Barbara Duggar, Class of 1965 "Kewpie of the Month July 2007" shipping bikes to Washington

Barbara and her husband, Dave Curtis (Class of 1963) "Kewpie of the Month May & June 2006"
began their bike trek July 5, 2007 on the Northern Tier Route across the United States starting in
Anacortes, Washington and finishing in Freeport, Maine. (4099 miles - July 5 - September 30)
This was Barb's third bike trip across the USA and Dave's first and
www.kewpie.net followed this event! The trek began!
Latest Upate from Dave or from Barb & Pictures - "Back Home!"
(August 10, 2007)(Slide Show completed October 13, 2007)
In 2006 Dave spent 198 days, from March to October hiking the 2,175 mile, Appalacian Trail.

So have you got the idea that I am having a bad day.  My brand new tire and tube went flat just outside Middlebury.  Then in Middlebury, I went down for the first time since I was a kid.  Blood is currently going down my left leg from the knee to the ankle.  I have a nice case of road rash on my left elbow.  And both hands hurt so that I cannot grip the handlebars.  We are in a motel for tonight.  If we can do as we plan tomorrow, we will be almost out of VT by tomorrow night and in a warm showers home.  Oh, we are on our last map set.  We have 2 more states after VT.  There are only 376 miles of trail to go.

A few personal messages.  Terri J. did you run out of gas?  Tell me the Cubs aren't going to be in the playoffs instead of the Cardinals.  Matt, MU is now 10-0 when I am out on my adventures.  Should I never come home?  Susan, Thanks.  We are on it.  Dave O.  If you can have only one win, boy did you get it right.  Val and Michael thank you.  The Methodists in two small towns in NY thank you very much.  Pam M.  You and the boys are awesome, thank you.  Dan, thank you for the knee update.  I assume the other issue is ancient history?  Take care.  Basically, we are well and close to the end (one way or another).

We are very near the Missouri River and it looks just as muddy up here!
And, there is a wind factor out here to consider.  To all those who tell me
it is best to travel west to east because of "prevailing winds" being from
that directioin I would say that may be true at 10,000 feet, but six feet
from the ground it ain't necessarily so.  There are many forces that
determine the wind direction and speed at ground level......topography,
temperature, cloud cover, sunlight, season, and thermal dynamics beyond my
comprehension.  The wind blows where it will and sometimes out on the
prairie seems to be swirling and coming from all directions at once.  A tail
wind is awesome, a headwind an obstacle to cheerful cycling.

About insects:  We had a discussion about which is more annoying, mosquitos
or biting flies:  The mosquitos swarm around, sing in your ear, carry bird
flu, and leave a welt that itches.  The biting flies zoom in, take a bite,
and zoom off, but the bite hurts and you don't feel it coming!

Then, two days ago we went through several miles that had swarms of
beautiful little yellow butterflies perching on purple Hebe
bloosoms.....(purple? gold?  GO KEWPIES!)  and they were delightful to
observe.

We had a "small world" episode in Malta.  We were keeping cool in the
library and I struck up a convesation with another cyclist (west bound) from
Hollland.  A woman about my age overheard some of it and after he went on
his way asked us some questions avbout our endeavor.  When we are asked
where we are from I usually reply, "The Kansas City area," but this was not
enough information and she asked further, so when I told her "Warrensburg,"
she s told me she had nine brothers and one of them had lived in Warrensburg
until he retired from the University and lived on West South St........His
name?  Jim Sylwester.  Of course, we know Jim and Kathy (she passed away
last winter) and their sons Kevin and Bradley.  Kevin and Matt were in the
same class from first grade, graduated togehter and remain friends, and will
be together at Tom Adam' wedding tomorrow in Jefferson City.  I was Kevin's
Den Mother in Cubs.  So, we got an invitation for ice cream and to meet the
rest of her family and see pictures of Kevin's brand new baby boy.

