doing this for a couple of days). We thought that since we were going to a bike shop we would have the mechanic check that sound out as well.

The Bike Shop, the name of the bike shop, was in the basement of an elderly woman's house. Her husband ran the shop for thirty years before his death about 11 years ago. A local man, Paul, who was retired when the owner died, decided he would help out for a while. He has been there ever since.

He looked at the front brake and did some adjustments. I told him that it seemed like the rim had a small dent. He took the wheel off to inspect it. It was a good thing we did. As it turned out, my tire exploding would be the smallest of the problems we would face that day.

When he took the tire and tube off the wheel, we could see that the rim was cracked on the inside. The crack ran several inches in three separate places on the rim. Paul had only seen this type of rim failure on a bike that had been run hard into curbs or holes, and never in a heavy-duty double walled rim such as this. It appeared that the rim had a defect in it that just finally got bad enough for us to notice it (the bike, as you faithful readers will know, was purchased in March and only had the miles from the trip across Oregon, some training miles, and what we have done so far across the US).

So, we now had a tire for my bike but no rim for Alison's! Again, luckily, he had a rim that would fit, but not a heavy duty one. We decided to have him put it on so we could at least get on the road.

When we got back to the motel, I called Sherman at Coventry Cycles in Oregon (where we bought the bike). He agreed that the cracked rim was probably from a defect. I asked him to call the bike company, Rans, and see if he could get them to send a rim overnight to our next stop (Escanaba, Michigan). He called us back about an hour later and said the rim was on its way.

As we rode through the humid Michigan afternoon, a thunderstorm imminent and much desired, I thought about this chain of events. Here's how it could have gone:

• Sonia clips out without getting her heel wedged
• My tire does not blow up
• We don't discover the cracked rim on Alison's front wheel
• We continue on, screaming down some very steep hills today (there were some 40 mph hills today, by the way!)
• Alison's rim fails, the front tire collapses, and...

Now, some people would ascribe this to luck. Others would give some divine cause or a specific alignment of planets or stars. I would be on the side of random chance and coincidence. Whatever the reason, if Sonia had not gotten her heel jammed (and at the time I was very mad at her; I had told her and Gus several times not to unclip their feet that way) we could have had a much more serious, trip ending, injury causing incident!

So, we again live to ride another day.

~ Dan

Photos: Iron Mountain, Michigan Upper Peninsula

Watching the lightening storm roll in.


This ice cream made in Madison, Wisconsin is fantastic as well as creatively named.


Life could be worse. You could be famous for your worms.


Skid-induced blow-out. Didn't get a photo of the six foot long skid mark on the road.

This is actually the name of the Michigan town right before Iron Mountain.



What is it like to climb hills in Wisconsin? It's like having a baby in the sweltering sun while being swarmed by deerflies. Day after day. No big deal.


They like euphemisms in Wisconsin.


Scenic and hilly county roads vs the major highway which is flat but has constant semi trucks. Some days it's a tough choice.


Sheldon, our savior outside Iron River when we blew the tire. He thought it was the neighbors shooting at each other again.


Just like in college.

Quote of the Day, Iron River, WI

"I finally met a hill that made me cry." --Alison

Iron River, Upper Peninsula of Michigan

A tough day. Ended with Sonia getting her foot caught in the back wheel of Dan's bike on a downhill, one mile from the day's destination. Threw the bike into a hard skid with the wheel locked up, loud blow-out of the tube and destroyed the tire. Sonia ok but shaken up. Helped by a great guy, Sheldon, who had a bike in the woods behind his house and gave us a tire off of it, but a little too big and tube wouldn't stay inside the tire when inflated. Waiting to see if we can get a tire at a hardware store or a bike shop 50 miles away. More from Dan, the writer in the family, later.
Love, Alison

Quote of the Day, Minnesota

"Dad, those little Stop and Caution signs in the ditch aren't for leprechauns like you told us, they're for SNOWMOBILES!"
"Yeah, but who stole me Lucky Charms?"

Quote of the Day: Phelps, Wisconsin

"Did you know if you put a toothpick inside a straw and blow real hard on it you can make a blow-dart, Mom?"
(sitting across the table) "Don't. Even. Think. About. It."

If I Had a Rocket Launcher

I want to raise every voice -- at least I've got to try
Every time I think about it water rises to my eyes.
Situation desperate, echoes of the victims cry
If I had a rocket launcher...Some son of a bitch would die

~ Bruce Cockburn, If I Had a Rocket Launcher

An Open Letter to Wisconsin Governor James Doyle, Jr.

Dear Governor Doyle,

Yesterday my family and I were riding our bicycles in your beautiful state on Highway 2. My wife rides one tandem with our daughter, 12, and I ride the other tandem with my son, 10. We are riding across the United States from Lincoln City, Oregon to Bar Harbor, Maine. In all the miles we have ridden so far (nearly 2000), we have encountered courteous drivers who gave us a lot of room when passing. Never did anyone try to run us off the road, yell at us while riding, or be purposefully mean. Until yesterday, that is. While riding east on Highway 2 from Ashland to the Michigan line we met with drivers who did the following:

• would not move over when passing us (we were on the shoulder the entire time), even when there was no oncoming traffic
• rode as close to us as possible; this had to be either through inattention or with malicious intent. Either way, these drivers put us and our children in danger.
• yelled at us and gave rude hand gestures while driving by.
• And the coup de grace, threw a package of lit fire crackers at us while passing.

