I stood at the geographic center of North America and I stuck my finger in my belly button, the geographic center of me. I half expected to levitate, but all I got out of it was some lint.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Beautiful Cars
This was the most beautiful vehicle I had seen on my trip...A 61 Chevy Impala.
Stabbur
A replica of a cottage from a farming town in Norway. I guess the goats graze the roof to keep it trim. This also in Minot.
Friday, July 6, 2007
Wheel Failure, Flats, and the Fickle Finger of Fate
So I haven't written about any of the mechanical difficulties I've had during this trip, because I've had relatively few...up until yesterday.
In Washington State, I had a flat tire on the second day of my ride. The next flat occurred in Sandpoint, Idaho. I was averaging 1 flat per state and figured I'd be okay if that average stayed the same.
Oh Montana, how I love your Rocky Mountains and grass plains, but I do not love your highway shoulders. Montana gifted me with 6 different flats. By the time I hit North Dakota, my tubes looked like your Granny's quilt.
In Minot, ND, I picked up a new rear tire...a Specialized Armadillo Nimbus...the same kind I rode around NYC for a year on with no problems. It's a little heavier than the tire I was riding on but I don't think I'll be having any more flat tire problems.
Flats are a part of the deal with long distance riding. This isn't why I've complained. You get a flat, you fix it. That's it. Yesterday, however, I suffered a more significant breakdown. I've never seen a wheel fail on a bike before, but during the last 5 miles of my ride into Bemidji, MN (the end of a 115 mile day) I noticed that my rear wheel was out of true. Upon closer inspection, I saw the reason why. the spokes were starting to pull away from the aluminum rim. Big 'ol cracks where appearing and things didn't look good. This wasn't a matter of just trueing the wheel, this was a matter of replacing the wheel entirely.
The next morning, the bike and I wobbled over to The Home Place Bike and Ski Shop on Paul Bunyan Drive and mechanic Jeff assessed the problem and 70 bucks later I have a new rear wheel..."Bomb Proof" said Jeff. Bomb proof...sounds nice, doesn't it? But that's exactly the way D at Sid's described the Mavics we put on my bike.
But again, this set back is minor in perspective. A fellow cyclist that I met in West Glacier two weeks ago died about a week ago when he lost control of his bike and went over a guardrail...and then there's Reverend Carol Cruise www.faithwalk.net. She's a right-leg amputee and is walking the perimeter of the United States. I met her briefly yesterday and despite our philosophical differences, dang if I don't admire her gumption.
Triple digits tomorrow. I'm trying to make Grand Rapids today. We'll see.
In Washington State, I had a flat tire on the second day of my ride. The next flat occurred in Sandpoint, Idaho. I was averaging 1 flat per state and figured I'd be okay if that average stayed the same.
Oh Montana, how I love your Rocky Mountains and grass plains, but I do not love your highway shoulders. Montana gifted me with 6 different flats. By the time I hit North Dakota, my tubes looked like your Granny's quilt.
In Minot, ND, I picked up a new rear tire...a Specialized Armadillo Nimbus...the same kind I rode around NYC for a year on with no problems. It's a little heavier than the tire I was riding on but I don't think I'll be having any more flat tire problems.
Flats are a part of the deal with long distance riding. This isn't why I've complained. You get a flat, you fix it. That's it. Yesterday, however, I suffered a more significant breakdown. I've never seen a wheel fail on a bike before, but during the last 5 miles of my ride into Bemidji, MN (the end of a 115 mile day) I noticed that my rear wheel was out of true. Upon closer inspection, I saw the reason why. the spokes were starting to pull away from the aluminum rim. Big 'ol cracks where appearing and things didn't look good. This wasn't a matter of just trueing the wheel, this was a matter of replacing the wheel entirely.
The next morning, the bike and I wobbled over to The Home Place Bike and Ski Shop on Paul Bunyan Drive and mechanic Jeff assessed the problem and 70 bucks later I have a new rear wheel..."Bomb Proof" said Jeff. Bomb proof...sounds nice, doesn't it? But that's exactly the way D at Sid's described the Mavics we put on my bike.
But again, this set back is minor in perspective. A fellow cyclist that I met in West Glacier two weeks ago died about a week ago when he lost control of his bike and went over a guardrail...and then there's Reverend Carol Cruise www.faithwalk.net. She's a right-leg amputee and is walking the perimeter of the United States. I met her briefly yesterday and despite our philosophical differences, dang if I don't admire her gumption.
Triple digits tomorrow. I'm trying to make Grand Rapids today. We'll see.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Not For All North Carolina...
I've gone from ninja-ing myself with single songs, ninja-ing entire albums. During this morning's ride, I played 69 Love Songs (all three albums) in my head. When I got to the song "Reno, Dakota" I started singing it outloud for the Burlington Northern Linesmen who happen to be working on the tracks today. I don't think they heard me. Probably a good thing.
Also in rotation: Rain Dogs--Tom Waits, Flood--They Might Be Giants, The Game--Queen, and And Justice For All--Metallica, among others. It's actually kind of fun game to play with yourself...trying to remember all of the songs on a particular album.