She also insisted that while in Malta we must visit one of their attractions
and I am so glad we did!  This part of the country being an old ocean bottom
and acted upon by glaciers and other phenomena is prime dinosaur
bone/remains county.  In Malta is a Palentologists' Field Station where
research is being conducted upon one of the world's most unuisual finds.
Dubbed "Leonardo" is a young dinosaur unearthed in 2000 (see Newsweek mag
from sometime in that year) that rather than fossilized was mummified by
whatever circumstances ended his life.  The remains still have skin, stomach
contents (28 species of plants) and internal organs for research.  They are
doing MRI and CAT scans, have determined that it has a "craw" full of rocks
for grinding which indicates more related to birds than
reptiles..................cool stuff.  In the labratory the guide taught us
how the diggers tell bone from rock.  They put their tounge on it  (YUCK???)
and if they get a mouth full of sand it is a rock.  If the tounge sticks to
it, it is bone.  I never knew that!

We have decided to take a rest day before heading to Minot.   There are some
scenic wonders we'd like to visit south of here so are debating about
whether to explore now or come back sometime with a car

Old Drum

Now enough of that information.  Did you know that Indians used to stampede
the buffalo over cliffs in Montana to kill them and use everything for the
Indians’ existence?

It is with those above facts and one more personally observed bit of
information that brought me to the absolute conclusion that DINOSAURS WENT
EXTINCT BECAUSE OF A MASS SUICIDE.  Yes, the all ran to those cliffs that
the Indians used to kill buffalo and jumped off.  Why you ask?   Well, if
you had to put up with the mosquitos here, you would jump too.  For my AT
hiking family, New Jersey was nothing compared to this area.  One fellow
reported that a band of mosquitos attacked his pickup truck and tried to
break the windows to get at him.  Folks, I’ve heard they are big in
Minnesota.  I’ve been in the Everglades when they completely covered a tent
so that it seemed night time in daylight.  But nothing compares to the
quantity and ferocity of the Montana mosquitos from Chinook to Glasgow.  The
dinosaurs just couldn’t take it anymore and jumped.  There you have a
scientific mystery solved.

We are tired.  We are resting now in Williston, North Dakota.  We traveled
500 miles this past week.  With the exception of one day, we never had a
tail wind.  Most of the time the wind was either in our face or across or it
was still.  Some days were mostly up.  Some days were more down.  We faced
no huge climbs, but we did climb a lot.  The prairie is beautiful in its own
way.  We have seen some strange sights.  We think we saw pelicans.  Can that
be so?  We saw a small bird with a long neck, like a heron only very small,
sitting on a telephone line.  We’ve seen lots of cattle and horses, a few
mule deer, a jack rabbit and lots of road kill.  We’ve been on several
different Indian reservations.  We have been to some very friendly towns,
some very poor beaten down towns, and some scary towns.  We have seen the
puzzling.  I thought it was odd on a prior Montana visit to see the
combination business “Grandma’s Family Dining and Casino”, “Beer, Gas, Milk
and Casino.  This time I add to the list the business that was labeled
“Broasted Chicken and Laundromat.”  My favorite was “Winery and Truck Wash.”
  You don’t get that combination business in Missouri very much.

I love your notes of support.  Let me know if you need any prayers.  I have
time.  For the number cruchers, we are in state 4 of 11 plus one Canadian
Provence.  We are slightly more that 1/3 done now at 1400 miles.  Last I
have a contest for you.  I have now gone 310 miles without a flat tire.  No
entry fee nor prize money here, but see who can guess the closest to the
mileage between my last flat tire and my next one.  Hint:  don’t guess less
than 310, I’ve already done that.

Take care,
Old Drum

---

As to details on the trip, today is our longest ride yet (74 and we aren’t
through yet).  We are now on our third adventure cycling map set of 11 or
12.  We are now over 900 miles and will pass 1000 tomorrow.  We are now out
of the mountains.  We went over Marias Pass yesterday.  That is our last
western pass.  We won’t have any passes in the east.  They call them
notches.  On the AT, I learned that down south they are gaps.  They are all
the same.  Marias Pass is also our only cross of the Continental Divide.  We
are now out of timber country for a long time.  It is just flat or rolling
prairie country now.  This brings a new element to me, WIND.