Now, I am not naive enough to believe that you can, or are even interested, in doing something about this. And I hate to generalize about Wisconsin drivers (although all bike riders we have encountered in this part of Wisconsin have had similar experiences). I do think, however, that as the Governor you can urge local communities and counties to post "Share the Road" signs. You can also encourage efforts in driver education to include more about how to properly interact with bicyclists.

Part of our desire in taking this trip is to learn more about America. We update our blog (www.shut-up-and-pedal.blogspot.com) frequently. Unfortunately, I will not have much good to say about the drivers in Wisconsin and will urge bicyclists to find other routes.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Dan Calzaretta

_____________________________

What a day yesterday was. Without a doubt it was the worst day of bicycling I have had in years. The drivers were rude and dangerous and stupid. Even if you believe that some of the drivers who passed us just weren't paying attention (which is bad enough), it does not account for the consistent disregard for us and other cyclists on the road. One or two is an anomaly; all day (hundreds of vehicles) is a cultural attitude. And I was so looking forward to being in Wisconsin. As a kid my family rarely took vacations. The two that we did go on, however, were to the Wisconsin Dells. I remember fondly the lakes, the summer sun, the kitschy Tommy Bartlett Water Show. Now, I realize that I can't generalize this experience to the entire state, but it sure does leave a bad taste in your mouth. What I really wanted was fresh bratwurst, cold beer, and a lakeside campsite. Now I can't wait to get back into Michigan. Michigan, do us proud with better drivers please!

Speaking of that, we did cross into Michigan for a few miles yesterday. We dropped back down into Wisconsin today and will re-enter Michigan in a couple of days.


I don't consider myself a violent person. But, as Bruce Cockburn said, if I had a rocket launcher (or a slingshot, or a rock for that matter) I certainly would have used it yesterday. My mantra for today: let it go and live to ride another day.

~ Dan

Wisconsin/U. P. of Michigan

Just what he needs: something REALLY big to hit Sonia with.



Who knew alligators could be so delicious?



This photo is for my dear friend, Terri Bleth, who is from Wisconsin, and can sometimes be heard to say, "Good Honk!" as an exclamation of amazement.



We criss-cross paths with many other cross-country riders. Jeanne and Bruce are heading for a reunion in Ohio.



Home of cheese, brats, beer and the best football team on the planet.



Wisconsin Goodness, indeed.

Gus & Sonia play on the shore of Lake Superior at Sunset.



Evening breeze cools the Sonia-girl.



Man, I wish. It gets hot climbing hills.



This sign sponsored by Mr. Obvious. The wind was howling in Northern Wisconsin.



Picnic at the marina in Ashland, Wisconsin.

Quote of the Day

Dad, I blew into the straw of my Green Sour Shocker Slurpee, and it slimed me!
(Gus experiments with anti-matter in Ashland, Wisconsin.)

Ashland, Wisconsin

A foot-long for five dollars. As Dire Straights says, If you're gonna' run cool, you need heavy, heavy fuel.



Bucolic break in northern Wisconsin.



Gus and Dan speeding past Sonia in hilly Wisconsin.



Alison & Dan: Ashland, Wisconsin.


The Apostle Islands of northern Wisconsin were the halfway point of this 72 day trip. Are we half-done or half-started? Sleeping in a church and waking up with dawn streaming through exquisite stained glass windows made me pause for reflection. It occurs to me that this has been a voyage of triumphs. A triumph for our family over the conventional wisdom that adults and their preteen children cannot communicate. A triumph of bicycles over oil companies. A triumph of courage and perseverance over difficult days. And for me personally, a triumph of the human spirit over multiple sclerosis. If it all ends tomorrow, it has been worth it. --Alison

Quote of the Day, Ashland, WI

Gus: "My sleep number: the floor."
(Sleeping on aikido mats in a church.)

Photos!

Sunset over Lake Superior from Ashland, WI.


Dan enjoying a fine Belgian ale at a brew pub
in Ashland.


The kids playing on the rocks near Cornucopia,
WI (Emma, Gus, Alice, and Sonia).


The outside of our home for the night in
Ashland, WI.



Sunrise over Superior before we left Duluth.


Our bedroom in a converted church in Ashland.

If We are What We Eat...

An army moves on its stomach (and so do cyclists)

~ Napoleon (with an addition by Dan)

...then I would be in a world of hurt if it weren't for the bicycling. I would estimate that in the first 33 days of the trip I have consumed:

• at least 20 ice cream cones
• about 15 DQ Blizzards
• close to 20 hamburger/cheeseburger/bacon cheeseburgers
• Uncountable onion rings and fries
• Bags of gummy worms and other candies for quick energy
• Several pizzas
• Dozens of pancake, egg, sausage, and bacon breakfasts (a real staple)

I will try to keep a more accurate list just for the sake of interest, but I think this is fairly close.

Now, if I were in Walla Walla eating like this I would be dead by the end of the year. But while biking on a trip like this I have found that I can eat anything and as much as I want and still feel good. In fact, after hours on the road a bacon cheeseburger seems like health food!

I like visiting the small, local restaurants and bakeries. In fact, it is rare to see a franchised restaurant in most of the towns we have been through, with the exception of Dairy Queen and Subway. Sometimes the food is excellent (most breakfasts), sometimes it is bland and uninteresting (some dinners we have had). Almost any meal, however, after a day in the saddle tastes good. And ice cream ALWAYS tastes good.

