Stephanie Reighart

Zero in Fargo

Day 23

Miles: 0

Mileage from start: 1,965

Our last zero in Waterton Village was unlike any off day I’ve had during an endurance trip. We slept, we ate, we chilled out. I was beginning to think that thrubiking was just so chill in comparison to thruhiking where zero days are filled to the brim with town chores.

This time was a little different.

We slept in a bit, ate breakfast until they closed it down, then headed off to get Richard’s bike fixed.

First we went to a local version of Dick’s where the bike department was very kind and friendly, but ultimately inexperienced. They incorrectly installed the new cable, which made it appear that the shifter was bad. If that had been the case, the bike would have needed a new shifter, rear derailleur, rear cog set and chain given their inventory and the age of Richard’s bike.

The nice thing about these bike parts is that they last 15 years. But when one part eventually breaks, you have to replace everything because no one will still make the part you need and nothing new will be compatible.

So it goes, we thought.

Fortunately Richard took it over to another bike shop that said it had more compatible inventory and they found that the cable was improperly installed.

So instead of spending hundreds of dollars on parts Richard didn’t really want, he spent $15 and got his bike back that same day.

I went to the post office and mailed home some maps.

We met back at the hotel for a nap and snacking. Then we went to a zoo that just happened to be half a block away.

It was small, but kind of fun. The cow in the farm exhibit was very nice. Most of the cows we bike past run away.

Then it was dinner at a Korean/Japanese restaurant, bike cleaning, body hair management, more snacks and bed.

It’s been interesting to watch the farms change from fruit orchards in Washingon to grain in Montana to more grain and corn in North Dakota. Also, there are trees now. Not just cottonwoods along the rivers but REAL trees that grow where you plant them and tall! They offer shade and wind breaks. So nice.

Next we head to the 10,000 lakes of Minnesota.

Camels at the zoo. My favorite animal was the armadillo. It laid on its back, feet in the air twitching absently. It was asleep and dreaming.

More wind, more miles

Day 22

Miles: 101

Mileage from start: 1,965

We fell asleep under quiet trees and woke up to the sound of strong winds blowing through them. And also the rumble of thunder.

The thunder turned out to be a fluke isolated storm that passed just miles north of us, but the wind was with us all day.

We pushed against it for a few hours to Enderlin where we stopped for lunch. We ordered too much food and left Enderlin bloated but motivated to ride.

The wind speed picked up as the day continued as our overall energy levels dropped off. After a 30-mile push into 25 mph shoulder winds from the southeast, we turned north for six beautiful, lovely, far-too-short miles.

Then it was into the wind again for 5. Respite north for 2. Just as we turned east for another 5-mile stretch of pain, the cable connecting Richard’s right shifter to his rear derailleur snapped.

He collected all the cable parts and set the limiting screws on the derailleur as far as they would go. That locked his rear gear rings into one gear. He still had the two large rings in front, but what was minutes earlier a 20-speed bike was now down to two speeds.

Well, I guess that will happen after 10,000 miles without replacing your cables.

Into the wind we went. We still had about 20 miles to cover, fortunately only five more were against the wind.

I pulled as hard as I could and let Richard sit in the draft. When we turned north for the final time, the riding was so easy, gears barely mattered.

We got to our hotel in Fargo, showered, ate and now I’m laundering our clothes.

Tomorrow’s a zero (and bike repair!).

Miles of trees planted along fields saved us a lot of energy pedaling against that nasty wind.

The longest day yet

Day 21

Miles: 139

Mileage: 1,864

We got up early today for a long day. We knew it would take big miles to make it to Fargo tomorrow night, so we made the decision, gritted our teeth and committed.

When we got started it was chilly and windless. As the day warmed up, the wind started to blow…from the south. I don’t think prevailing winds blow from the west in North Dakota.

(Side note: as I write this, the coyotes are crying nearby.)

We took an ice cream break around noon, put in about 70 miles, then stopped for dinner — grilled cheese, French fries and a milkshake.

It’s the perfect combination of fat, carbs and protein or me. It fuels me so well.

After already putting in 107 miles, that meal gave me the energy to go another 25 without feeling hungry or particularly tired or bloated. So good.

We found a close of trees to dunk into and set up our tent around 8:45 p.m. We are now within a reasonable distance to Fargo, where we plan on taking a zero!!

The forecast is calling for more shoulder wind (not quite a head wind; not quite a sidewind), so I better get to sleep.

After nearly 2,000 miles on America’s roads, so far I vote North Dakota the keeper of the nicest pavement.

Continuing the week of wind…

Some of the nunataks of piled stones surrounded by “glaciers” of wheat.

Day 20

Miles: 112

Mileage from start: 1,725

The first week of biking the Northern Tier was very hot. The second week was very cold. This week has been very windy. Now I’m ready for a week of very nothing. No extremes. All pleasantness and progress.

We’ll see.