I thought I had hit wind in Washington, but not like the last two days.
We’ve had it in our face (pedal hard down hill and hit only 7 mph).  We’ve
had it across us (this afternoon).  Wow! Just try to hold yourself steady so
you don’t fall over.  We’ve had it at our back.  This morning I hit 43 mph
on a long slight downhill with the wind at my back.  It is scary, but it is
fun.

Just a few personal notes.  Tom F, composting is nothing out here like it is
in the Burg.  Disco, how were the numbers?  Taryn, Parker and Trey, I love
you.  Mapman and Robin, I am still thinking about you being in the
Wilderness.  Wow!  Dow, get back up there.  My retirement depends on you.
Pam, I changed another flat today.  BJ and I are starting to get like a
NASCAR pit crew.  We are just making those short rest breaks.  Susan T, way
to go on raising money for the scholarship.  $8000 now.  Any MPRA folks want
to join in?
Take care all,
Old Drum

Oh, well.  We are fine, enjoying this beautiful country and having a great
time.  We did 360 miles the last 6 days as our legs are getting stronger.
We are now over 740 total.  Tomorrow we should be in Glacier National Park
and plan to spend some time there.  Now a few quick personal notes.
Melissa, great call yesterday.  John Cunningham.  Pam, a flat per state.
Trickster and What are you crazy pulling dogs!!!!  Thank you Charley.
Thanks to all for the messages of support.

Drum

cycling motto:  "I may be slow, but I don't quit."

Don’t forget www.kewpie.net/BarbDave.html to see photos and get notes you
may have missed from Charley Blackmore’s Hickman Kewpie Alum website.

On to Maine.  The Adventure Cycling route was mostly a repeat of Vermont, only steeper!  At the visitors center we acquired a state road map and a cycling suitability map.  We decided that we would research our own route on roads with shoulders!!!!!!!!!  We also decided that we've already been to Bar Harbor and that since there are many seaport towns with salt water lapping at the shore, we would make it the closest one.  That was Freeport.  So on Sunday morning we turned south on a lovely road with good pavement and shoulder.

About 9:30 am we stopped at a convenience store for a snack and break.  As we were leaving David said something to me about being careful where I rode as I would not want to get a flat.  I assumed he meant that since we were nearing the end of the journey, I would like to keep the record where it stands.  If you will recall, I had my first flat on this bicycle (which I estimate has about 25,000 miles on it) in Minot ND.  We headed on down the road and in a couple of blocks came to a United Methodist Church with 10:00 a.m. services so we stopped to worship.  An hour later when we came out and as I started to ride I noticed my back tire felt funny.  I looked down, and IT WAS FLAT!!!!!!   The name of the town???   MINOT, Maine!!!!  Go figure.

On Sunday evening September 30 we rode into the waters of the Atlantic Ocean in Casco Bay near Freeport, ME.  The ride is done.  From Sea to Shining Sea and the end is always bittersweet for me.  I don't want to end and I can't wait to be home.

Trail Magic/Trail Angel ::  When we were in Washington we encountered Steve and Marcia Fuller on their tandem heading in the oppostite direction.  We visited by the side of the road for maybe fifteen minutes.  I gave them our card.  A few weeks later came an e-mail from Steve telling me they lived in Maine near the trail and would be a resource for us when we got that far.  We had been in contact.  Steve drove all the way from his home to Freeport to be our 'High Five" welcoming committee.  He took us to dinner to celebrate and listened and shared as we began processing the expereince.