The Ride

Waiting out the storm in Duluth was a good idea. We got to spend some time in a bigger city, we had a great view of the lake, and we saw Superior at its finest and fiercest. The bit of the storm we saw must be nothing compared to the November gales that are so infamous. It was fun to watch, and to listen to. The sound of the wind combined with the waves crashing on the rocks and the thunder from the lightning storm that raged overhead was thrilling. It reminded me of when I was a kid growing up in the Chicago area where we had some great spring and summer storms. Steinbeck put it best: I like weather, not climate.

When we left Duluth on Saturday we had to negotiate the city streets to find our way out of the city. We were able to do this without any real problems. The fun part was climbing the Bong Bridge (yes, its real name) out of the city into Superior, Wisconsin. The bridge was about 100 feet above the bay. Luckily there was a bike lane separated from the traffic by a concrete barrier. The wind howled as we rode across. The views of Duluth and Superior were excellent, however, and made the climb worthwhile.

In Superior we stopped at a grocery store. While sitting on a bench outside enjoying an iced tea we were approached by a man who wanted to know more about our trip. Dave, as it turned out, had been thinking about a cross-country trip for several years and planned on doing one when he retires (in two years, I believe). He wanted to hear all about our trip, our planning, our equipment. We probably talked for at least half and hour. He then gave us directions to get us out of town without having to deal with the city traffic.

One of the great parts of the trip is having conversations with people that we don't even know. When traveling by car across the country we are isolated from other travelers by our steel and glass cage. There is no common bond. There is no curiosity because it is so common place. I wonder if the first people who crossed the US by car received so much attention. I would imagine that the novelty of the trip increases the chance that people will want to talk to you about what you are doing.

Oddly enough, I have the most difficulty answering the question "why are you doing this?" Partly it is the challenge. Partly it is being able to spend time (hopefully quality!) with my kids before they get too old. Partly it is just to say I have done it. The farther we get into the trip, however, the more I realize that I am learning as much about myself as I am about America.

Some people have said to me along the way that traveling by bike must be a great way to see and learn about America. I think that is partly correct. America, however, is as much a concept as it is a place. I have made some generalizations about "America" from riding (for another post). But I have also found that even in the age of instant communication and the homogenization of our culture through television and mass-advertising, there is still an America out there to be discovered. An for me this discovery has taken place not through the places we have seen, but through the people we have met.

Once we left Superior we made our way northeast up the south coast of Lake Superior toward the town of Cornucopia. As if the wind-gods were smiling on us, the tail wind seemed to shift direction in our favor the entire day. We had a beautiful ride that ended at the cabin of our friends Chas and Trisha from Walla Walla. They own some land on Roman's Point, about 4 miles from Cornucopia, Wisconsin. They took care of us with some great food and conversation. We would have stayed an extra day had we not lost the time in Duluth due to the storm.

While we were there they introduced us to their friend Tim, a professor at a small college in Ashland, WI (or next day's destination). He also runs and Aikido school in Ashland and told us that we were more than welcome to sleep there if we wanted. The studio is in an old church. We fell asleep to the fading evening light softly illuminating the stained glass windows that surrounded our "bedroom". What a great way to end the day.

Today we are off to Iron Wood, Michigan, and then into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is hard to believe that we have been on the road for about 34 days now. I actually get a sad feeling when I think about the trip being over. But we have many more miles (and adventures, I hope) ahead of us.

Thanks for all the comments. We appreciate everyone who has been following us.

~ Dan

I like weather, but this is nuts!

And now, the weather...

As I was updating the blog with pictures this evening I heard a strange beeping sound from the hotel lobby. When I looked at the television there was an ominous red banner across the bottom of a radar picture of the Duluth area. A severe thunderstorm warning had just been issued. Here is the text for your reading enjoyment:

At 751 PM CDT... National Weather Service meteorologists continued to track a line of severe thunderstorms capable of producing destructive winds in excess of 80 mph and nickel size hail.

This is a dangerous storm. If you are in its path... prepare immediately for damaging winds... destructive hail... and deadly cloud-to-ground lightning. People outside should move to a shelter... preferably inside a strong building but away from windows. People biking in it should have their heads checked...ok, I added this part just to see if anyone was actually reading it.





This is the radar image from the
storm. We are in the very middle
of the image.


I'm glad that we are not camping tonight. I just hope that the storm passes through quickly (it should be done by about 1 AM according to the Weather Channel).

Here are some more photos:


Alison, Sonia and Gus on the deck of a Coast Guard
Cutter after taking a tour.


This is why you should never pack a Subway sand-
wich inside a bike bag. It may look like a pita or a
taco, but it was actually a 6 inch spicy Italian
(abundanza!).


Crabby Bills. Need we say more?

Dan and Gus waiting for the drive-through ATM in

Grand Rapids. We did receive some strange looks.

The Vietnam War Memorial in Duluth on Lake

Superior. Notice the flag. That is about 30 mph

winds.

Bic (left), Kaitlyn, and Chris. We first met these intrepid riders

in Montana and stayed with them at the same house

in Williston, ND. They are riding from Burlington, WA

to Burlington, VT. Notice the ingenious buckets for

panniers. Chris constructed them.

Dan, Gus and Sonia after the boat tour.

Gus in front of the wind-blown surf this morning in

Duluth.

We're on the Road to Nowhere (kind of)

Road to Nowhere by Talking Heads

We're on a road to nowhere
Come on inside
Takin' that ride
to nowhere
We'll take that ride
I'm feelin' okay this mornin'
And you know,
We're on the road to paradise
Here we go, here we go

Well, not exactly for us. We know where we are going, but yesterday we decided to change the plans a little. But let me start at the beginning (at least the the start of yesterday).