We slept in, of course, and had breakfast at the hotel. Starting off we hit construction, but I didn’t care because the wind was from the west!

Although the construction was bumpy and smelly (they were repaving), it meant brand new pavement after we got past the work crews. And for tens of miles.

In the first two hours of biking we covered half of yesterday’s distance.

Although the wind did eventually shift and become a formidable side wind from the north, it was much less effort than a headwind.

Nearing Manden, ND I had my scariest moment so far on this trip. Richard was ahead of me a hundred feet or so. I saw him gesture left, but I couldn’t tell if he was pointing at something or just stretching.

Turns out he was pointing at the dog that had just charged him. As I biked past, a 50-pound cattle dog started sprinting for me. Most dogs I can outrun, but his guy was determined and he looked mean.

As I was reaching for my pepper spray, a truck started to pass me and nearly ran over the dog.

Distracted by the vehicle, the dog stopped and I was able to get away. If not for that truck, that encounter would probably have ended differently for me. I’m not a fan of harming dogs, but getting pulled off my bike by one is not something I planned on for this trip.

Everything ended well enough for all.

Before getting to the park where we’re camped, we stopped at a convenience store for burritos and snacks.

We’re now more than a third of the way to Maine and in the central time zone. I’m enjoying the progress that’s possible by bike.

Over the endless undulations of North Dakota.

Headwind broken record

Day 19

Miles: 66

Mileage from start: 1,613

When we looked out the window, the trees were bending west. Not a good sign. Weather apps confirmed it: the wind was out of the east, and blowing fast.

All day we pushed east against 20 mph headwinds. The town we planned on stopping at for lunch ended up being as far as we could get.

We put in 8 hours of work and got only 66 miles. Oof. And Richard got his first flat tire.

It didn’t rain until the end of the day. We were able to duck into an Arby’s right as the worst of it hit, so we swallowed down milkshakes while the sky opened.

We biked through Theodore Roosevelt National Park, which was beautiful as much as I could see of it. Much of the day was spent gripping my handlebars, gritting my teeth and pedaling, pedaling, pedaling.

Richard said I also groaned a lot.

Some of the route put us on Interstate 94 again. With the headwind and all the traffic going 80, eventually something snapped. I got mad at the situation and found some speed buried deep inside me.

As I passed Richard he thought, only one thing makes her go that fast; something pissed her off.

It’s true. Anger gives me speed. It doesn’t last long but nothing works better while biking, hiking, running, whatever.

And that was all the speed I had all day. The rest of the time the wind kept me in check.

I really hope the wind changes tomorrow. Please. Please.

Me and the storm that followed us to Dickinson.

Leaving Montana

Day 18

Miles: 90

Mileage from start: 1,547

It was another sunny day in Montana. We rode off from our hotel in Circle into a slight headwind.

It wasn’t a huge deal at first, but wore on us by midday.

We stopped in Glendive to eat and ended up staying there for a couple of hours just lounging. The day was getting warmer and we both were tired.

But cycle on we did. At this point, our route took us onto Interstate 94. It wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be. It had very little traffic and a wide shoulder.

Off and on we followed I-94 when it was the onlyBroad going east/west.

Part of the time we were on Frontage Road, a terrible excuse for pavement with a headwind.

We slowly made our way east toward North Dakota.

We finally made it after 7 p.m. so very ready for a break.

The weather and available resources have made camping impossible the last few nights. I miss it. We’ll have to see what North Dakota has to offer.

Working hard or hardly working

Day 17

Miles: 108

Mileage from start: 1,457

After the storm passed last night, the winds went back to their regularly prevailing direction — out of the west.

We slept in until 8:30, made coffee, slowly got our things together and left around 10:30 a.m.

But no matter. With the wind at our back we covered the 50 miles to Wolf Point by 1 p.m.

Nice pavement and tailwinds made for 25 m.p.h. speeds without pedaling. Such luxury.

Blue skies, no clouds, waving wheat in endless fields. Montana.

At Wolf Point we got groceries and sat in the wind at a small park eating berries, milk, yogurt and some ready-made cheesy pasta that tasted like Chef Boyardee spaghetti and meatballs.

Then came the real work. Our route took us south, which turned that lovely tailwind into a viciously strong sidewind. The next 50 miles were a constant battle to keep our bicycles upright.

At one point both Richard and I were simultaneously swept left 10 feet by the wind. In just a couple of seconds we went from the white line on the right to the yellow line in the middle of the road. Luckily, we had the road to ourselves at that moment but it was a reality check from the sidewind to stay vigilant.

The forecast says the 20ish m.p.h. winds should be done for now and the “normal” 10-or-so wind speeds will be with us tomorrow. We’ll see.

From here we head southeast, then straight east again, so if the prevailing winds hold it should be an easier day of it.

This is yesterday’s storm rolling in. For some unknown reason I could not get this photo to load on the other post.