The next day (Monday) we rode into Portland and began making the arrangements to get the bikes, gear, and us back to the 'burg.  Preparing for re-entry..................bjc

Most of you will have read David's report written a few hours later.  Let's just say he had a mini-meltdown!  He had a tough afternoon.  The riding conditions in Vermont were a difficult adjustment after New York.  The roads that led away from the ferry had not seen much change since 1759!  They are paved, but not well maintained.  They are narrow, no shoulder, and full of the one thing that crushes the spirit out of cycling quicker than anything -- VEHICLE TRAFFIC!  He had a flat.  In Brockton NY he had bought a new tire, liner, and tube and was hoping to finish the trip without another one.  (We've lost count of his total number)  Then, as we were near the campus of Middlebury College, he took a spill that tore the skin off his knee and elbow.  He came close to being ready to rent a car!  The good news is that usually when one is ready to quit there is no car rental place by the side of the road.

The next day I had my meltdown.  We left East Middlebury headed for South Strafford fifty eight miles of difficult road.  The plan was to stay with "Warm Showers" hosts Barb and Wally Smith at their home.  (Very interesting cyclists, by the way.  Wrote a book on Cycling Cuba and are on their way to New Zealand in December).  We had all the usual Vermont difficulties plus unseasonably warm/humid weather and a huge climb late in the day with a 12% grade.  About half way up our hostess happened by on her way to her grandson's soccer match telling us to make ourselves at home and she'd be home later.  I asked if she would take our panniers with her so we could continue climbing without the load.  Good idea, right?  Well ......she was barely out of sight when the sky clouded up and a heavy, hard rain began to fall.  She had our rain gear in her car and we were soaked in no time!  I could not see five feet in front of my wheel, my glasses and mirror steamed up, the pavement was still rough, the traffic still coming!  And, the temperature plummeted, so I went from sweating to freezing in about 10 minutes.  We managed to reach the top and there was one of those signs with a semi headed downhill and it said 13% grade down.  By the time I reached the Smith's door I was humming that great Charles Wesley hymn, "And Are We Yet Alive."

But, as a veteran of two other long tours, I know this is part of the process.  I know before I leave home that there will be obstacles.  I know it will require great discipline to continue and I also know that the joys make it worthwhile!!!!!!!   What I have learned is that as one covers external geography one is dealing with internal geography all the while. I know that it is in overcoming the obstacles that the experience becomes meaningful and rich.

Eleanor Roosevelt "Do something every day that scares you."

Her husband  "We have nothing to fear, but fear itself"

Helen Keller 'Life is either a great adventure or nothing at all"

me "Real life is one little step outside where you are comfortable"

A few words on terrain:::   From about twenty miles west of Fargo until we left the Erie Canal at Palmyra NY we were on essentially flat ground.  That was maybe 1400 miles!  I only used the 'granny gear' a half dozen times!  But, things are different now.  We have elevation charts and will cllimb Sugar Loaf Mountain on Wednesday if all goes as planned.

A few words on water:::  We are traveling near water most of the days.  Along Lake Erie, the Nigara River, then the canal, then Lake Ontario, then MOose River..........It is that way for most of the route.  Last week the "Fulton Chain of Lakes" in Adirondack Park.  Today it is Lake Champlain.  We learned that the Adirondack Park is the largest State Park in the world.  Any three National parks would fit into it with land to spare.  This was a surprise to us!  Yellowstone is pretty big.  Imaging putting two more with it!

Now for a report on my recent nightmare.  In my dream we were riding along and a large log truck hit David.  As I was craddling his dying body by the side of the road, I thought of the un-reconciled bank statements that are piling up (four accounts x four months = 16!!!)  Then, I flashed to a scene of me sitting in front of a computer upon which was an
Excell spreadsheet that was completely blank.  Piles of boxes of receipts, bills, and unopened mail from Waddell and Reed were all around me.  I then realized I was in Paula Elliot's office and she was sitting across the desk waiting for me to fill in the spread sheet so she coud do our taxes.  Then, I flashed back to the side of the highway and began yelling at the truck driver who had hit David, "It should have been me!!!  It should have been me!!!  How could you kill him????  NO!  NO!  NO!"  And then I woke up.  I reached out to be sure he was still breathing and I am riding behind him the rest of the way to Bar Harbor!  bjc

The shoreline is much less developed than I had anticpated.  The first half was more truck farms and orchards full of ripening produce.  The terrain is flat and the riding pure joy.  We have been blessed with delightful weather.