The Stardust in Floodwood.

Floodwood: Catfish Capital

Two nights ago we arrived in Floodwood, MN. Floodwood's claim to fame: the Catfish Capital of the World. Now, that seems to be a huge claim, but who am I to argue? This weekend they are having their annual catfish festival. Had we been able to stay I might be able to verify the veracity of their claim. But, we needed to hit the road to stay on schedule.

Before arriving in Floodwood we had decided to camp at the city park. About an hour into our ride, however, it started to rain and did so for most of the day. We had to don the rain gear for the first time in a couple of weeks (although we did ride in the rain earlier in the week it was warm enough to do so without any gear). Before getting to Floodwood the rain stopped, but another storm was moving in. We decided to try to fine a motel in town. Now, with Floodwood being the Catfish Capital of the World one would assume that there would be several hotels from which to choose. Such was not the case, however. The only inn was the Stardust Motel, a small (8 room) establishment located on Highway 2 near the east end of town. Luckily for us they did have a room left. I was silently questioning our decision to stay in the motel (not very adventurous, after all) when, before we had even unloaded the bikes, a huge downpour hit. There was even severe hail predicted for the night (as the woman at the desk told me later). So, it seemed to be a good decision after all.

My experience with small, independent motels has been mixed. Some are dingy, and what they lack in character they make up in odors and unidentifiable stains left by previous occupants. The Stardust, I am happy to say, was meticulously clean, well-kept, and even smelled good! The owner even insisted that we park our bikes in her garage (not so much because she was worried about theft but rather she didn't want them to get wet!).

We decided to get on the road early the next day. We were up at 6, out of the room by 7:30, and finished with breakfast and on the road by 8:30. Our original destination was to be South Superior, Wisconsin. When we planned the trip months ago we decided to skip Duluth. Mostly this was done due to the size of the city. We really didn't want to deal with city traffic. After talking it over at dinner in Floodwood, however, Alison and I decided that if we could get to Duluth early enough to do something fun with the kids we would change the schedule.

About five miles from the city center we were starting to question the wisdom of our decision. As a woman in a gas station/bar/grocery store on the way yesterday described the city to us, Duluth is in a "bowl" -- you have to climb hills to get to the outskirts of the city, and then descend to get into the city. So, I thought, "Bowl. Ok, we can do bowl." I guess I should have listened more carefully when she said "I don't even like to drive my car on those hills." Sometimes I think that we conveniently don't hear things that we don't want to hear.

The hills we encountered going up one side of the bowl were the most challenging we have had since somewhere in the Rockies in Montana...maybe even more so. They were not very long, but they were very steep. And going up was only half the challenge. Let's just say that this was the first time I have had to use my drag break since the Rockies, and I'm not sure it did much good!

Not only did we have to deal with the hills, we had to deal with city traffic, stop lights (Floodwood, for example only had one), and not knowing exactly where we were going. We make it to the lake without any problems. We also found a hotel with a lake facing room!

We had a very pleasant evening in Duluth. The Aquarium was excellent (they now have an exhibit on sea horses) and we ate at a very good Vietnamese restaurant. Sometime after we went to bed, however, a storm hit. The following two pictures show last night and this morning.


Lake Superior last night from just outside the
hotel.


This morning in a driving wind storm.

After getting up at 5 AM and looking outside it was clear that we wouldn't be riding today. Rain doesn't bother us. Even wind can be dealt with. But 50 mph gusts blowing the the wrong direction? So, we decided to spend an extra day in hopes that the weather would get better. Tomorrow, however, we need to leave regardless of the weather.

Photos

Here are some photos from the last few days:


A ship leaves Duluth behind Sonia and Gus.


Alison and Gus about to scream down a hill on the
way into Duluth

Duluth, Minnesota

Rode about 45 miles from Floodwood to Duluth on Thursday. In the rain. Alison and Gus got separated from Dan and Sonia as we speeded down an enormous hill heading for the downtown. Finally found each other on the waterfront of Lake Superior and got a hotel so we could visit museums downtown. Having visited Duluth 25 years ago in a car, I didn't remember that it is as hilly as San Francisco. This was the first time since the Rocky Mountains that we used the drum brakes in addition to the caliper brakes.

Today, Friday, awoke to a gale blowing off Lake Superior with gusts to 40 mph and lightening storms predicted. I think we'll just hang out at the library today and take an extra day here in Duluth. Maybe press on to the Apostle Islands tomorrow.

Sorry this is brief. Dan had written a beautiful lengthy update last night but couldn't upload it, or any photos, on the hotel computer. More later, promise.

Thanks for all your kind words. Can anyone email us the U-B article from last week? We can't access it from their website.
nx9c@yahoo.com

--Alison

Quote of the Day

Gus to Dad in Maritime Museum:

"I was right here, Dad. I wasn't lost."
"I was afraid somene took you."
"I would scream if someone tried to take me. Besides, who would want me?"

Quote of the Day, Duluth, MN

"You know what's really great, is walking downtown with your dad with nothing to do."
--Gus and Dan go for coffee in Duluth

Quote of the Day, Grand Forks, North Dakota

"The wind is our hills."
--Rick

Photos!

A classic American roadside restaurant outside
of Ball Club, MN.


Gus and a big ox.


On the road from Bemidji to Deer River.



Sonia outside Grandma's restaurant.




Sonia gets attacked by a fish box!

Nothing tastes better than a mug of chocolate

milk after a long ride!

Alison and Gus arrive in Deer River.