Storm chased

Day 16

Miles: 89

Mileage from start: 1,349

Breakfast at Sandy’s Stagecoach Inn and B&B was egg and veggie bake, waffles and venison sausages. The conversation and accommodations were great.

We could tell before we started that today was going to be harder than the last couple of days. The wind had changed overnight and now was coming from the east. Sandy said winds from the east meant rain, but the skies were clear so we just went for it.

Each pedal stroke was a challenge and by midday I was tired. Richard pulled most of the day, which means he is even more tired than I am.

We ate lunch in Saco from the Pac N’ Save; strawberries, blackberries, salt and pepper chips, gummy peaches and some milk. While we ate, the mosquitoes ate us.

The whole region is irrigated off the Milk River and so standing water abounds. The lady at the grocery store said they have to spray for mosquitoes everyday just so they can go outside.

We’ve been told twice that we “should be past the bugs” by now, but I don’t believe it yet.

It was warm enough today to start in just shorts and jersey top. When we stopped for a break at 5 p.m. we where warm and had been for hours. (The colder weather we’d had for the last week was unseasonable, Sandy said.)

We are often approached as we ride by people asking about the trip. They want to know how long we bike each day (80-100 miles); where we started (Seattle); where we’re going (Maine); how long it will take us to get to Maine (about 2 months).

It’s like thruhiking. You almost answer on autopilot. But when we were approached today by an older gentleman he asked a new question for us: have you seen the weather forecast?

He kindly told us a huge storm was coming out of the west and we might want to get where we’re going to be out of it.

We took his advice and moved as quickly as we could — into the headwind — toward Glasgow, about 15 miles away. While our original goal was a town another 15 miles past Glasgow, the efforts of the headwind and the imposing weather behind us made us rethink our goal.

We got a west-facing room at a hotel and watched the storm blow over us. The baseball-sized hail predicted was more like golf ball-sized, but still, it was nice to be indoors and not asking our lightweight tent to take on that storm.

Clearer skies as we work into the headwind.

Life on Route 2

Day 15

Miles: 109

Mileage from start: 1,258

We joined U.S. Route 2 in Cut Bank and have been following it for the last couple hundred miles.

It is mainly chip and seal pavement of various ages and roughness. It doesn’t make for the worst riding ever (that’s large pieces of gravel) but it does properly shake you up.

The shoulder width has varied from six feet wide to nonexistent. Mostly it’s about three feet wide with a foot-plus taken up by deep rumble strips. That leaves us with about a foot to roll over random rocks, broken glass, other debris and the least smooshed down sections of chip and seal. I’m honestly surprised we haven’t gotten more flats.

Riding in these conditions isn’t all bad. We’ve had a steady tailwind for the last two days, which has been great. We make awesome time with very little effort. But speed on these roads takes considerable concentration. So while the biking isn’t very physically demanding, it takes it’s toll mentally. There are just so many decisions to be made in very little time, which increases the faster you travel.

Fortunately, our brains are getting used to the work along with our bodies. Things that ached at the beginning, like sit bones, have adjusted. My knees are still making some noise, but I think they are coming to terms with what I’m asking of them. My hands are better adjusted to the rattling, but they still don’t like it.

It was super windy last night. At 7 a.m. the tent was smaller from the wind coming at 16 m.p.h. steady from the southwest.

We got up and moving earlier than usual which brought us to 109 miles covered by 5 p.m.

We stopped for ice cream at the half way point for the day. The temperature was still chilly enough that the wind made my hairs raise. But by 3 p.m. I was down to just shorts and a shirt, the first time in Montana that I’ve biked without a layer on my arms.

We stopped for the night at a B and B that allows campers. This area of Montana has gotten an unusual amount of rain this spring, our host said, so the mosquitoes are out in force.

We showered and snacked and listened to podcasts. Now Richard is asleep and the underside of our tent fly is teeming with black flies and mosquitos that can’t find their way inside.

The open, flat plains of eastern Montana.

Fields of yellow and green and (sometimes) purple.

Getting settled in at the Stage Road Inn and B&B, where we camped and had a lovely breakfast.

Getting warmer

Day 14

Miles: 96

Miles from start: 1,149

This Montana wind is no joke. After a lovely sunset, I spent the night trying to sleep through the sound of the tent getting bashed by the wind.

In the morning, still with a chill in the air, I left the loud wind outside and spent some time in the Quonset hut at the campground charging my phone and eating cookies.

Richard got moving once the sun hit the tent and made the place too hot to sleep. We biked to the grocery store first and bought strawberries and blueberries and milk and coffee, as well as snacks for the day.

With a stiff breeze from the west we made great time all day. My tendinitis was much better today. I think the prairie flats are helping.

We took a break in the sun in Chester and ate through a bag of Cheetos.

From there it was only 25 miles to our destination in Hingham. We ate grilled cheese, salad, and nachos for dinner then made camp at the city park.

The grass here is lush and soft. While the wind isn’t so strong tonight, I think the consistently passing trains will make up for it.