The second half of the route in Ontario put us on a very quiet road with the lake lapping the shoreline about fifty feet to our right and cottages on the left.  The cottages line up facing the water, the next one cuter than the last.  The gardens are full of flowers and, for the majority, the maintenance carefully done.  We came into Fort Erie on a paved Rails to Trails path called The Friendship Trail and it was ....well, cycling heaven!

We have enjoyed a brief visit with David's cousin Valerie and her husband Michael.  They have been most generous in allowing us to "re-group" by using their washing machine, recieving some mail, and taking us to a discount store for some supplies not readily available at the convenience stores usually available in the very small towns.

We are looking forward to our first visit to Niagra Falls and to the adventures ahead as we cycle New York.  A young touring cyclist named Will that we met two days ago suggested we would be pleasantly surprised by the riding conditions there.

In Midland we enjoyed the "Tridge," a 'bridge' that goes in three directions
where two rivers join and designed for walkers.  Midland was the
flower-i-est small town I have ever seen.  Victoria BC had a lot of flowers,
but Midland, wow!  Pots and planters everywhere.  A visual feast.  I wonder
if Midwest Living Magazine has ever done a feature?

Also, we expereinced their Saturday morning Farmer's market.  I only
remember being in two other markets that were as exciting and
sensory.....Phoenix AZ ( a much larger city) and once when a friend and I
went off of the beaten path and wandered into a part of Jerusalem not full
of tourists.  INCREDIBLE!!!!  And, I had the same feeling in Midland.  The
colors were spectacular and artfully combined.  Bushels of tomatoes; peppers
of yellow, red and green; eggplant, potato heaps, bright orange carrots,
herbs, baked goods, and the flowers.................piles of cut flowers of
every description and color.  And, the peaches!!  They smelled wonderful.
Plus, the smell of dill and basil, earth, yeast, all mingled together.  It
was WON-DER-FUL!!!!

Who could not be happy in the presence of such bountiful beauty?

I hated leaving. We ate a delicious Amish made cinnamon roll and tucked some
peaches and vegetables in our panniers for later and off we rode.  Some
September I hope to come back.

Barbara's version of the Barrell incident:

We were nearing the end of several miles of construction. We were on the
part where the new asphalt had been laid and smoothed, but no lines had been
painted.  I was on the 8 foot shoulder that was as smooth as silk and so new
no one had had time to break a beer bottle on it.  Construction barrels were
there about every fifty feet to separate the shoulder from the traffic lane
and I was feeling rather secure.   I had just crossed a little bridge and
was going up a short hill.  I had noticed a sign that promised an
outfitter's store at the top and to the right and since we are looking for a
fuel cannister for the jet boil, I thought David might like to stop so I was
going very slowly and watching for him in my rear view mirror.  Just as I
glanced down at the map which I carry on my handle bars I felt the sudden
"clunk" then "wobble, clunk" and was quite surprised to look up just as the
barrell toppled and I struggled to keep the bike upright making a quick
decision to peddle rather than disconnect from my peddles.  The good news is
that I did not fall over and instead the barrell did.  The bad news is that
there were two men sitting on a porch who saw the whole thing and were
laughing their heads off!!!!
And, I was rather aggravated with myself as I had made a vow to pay better
attention to the road after that nasty incident in Fargo.