Gus gives the double thumbs up at the Pike

Hole restaurant in Pennington, MN (our lunch

stop for the day).

Sonia on a bridge above the Mississippi River.

This is about 50 miles from the headwaters.

Bemidji -- the home of Paul Bunyan and Babe.

Paul, Babe, the bikes and us!

Dan wearing the only clean clothes

he has (and a nice fashion statement

at that) on his way to do laundry.

Gus and I after riding for hours in the rain.

We were as wet as you can get without actually

swimming!

I think this seat needs some repair. Notice the

sign on the wall. This was in the city park in

Mentor, MN.

Billed as the "world's largest shamrock" on the

ceiling of the Irishman's Shanty in Crookston, MN.

Chain of Fools

One of these mornings the chain is gonna break
But up until then, yeah, I'm gonna take all I can take
Chain, chain, chain, chain, chain, chain
Chain, chain, chain, chain of fools

~ Aretha Franklin

Yesterday while in Crookston, MN we started having trouble with Alison's chain. There was a lot of slack in it and the chain would easily pop off the chain-ring when pedaling. We tried all possible adjustments with no luck. To make a long story short, we had to replace a link of chain (which we didn't have in our repair kit). A man driving by stopped to ask if we needed help. He gave me a lift to Wal-Mart (OK, for once I found shopping there a necessary experience!) and I was able to buy a chain. After cannibalizing the links I needed we were back on the road.

But before leaving Crookston, we stopped by the Irishman's Shanty pub to see the "world's largest shamrock". You will just have to wait until I can post a picture of it to see it with your own eyes.

The chain delay, however, kept us from leaving town until about 5 PM. Unfortunately, we were not able to make it to Fosston, MN where a friend in Walla Walla had arranged for a house for us to stay in. We battled headwinds the whole way and were only averaging about 9.5 MPH. We called our would-be host, Vanessa, and explained our situation. If we kept riding we wouldn't have made it until about 10:30, well after dark. We camped in the city park in Mentor, MN, about 25 short of our destination. That would make today about a 67 mile day!

Today stared off with the same strong headwind. We were out of camp by 6:30 AM hoping to beat the heat. The wind, however, was another story. Again only averaging about 9 MPH we didn't get into Fosston until about 9 AM. As we sat eating our donuts (another biker staple; no self-respecting bicyclist would go more than a day without either donuts or pancakes) outside the Fosston Dairy Queen we saw a storm approaching from the west. Just then we saw the flags across the street go slack and then shift toward the east. A tailwind! We jumped on the bikes and took off for Bemidji!

Alas, the afternoon brought pelting, cascading, water-falling rain, but we didn't care. The temperature was still relatively warm and we were cruising. Gus and I arrived at the motel first and could not have been more wet! Alison and Sonia rolled (or should I say "paddled") in about a half an hour later.

A great day of riding was rescued by a change in the wind and a change in attitude. What could have been an abysmal day turned into a sweet, if wet, ride!

~ Dan

Quote of the Day

(Heard from behind me on the bike during a downpour...)
"Cough. Cough. Gag. Gag."
"What's wrong?"
"I was yawning and some big raindrops fell into my mouth and choked me."

Quote of the Day: Bemidji, Minnesota

"Mom, what should I do? I slapped a mosquito on my forehead and then it fell into my fruit loops!"

In Minnesota!

Alison and Sonia (lower right) cross the bridge
from Grand Forks, ND into Minnesota.



Minnesota welcomed us with a beautiful sunset.



There must be leprechauns in Minnesota. How
else would you explain the small stop signs very
low to the ground?


I don't even want to know what "winter storage"
means.


Sonia and Gus get drenched by a waterfall in
the water park in Grand Forks. This was a
great way to spend a hot, humid afternoon.


The evening light and ice cream -- another
welcome to Minnesota.

Gus and his new friend at Turtle River State

Park. I think he seriously considered a frog

dinner after not having a meal that night!

The most interesting breakfast

promotion we have seen yet.

Crookston, Minnesota

A new state: Minnesota. Yesterday was our first day of cycling in heat and humidity. The kids wanted to know why the trees looked out of focus. It's hard to explain how water in the air creates haze to a kid who has seldom experienced it. Last night was also our first try at stopping mid-day for some fun at a waterpark in Grand Forks and then riding again in the evening. The cooler air was easier to ride in, but bugs up the nose and in the eyes were the price. When I had had enough of biting flies, I told Dan, "What, it's not enough that we have to suffer on the bikes, now we have to suffer with flies?" In his customary voice of wisdom he said, "We don't even know what suffering is."

Today, we have a short 40ish mile ride, so are taking our time at breakfast and planning to see the world's largest shamrock outside an Irish pub here in Crookston. We love visiting these "world's largest ball of twine" types of kitschy roadside wonders. We are easily amused.

To the rough list of Items to Take, I forgot to add SPF 30 lip balm. Picture sunburned lips and french fries. Also, this was just my list of stuff. Dan's list included the fluffy optional items like bikes, patch kits, spare tubes, spokes and pumps.
--Alison

Quote of the Day

"That is the most beautiful sunset that I have ever, ever seen, Mom."

More Photos!

Leaving Turtle River State Park, North Dakota.
This will be our last day in North Dakota (July 5).


I guess every town needs to be famous for
something (or someone, in this case).


One guy said that the bike must get pretty good
mpg. I said we measure it in mpp: miles per
pancake!


The best we can figure is "off sale" means
take out.


As part of the 125th town celebration, many
classes from Lakota High School had reunions.
This is the class of 1951.