In other news, here are biking stats since the 25th of June. I've been pretty slack about getting these up.
(Side note--Dumbass kids looking at girls they'll never go out with on Facebook should never give their elder the stinkeye b/c the sound of his typing is interfering with said dumbasses surfing. This particular elder might go Chuck Norris on him if he does it again. Yes, kids...I'm in a public library. Today it's in Devil's Lake, ND. Home of Jesus Camp.)
Anyway...stats:
Sunday, June 24th was a rest day in Havre, MT.
Monday, June 25th
Havre to Malta
In the saddle: 4:48:42
Distance: 93.06
Average speed: 19.3
Max: 32.3
Odo: 1184.7
15-20 mph tailwind today. Fantastic!!
Tuesday, June 26
Malta to Wolf Point
In the saddle: 6:36:02
Distance: 124.44!!!!!!!!!!
Average speed: 19.6
Max: 40.3
Odo: 1309.1
20 mph tailwinds. I doubt I'll ever have another day like today.
Wednesday, June 27
Wolf Point to Bainville (9 miles west of the MT/ND border)
In the saddle: 5:59:17
Distance: 71.87
Average speed: 12.0
Max: 24.0
Odo: 1381.0
Depressing Headwinds
Thursday, June 28, Day 18
Bainville, MT to Lund's Landing, ND
In the saddle: 5:21:24
Distance: 58.8
Average speed: 9.2
Max: 29.7
Odo: 1439.8
Seriously depressing headwinds.
Friday, June 29, Day 19
Lund's Landing to Stanley
In the saddle: 5:24:14
Distance: 52.32
Average speed: 9.6
Max: 21.7
Odo: 1492.1
Headwinds
Saturday, June 30
Stanley to Minot
In the saddle: 5:19:20
Distance: 56.35
Average speed: 10.9
Max: 23.5
Odo: 1551.5
Headwinds diminishing
Sunday, July 1
Minot to Leeds
In the saddle: 6:33:49
Distance: 97.10
Average speed: 14.7
Max: 23.6
Odo: 1648.6
Winds from the SE
Going to try and ride another 30 or 40 miles today. Depending on where I can find a place to stay tonight. Last night the bugs had a buffet.
Also in rotation: Rain Dogs--Tom Waits, Flood--They Might Be Giants, The Game--Queen, and And Justice For All--Metallica, among others. It's actually kind of fun game to play with yourself...trying to remember all of the songs on a particular album.
In other news, here are biking stats since the 25th of June. I've been pretty slack about getting these up.
(Side note--Dumbass kids looking at girls they'll never go out with on Facebook should never give their elder the stinkeye b/c the sound of his typing is interfering with said dumbasses surfing. This particular elder might go Chuck Norris on him if he does it again. Yes, kids...I'm in a public library. Today it's in Devil's Lake, ND. Home of Jesus Camp.)
Anyway...stats:
Sunday, June 24th was a rest day in Havre, MT.
Monday, June 25th
Havre to Malta
In the saddle: 4:48:42
Distance: 93.06
Average speed: 19.3
Max: 32.3
Odo: 1184.7
15-20 mph tailwind today. Fantastic!!
Tuesday, June 26
Malta to Wolf Point
In the saddle: 6:36:02
Distance: 124.44!!!!!!!!!!
Average speed: 19.6
Max: 40.3
Odo: 1309.1
20 mph tailwinds. I doubt I'll ever have another day like today.
Wednesday, June 27
Wolf Point to Bainville (9 miles west of the MT/ND border)
In the saddle: 5:59:17
Distance: 71.87
Average speed: 12.0
Max: 24.0
Odo: 1381.0
Depressing Headwinds
Thursday, June 28, Day 18
Bainville, MT to Lund's Landing, ND
In the saddle: 5:21:24
Distance: 58.8
Average speed: 9.2
Max: 29.7
Odo: 1439.8
Seriously depressing headwinds.
Friday, June 29, Day 19
Lund's Landing to Stanley
In the saddle: 5:24:14
Distance: 52.32
Average speed: 9.6
Max: 21.7
Odo: 1492.1
Headwinds
Saturday, June 30
Stanley to Minot
In the saddle: 5:19:20
Distance: 56.35
Average speed: 10.9
Max: 23.5
Odo: 1551.5
Headwinds diminishing
Sunday, July 1
Minot to Leeds
In the saddle: 6:33:49
Distance: 97.10
Average speed: 14.7
Max: 23.6
Odo: 1648.6
Winds from the SE
Going to try and ride another 30 or 40 miles today. Depending on where I can find a place to stay tonight. Last night the bugs had a buffet.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
New Terminus
I've updated my total route to reflect a tentative endgame to the trip. I've decided to end the ride in Brooklyn, NY (probably at Coney Island) and will be spending the last two weeks riding from the NW corner of New York. Possible cities I'll be going through: Rochester, Ithaca (I hear it's gorges), maybe Syracuse, Albany, and then points south. If anyone has suggestions regarding my Niagra Falls to Brooklyn Route, let me know.
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