We are spending yet another day in Mackinaw City as it poured rain all day.
It is a lovely place if a bit "touristy".  We came in Saturday morning at
sunrise along miles of beach -- need I say BEAUTIFUL???  We spent two nights
in very crowded campgrounds before we decided to get a motel for some peace
and quiet.  It was then that we discovered that the motel rates (even on the
beach front places) are so inexpensive we should have been here the whole
time.  I guess since Michigan's economy is so depressed it is reflected in
the prices here.  We spent Sunday on the Island and enjoyed the entire
expereince, including a ferry ride that was like a ride at an amusement park
since the water was so whipped by the wind.  Cars not allowed at all.  Just
horses and bikes.  We rode the perimeter, had a delightful  lunch.  But, too
many peoiple.  Earlier in the day we worshipped at St Ignace UMC and it was
a very unique experience.  The sanctuary was filled to capacity, but only
about forty were members and the rest visitors.  The music was awesome and
the singing glorious.  bjc

Last year when David was hiking the AT he was in need of respite in MA and
was rescued by the daughter of a friend (Anne Fetherman) and her family.
Alice, Chip, and their boys took really good care of him and then put him
back out on the trail all rested, cleaned up, well fed, and restored.  He
says it made all the difference.

Well, this journey has also been blessed with such hospitality.  Lesley and
Wayne Sauls and their girls (of Eau Claire, WI) took us in during a wet and
rainy spell and gave us five days of pampering.  We were welcomed to both
their home and to their lake house at Round Lake where we enjoyed various
boating adventures between rain drops.  Lesley fed us vegetables, fruit, and
whole grains and we played Scrabble and Mexican Train.  I was able to do a
bit of re-stock of some items one cannot find in convenience stores.
David’s cousin Judy from Oconomowac drove 7 hours round trip to have
breakfast with us.  I was able to make an appointment for some acupuncture
so my neck moves full range again and we slept really well!  It was a really
good time and a good rest from August 18 through the morning of August 24.
It was really HARD to leave on that morning!!!!!!

I have benefited from Lesley’s hospitality before as Lesley and her Mom (my
friend Glenda) were the ones to meet Pam and me at Dog Beach in San Diego in
March of 2004.  Lesley had rented a truck to move our bicycles and took
video tape of our arrival.  I will always be grateful for their presence on
the beach to celebrate with us and can still see Glenda, who had come from
work, standing in the surf in her business suit and heels.

I guess the advice I would give is to be really nice to your friends’
children!

We have not had a tailwind since Havre MT.  Now that we are near the lakes
we are told that wind direction depends upon what is happening over the
water.

On Monday was David's birthday.  We rode into Nelma late in the afternoon.
It had rained in the morning and we had gotten a very late start from
Boulder Junction.  We found lodging at Santa's Motel so David got a shower
for his birthday!  It was very nice and right next door to a restaurant that
featured $1.50 burgers on Monday.  Life is good.

Well, Tuesday dawned with a storm, but we only delayed about an hour and
left in the rain.  We called it "Moose Weather" as it was foggy and
drizzling, but warm.  It cleared off in about and hour and we rode all day
quite comfortably until..........about 4:30 p.m. just as we were three miles
from our destination campground in Hardwood the sky truned dark and we had
just enough time to scoot into the rather large picnic shelter at St
Joseph's Catholic Church in Foster City.  It had walls on two sides and the
roof did not leak.  We just stayed put all safe and dry.  "City" is way too
generous a word for this town which consists of two churches and a
restaurant which was closed!

We have traveled through several towns that claim “Capital” status.  Bloomer
WI is the “Rope Jump Capital of the World.”  Mercer claims to be the “Loon
Capital.”  Glidden is the “Black Bear Capital.”  In Glidden there is a
trophy bear stuffed and in a display case downtown that weighed a record 675
pounds.  That is the only bear we are sure we spotted, though there was a
moment just outside a town dump that I think I saw one way ahead crossing
the road.  We have not seen Elk or Moose.  We see deer almost every day.
Sand Hill cranes, an assortment of coyote, fox, and other creatures keep it
interesting.  Also, the air really does smell heavily of evergreen – just
like those little scented trees people hang in their cars.

Our next challenge is to manage the Labor Day holiday which will no doubt
bring traffic to the area.  We will be in and around Mackinaw City and will
take the ferry to Mackinac Island.

FROM BARBARA:

Hello from Minnesota.  Today is our 41st wedding anniversary.  We bought new
shirts that match!  The only other time we ever did this was at the "Field
of Dreams" in Iowa.