The World War Memorial building in Devil's
Lake, North Dakota.

List of Stuff to Take and Leave Home after 1200+ miles of Experience

Stuff to take on an extended ride: (my list is not all-inclusive, just off the top of my head)
2 pairs bike shorts
2 bike shirts
1 pair zip-off-leg pants
1 off-bike t-shirt that can double as sleep-shirt
Light weight rain jacket.
Warm jacket. Fleece is bulky but soft enough to double as a pillow when camping.
Waterproof over-gloves.
2 pr bike socks
All clothes should be light-weight and able to be washed in gas station sink and dry fast on the back of the bike. You might also be washing clothes in hot water in a middle of nowhere laundromat. Nothing non-colorfast or ruined by bike grease or crusted salt-sweat lines.
Bike shoes
Bike sandals with clips, which can double as in-town shoes. Keen & Teva make them.
Water bottles.
Waterproof panniers if you can afford them. I had to pack my clothes in 2 gallon ziplocs and sit on the bags every morning to get the air out before zipping them closed.
Small bottle Dawn dish soap for washing water bottles and bike shorts.
Sample size shampoo, soap, razor. You also pick these up at motels as you go.
Sleeping bag for the mountains
Sleep sack of thin flat sheet sewn up the side and bottom for hot weather. I bought one with gaudy orange flowers in the original package at a thrift store in North Dakota. It was made in USA, so you know how old that one is.
Tent with reliable mosquito netting.
Thermarest or lightweight mattress for camping. There's a reason they call it the ROCKY Mountains. Makes for a tough nights sleep without a mattress.
Mosquito repellant, OFF Deep Woods
Sunscreen, SPF 80
Waterproof drybags for sleeping bags and Thermarests.
Tiny camera.
ATM card.
Pocket-sized journal/notebook.
Lighter.
Thick plastic spoon. The ones from Wendy's are like iron.
Minimal maps. You can pick up free state maps and state bike route maps along the way.
Diaper cream for sore fannies and sunburned noses.
Band aids. Coban (tan non-stick vet wrap stuff)
Small tube Neosporin
Ibuprofen or Alleve tablets
Pepto Bismol tabs or Immodium. They get crushed to powder in the panniers, but still useful.
Deodorant. Didn't bring it at first, but our children informed us that it is an essential parent personal care item.
Vitamins with iron if travelling with children. Most fast food is maximum grease, minimal fruits, vegetables and sources of iron.


What not to bring:
Books. You can buy them for .25 at the library cast-off cart and donate them a few days later. I was really too tired to read anyway. When I had free-time I talked to people at the campgrounds.
Nice clothes. You won't be going anyplace nice in goofy bike shoes and bike hair.
Underwear. Superfluous in most cases. Our 10 year-old son refers to this secret freedom as "going commando."
Cooking gear. You can survive from grocery stores and little cafes if you're not a picky eater. Dairy Queen has great cereal bowls if you reuse their small salad bowl and top.
Flashlights. Arguable. A small headlamp that can be hung from the top-loop in the tent is handy for looking at maps at night.
Lots of cash or travelers cheques. Even the little gas stations have ATM's now.
Rain pants. Usually I just ride in bike shorts and rain jacket unless cold weather. Caveat: I HATE raingear.
Rain booties: debatable among our family members. If you only have one pair of bike shoes and they get soaked, they take 2-3 days to dry if you are camping.
Warm gloves. I rode with poly-pro liner gloves with or without waterproof over-gloves. In Oregon Cascade Mtns in April, really needed warm gloves, wind-resistant, but not since then.
Bike computer. A point of controversy in our family. My husband has one. I don't. The kids pester him to know what the current speed and distance are. They don't bug me with the same questions. I watch the mile marker signs. Unless you are off-road, highways are well-marked in the USA.

--Alison

Photos: eastern North Dakota

Thanks for the sign. I usually don't want to
know!


Sonia and Gus enjoying a game of cards at the
cabin at Turtle River State Park (North Dakota).


A steamboat-shaped rest area near Lakota, ND.


We made it in time for the baked potato and
choice of toppings 125th anniversary party at
the city park!


The famous pink feather duster. One of the
many pieces of interesting detritus we have
seen on the road side.

Quote of the Day: sung every time we are 15 miles from the day's destination

Sung in raspy pirate voice:

"Fifteen miles on a dead man's bike
Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of Sprite.
Steal his panniers and keep his light
Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of Sprite."

Quote of the Day: Turtle River State Park, North Dakota

"Those people in the cabin next to us have food AND they brought a TV."
(Sonia and Gus learn about deprivation in a concrete-floored cabin when we ran out of food and grocery stores on the same day.)

The Wall

To steal from Pink Floyd (to the tune of Another Brick in the Wall):

We don't need no more pedalin'
We don't need to ride no more.
Sick and tired of all this asphalt,
Rocks and glass; roadkill galore.

I think there must come a point in every long-distance trip, whether it be one by car, bike, or even on foot, that the traveler starts to seriously question their efforts. That time hit this morning. Not so much in a "I want to quit and go home" kind of way for me, but rather a "isn't there more to life on the road then bike-eat-sleep-repeat"? I know that Meriwether Lewis had a bout of despair and questioned not only his purpose on for the Corps of Discovery, but also his purpose in life. We haven't got to that point yet!

Once we hit the bikes in Turtle River State Park this morning and the kids started singing a rousing rendition of the polka tune "Someone Stole the Keeshka" (by the Matis Brothers. It's kind of a long story how they learned this song; maybe for another post) I felt better and ready to continue.

Almost a month into the trip I realize that the mental effort can exceed the physical effort some days. I need to remind myself to look around, not just at the 20 foot stretch of shoulder in front of me. So, we take pleasure in the little things, like the following list (partial; Sonia is keeping the official list. She and Gus are at the waterpark as I write this, so these are the items I can remember) of Things We Have Found on the Road :

• four shoes (none that matched)
• three boots
• four flip-flops
  
• a beach towel
• a dog paw print bandanna
  
• pink Dora the Explorer duffel bag
• pink feather duster
• North Dakota license plate
• American flag
• Mr. Goodwrench "flame" hat
• LA Lakers hat (someone upset that they lost?)
  

And this list doesn't include items that look like they were purposefully thrown out of the car, like beer and soda cans (we have seen thousands, I am sure) and other garbage (diapers were big on a stretch through central Montana).

If visitors from another planet came to earth, specifically North Dakota, and studied what we discard on our roadways, I wonder what conclusions they would reach about our culture. Would they try to make connections between what we discard or lose (a pink feather duster and the American flag -- could relate to the upcoming presidential election?) So these things keep me going some days when the miles seem like they will take forever.

I have also found talking with people along the way to be informative and enjoyable. Most people are curious about what we are doing and find the bikes interesting. Many just shake their heads when we tell them we are traveling from Oregon to Maine. I find this a good way into a conversation about their lives, however. I spoke with a man and his wife in a laundromat in Rugby a few days back. They are both retired, but still very active. After talking for about half an hour I asked what people in North Dakota were most concerned about with the upcoming presidential election. Was it the economy? The price of gas? The war? He said that it was definitely the war. He said that the use of the North Dakota National Guard has hurt many communities and that some soldiers have done three, four, and five tours. I would guess that in many areas this gentleman was fairly conservative. When it came to the war, however, he wanted it over as soon as possible.

I also enjoyed talking with Curry who runs the summer recreation programs in Rugby (he is also a high school teacher). He seems like the kind of guy that finds it hard to sit for even a few minutes, but he did take time to talk with us and make sure that our stay in town (we camped at a city park) was going well. After he left I told Alison that he reminded me of a guy we met on the Aran Islands of the coast of Ireland when we cycled there in 1992. Other people on the island referred to him as "the Mayor", even though he held no elective office. As Alison put it, he wasn't the head of the community, but certainly the heart. I think the same could be said for Curry.

Today we are taking the afternoon in Grand Forks to rejuvenate, and then we will finish up the last 22 miles to Crookston, Minnesota this afternoon. The kids are at a waterpark and Alison and I are at the library. We also got a new front tire for her bike (kevlar). Phil, a guy who has been reading our blog from Australia recommended the type we purchased (thanks for the advice Phil!). It is great to see all the comments and the help as we travel along.

Thanks again for all the comments. We love reading them!

~ Dan

Scenes from a Life on the Road

Back in Chester, MT Sonia and Gus sort through their
belongings to see what to pack on the bike. The head
of our support crew (and the entire crew!), Jim Kirby,
was heading back to Oregon the next day. Thanks for
all the help, Jim!


Alison and Sonia ride near Devil's Lake, ND.



Our campsite at Graham's Island State Park, ND.

Gus and Sonia wait as Alison mails the rain coat that

couldn't repel rain back to Walla Walla from Leeds, ND.

Outside Grahams Island State Park.

The center of it all, Rugby North Dakota.

Something we don't see in Walla Walla -- a mosquito

fogger (the spray is meant to keep the eggs from

hatching).

Gus apparently has his own place in Rugby. That

"Bach. Party" on July 5th could be worth waiting

around for!

Gus and Sonia float small rocks on a piece of

wood. We ride 67 miles: the adults have a hard

time walking and the kids run around and play...

it's just not fair!

Now that we're out of the mountains, we find the towns by looking for the water towers.

The best coffee in a thousand miles: Liquid Bean, Devil's Lake, North Dakota.

Quote of the Day

Alison to Sonia: "Please. Have mercy. Not the Chicken Dance at 7am."

The Best Team Mascot Yet!

We are now in Devil's Lake, ND. We camped at Graham's Island State Park last night. Its claim to fame is the North Dakota annual Walleye Tournament (unfortunately it was last weekend or we could have had some yummy "creamy walleye casserole" featured in the newspaper!).

While reading the local paper, I saw a photo of the 1981 high school girls basketball team. They won the state tournament that year. I had to do a double take when I saw the team name on the jerseys: the Satans! You have to love that spirit! I can just imagine one of the cheers:

Hey, you, what's that smell?
It's just the other team, rotting in .....

Well, you get the idea!

We left Rugby, ND yesterday at about 8 AM. Minutes before we left a stomach virus reared its ugly head and hit Alison and Gus. Sonia and I had it the night before. It really is amazing, however, that the human gut through millions of years of evolution, has developed as much resistance as it has. Since we eat most of our meals prepared by someone else, or get produce handled by quite possibly hundreds of hands, it is remarkable that we haven't gotten really sick. Now, if we could just get Gus to stop injuring himself!

For most of the ride yesterday we fought a wind from the north. It is really draining, both physically (trying to keep the bike upright) and mentally (thinking about keeping the bike upright). By the time we got to the state park we were ready for a break.

Yesterday I rode with Sonia. For much of the morning she was quiet. I don't find riding in the silence boring, however. At one point I started to think about what I think about when there is no conversation. I guess we always have an internal conversation going of one kind or another. At one point a car passed with only one person in it. I wondered if her internal monologue went faster than mine did in proportion to the speed at which she was travelling.