Boy, it sure has been an eventful few days and I want to tell you all about
it if the librarian will allow me the time!

This is a GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS Minot:

First we go back to Minot.  The GOOD NEWS is that we had dinner with Katy
Fitzpatrick.  Katy is a delightful young woman who graduated from
Warrensburg High School soon after Elizabeth (class of '91).  The connection
is that Katy's brother Mike (who we learned now sports "PhD." after his name
and uis a professor) and Matt were on the same wrestling team at WHS.
Elizabeth, David, Katy, and her mom Joan were all avid "Boosters" of the
wrestlers and worked tournaments together.  Katy's parents let us know that
she was in Minot and put us in touch.  It was wonderful to see her.

Now the Minot BAD NEWS.  I purchased my green Cannondale T700 touring bike
(its name is Kairos) in 1999.  I am on my third coast to coast ride and have
used it for several thousand miles of daily riding.  I estimate it has
20,000 miles on it.  It came with Continental top touring 2000 tires and I
am on my fourth or fifth set and was unhappy to learn when I bought the last
ones that they are discontinued!  I had my first ever flat tire on this bike
on Minot's version of Noland road about 4:00 p.m. on August 6.  I was riding
along about 20 mph and hit something on the pavement and poof!  --it was
flat.

    GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS           Fargo:

GOOD NEWS --On Thursday morning leaving Binford we met three delightful
young men touring west from Boston/NewYork to Anacortes.  They were making a
documentary about the expereince and we are on tape as we visited.  I
introduced myself, "HI!  I'm Barbara" and David said, "Hi!  I'm Old Drum"
and the first young man said, "Hey I met you on the AT last year when I was
section hiking just south of MT Mouselocke at a watering spot!"  They then
reminisced about the AT days.  What a small world.  Look on their web site
for pictures -- www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/NT07

On Saturday on our way into Fargo we met Dom and Amie who were from New
Jersey riding to celebrate their honeymoon to Portland, OR.  They mentioned
the three young men that they had heard about and hoped to catch up with.
(side note:  we have met other touring cyclists almost every day.  Maybe
even more than I met on the Trans Am in 1999)

We continued on our way to Fargo that morning.  We had arranged a "Warm
Showers" stay with a college student who is a member and had done the
Southern Tier a year ago.  Get this:  he had planned to spend most of the
weekend in Minneapolis so he put his keys in a hiding place, gave us
directions to his apartment with instructions to "make ourselves at home."
And, we did, but that was later.

Just a few miles out of Fargo on county road 81 we were sailing along
glorioulsy in the sunshine about 18 mph with a tailwind on flat, straight,
paved road.  I was right behind David and enjoying the scenery.

THE BAD NEWS --  I "took a header" as they say in cycling circles.  Like I
said, the last thing I remember, I was enjoying the scenery so I did not see
the split in the pavement that was about three inches wide, three inches
deep and 2 feet long, but it caught my front wheel and I was thrown over the
handle bars.  The next thing I knew David was trying to take off my helmet,
telling me to stay down, (I didn't), and waving traffic around where my bike
and I were sprawled across the lane.  OUCH!!!!

THE GOOD NEWS:  I must have inherited my 'bouncing' ability from my mom.
When she was 87 (in 2004) she was in a rush to get to a hair appointment and
fell down half a flight of stairs and broke -- her thumb!  It took longer
for the skin to heal than the bone and she was playing the piano again in
about eight weeks.  Then, not too long after that she was on a step stool to
get something off her closet shelf and pulled the entire chest of drawers
over emptying all the drawers and the contents.  She did need some help
getting out from under that one and putting all the stuff back, but she was
OK.

THE BAD NEWS I guess I was unconscious for a minute or so (my helmet had
three cracks in it) and with the wind knocked out of me it took a bit of
effort to get on my feet, but I did.  I landed mostly on my left side.
There is a goose egg on my left knee and some road rash, a bruise  on the
top and the bottom of my left arm just below the elbow, a bruise on my left
hip, some road rash in two places on my left shoulder, and my shoulder and
neck a bit sore.  But, even though a really nice man stopped to offer us a
ride, since the bike was rideable, we rode on to the "Warm Showers" lodging.
  I took a nap.  David went to the store and we fixed dinner.  Then, I took
a bath, put ice on all the broken places, took some OTC painkillers and
slept for 14 hours.  On Sunday we took a rest day.

THE GOOD NEWS    I'm alive and able to go on!

We decided to go to the bike shop to have the bike gone over.

BAD NEWS -- In the fall I scratched up the new Zora gear shifters that Sam
had installed right before we left home -- by the way Sam, I LOVE them, they
work beautifully, and you are 'the man' when it comes to making my bike
smile!

Otherwise, the bike came through OK.  It needed to have a couple of spokes
trued and a couple of other adjustments, but basically OK.

As we were on our way into the bike shop parking lot a young woman
(helmetless) rode up and said, "Hey, I just saw your picture on the web just
this morning!"  Her name is Jewell.  She is a college student and a waitress
at a cafe in downtown Fargo (metro area 200,000 population) and had met the
three young men when she waited on them a few days before.  They had given
her their card so she looked them up on the web and found ....us!  So, she
went to the bike shop with us and we visited.  After hearing my story about
my fall, she also bought a helmet!!!!  Who knows, that may save her life
someday!

MORE GOOD NEWS   While we were in the bike shop, our "Warm Showers" host and
his girlfriend Emma called and arranged to meet us there.  How kind!  Not
only was he generous to allow two complete strangers stay in his home, but
wanted to meet us before we left the area.  And, what a delightful couple!
We had a wonderful visit at the bike shop before David and I bid them all
farewell and headed east into Minnesota.

Shortly before we hit cooperstown we saw cross country cyclists Barbara and Dave Curtis. They are on their way to Bar Harbor. We had a great time talking with them on the side of the road. Dave mentioned he thru hiked the AT last summer and used the name 'The Old Drum' I stared at him for a few minutes and then remembered meeting him last summer in the mountains of New Hampshire when I was out backpacking on the AT last year. We had talked about cycling the transam and I remember he mentioned his wife had ridden cross country twice before. What a small world. Anyways they gave us lots of great advice about the road up ahead. Seeing them really made us excited about riding through North Dakota. They had nothing but great things to say, which is what we really needed to hear. (From: crazyguyonabike.com) Friday August 10, 2007
Back

We rode 62 miles this overcast morning from Rugby to Lake Minnewaukan.  Then
ONLY possible place for services along this low traffic route of rolling
fields of Spring wheat, sunflowers, corn, and clover dotted with little
glacial lakes (filled iwth ducks and wading birds) was Esmond where we had
pancakes about 10:30 a.m.

The last two hours we were in a gentle rain, but with an unpredicted
tailwind.  I realized something about my preference for travel at such a
slow pace immersed in the environ.  Just as we were passing a huge field of
maturing corn -- acres and acres --for the first time I noticed the musical
sound of the rain as it fell onto the leaves of the corn plants.  If I had
been in a car I would never have heard this delightful sound.  I love being
immersed in the air and color of a place and having the time to notice
little details.  Yesterday it was Damsel and Dragon flies, the day before
grasshoppers.  I enjoy the wildflowers at the edge of the highway and
observing the heliantropic choreography of a field of sunflowers.  Also,
seeing new species of birds.....still can't get over Pelicans in North
Dakota!  I want it in front of me, in back of me, to my right, to my left,
over me and under me!  If I was only to see it from a car window, I'd just
as soon watch a travel video on TV from my loveseat at 319 West Gay St.  I
take off my shoes and socks at some point each day and put my feet on the
bare ground.  Sleeping in the tent also puts me in close contact with the
ground of a place.  I like spotting a water tower ten miles out and looking
forward to entering the little town.

I am so grateful to Benjamin Franklin