Today we are off to Lakota, ND. They are having their 125th anniversary celebration today. It seems that many communities were established at about the same time when the railroad came through this area. We are looking forward to the food tent (I'll report later on any interesting finds; I wonder if the 'deep fried snickers bar' has made it here yet!). There is also a variety show at the high school that I am looking forward to seeing.

Thanks for all of the comments, and have a great 4th of July! We will be in a cabin at Turtle River State Park that night. I hope we get to see some fireworks!

Also, Alison wanted me to say to those worried about her sun exposure: she is not getting too tan, it is just her freckles running together.

~ Dan

Rugby, North Dakota

Hello To Anne Swant from her hometown of Rugby.
It's easy to see why this town produces such nice
people. We have been warmly welcomed here.
Hope all is well in Walla Walla. --Alison

Photos, part 2

I'm glad we weren't riding on that side of the highway!


Getting close to Rugby.



Ice cream: a biker favorite!

Studying the map over a cone.

More Photos

Our camping spot in Rugby.


Sonia enjoying a good book...while riding!



Gus before the foot injury!

Coffee drive-through, Minot style!

I knew they were here!

In the Center of it All...

The cairn marking the center of it all!

...well, at least the North American continent. Yes, Rugby North Dakota was determined in 1931 by cartologists to be the geographic center of North America. As I stood at the cairn marking the spot I could feel the energy of the entire continent, or I was hungry for breakfast, I'm not sure which.



Yesterday we didn't leave Minot until noon. We had to wait for a bike shop in Minot to open so we could get Alison a new rear tire (NOTE to anyone contemplating a long-distance trip: make sure to get Kevlar or equivalent tires. You will avoid most flats, including those that happen in torrential rain and lightning storms!). Val's Cyclery in Minot is a great bike shop with a very knowledgeable and friendly staff. After getting an Armadillo tire and some tubes we were on our way. Unfortunately, the temperature had already risen to over 80 and we knew that we would cook in the nearly 70 miles to Rugby.

At one point we stopped to take a rest and water break in a shaded area near the road. Before we sat in the grass we noticed that there were ticks everywhere, including several looking for purchase on our legs! Alison then noticed poison ivy in the same area. Needless to say we got out of there quick. After inspecting for ticks and washing legs of any potential poison ivy badness, we hit the road. Not much of a rest stop!

We got into Rugby by about 6:30 and headed straight for the Dairy Queen. I can't imagine going into the Walla Walla DQ and ordering up a DQ Double Ultimate cheeseburger! If we weren't riding every day and I ate like I am eating on this trip I am sure that my weight would have increased significantly! It seems like my body craves calories, and ice-cream and burgers seem like a very efficient way to deal with this craving!

After the DQ we headed for the town pool (again, most of the towns we have come across, from smallest to largest have a pool. Walla Walla should be ashamed of itself for not having one!). We paid, got changed, and jumped in. The pool here is indoors and very nice. About 20 minutes later a man at the side of the pool called me over and asked if we were the owners of the bikes outside. I immediately thought that I had done something wrong (remnants of my Catholic upbringing and a health dose of guilt from principal Sister Angelica perhaps?). He said that when we left the pool we would get our admission fee back since they never charge bicyclists to use the pool! Curry Mund, the recreation director for Rugby, also asked if there was anything else we needed. I told him that we were looking for a place to camp. He gave us directions to the city park and said that he would make sure the bathrooms stayed unlocked for us. He also said he would call the police to let them know we were there and have them cruise by a couple of times at night to make sure we were doing well. He also gave us his cell number and told us to call him any time if we needed anything! So, not only is Rugby the geographical center of North America, it may also be the friendly center as well!





While waiting in the library today to update the blog I met Curt, who was asking me about our trip. He is an avid cyclist and knows about the Northern Tier route since many cyclists come through this area. He was also very friendly and curious about our adventures.





In Travels With Charlie Steinbeck writes about a "look" people would get when he told them about his travels. I think I know what he means now. He talks about Americans wanting to be going somewhere, anywhere. There seems to be a genetic need to travel and to be on the move. When we tell people about our trip I often get to see the "look". I know that I get it when I meet someone on a journey. There has been on consistent characteristic of the people we have met on the trip: they are almost universally friendly.



There was one mishap at the pool. Gus slipped while on the high dive and scraped up his foot. We are taking the day off in Rugby and will combine two short riding days into a a longer day tomorrow.




The Oil Boom




An oil derrick east of Williston. Some put out 1200
barrels of oil per day.


When we arrived in Williston several days ago our Warmshowers host, Anna Hoffman, told us about the new oil boom in North Dakota. She said that a new technology allows oil companies to access the Baaken oil field located in a shale layer. She, as well as several other people we have spoken with, have told us that many people are getting rich (in fact in today's Minot newspaper there is an article about the "instant" millionaires created by the oil finds). It is not unusual for someone to get monthly checks of $100,000 or more for oil coming off their land. Many people, however, are worried that this boom might be like the one in the early 1980s. Williston, for example, had a surge in population. The town put city funds into construction of new houses for workers moving in. The boom, however, went bust after just two years. It took the city nearly 20 years to pay off that debt. Today, towns are not putting money into housing for new workers and there are no hotel rooms to be found. When people moved after the last bust there were no U-Hauls to be found from Williston to Billings.

Tomorrow we are heading off to Graham Island State Park and will again be on schedule.

~Dan