Stage 24 - Minnewaukan to Grand Forks, ND - June 17, Monday

BLOGGING UPDATE …

I am terribly behind on blogging for no reason other than lack of time or, said another way, more time spent on my bike cycling and less time off it composing. I am enjoying blogging immensely. I like putting together my thoughts during the day or that night rather than resurrecting my feelings days later.

My Sunday blog is pending. I am having a more difficult time capturing my feelings so I may post the other missing blogs first and then go back to Sunday.

Today is Thursday, our off day. The gang is on a pontoon boat on Lake Kabetogama enjoying the sun and water. More on that later. For now, let’s go back to Monday…

MONDAY’S RIDE …

THE WEATHER …

We awake to another day of difficult to decipher weather. At times it looks as cold and forbidding as Sunday, a miserable day, and then the clouds break and it looks beautiful. I keep forgetting that the weather I see is not the weather I will be riding in an hour later, or for the remaining many hours of riding. Why I persist in thinking I can tell what to wear by peering at the sky surrounding me is a testament to the stubbornness of the human spirit. We believe what we can see far more than what we are told.

After much debate, I realize the best thing to do is dress for bad weather. I can always take layers off but I cannot add what I do not have, something I paid for yesterday. I put on an undershirt, my winter jersey, leg warmers, and full shoe covers. I also carry my rain breaker in my back pocket; it serves me well protecting against rain and is also another layer providing warmth. I will later be mightily happy with these decisions.

TODAY’S RIDE …

David and I start out. The day’s destination is 117 miles away. Jonah is taking the day off anticipating a long ride tomorrow. Immediately the weather displays its fickle nature, alternating brief glimpses of sun with mostly cloudy overcast sky’s grey and forbidding. My optimistic nature anticipates a dry day; the realist in me worries about more rain. Yesterday was enough for me.

We set a steady pace keeping well within our capability. I am learning from David. He cautions against exuberance. It will be a long day and we will need our strength later. Better to start out slowly. We average around 15 MPH, which is a testament to my progress as a cyclist. My typical ride was 15 MPH before The Norseman’s Passage. Now that pace defines an easy start. I am as competitve as they come but now I mostly measure myself against myself. I am happy.

I love the ponds and lakes sprinkles across North Dakota. Wherever we ride we see these little to large pockets of water; they are not infrequent companions along the roadside. The deep blue (turquoise? purple? what do I know, other than the color is deep and entrancing). I want to make sure I capture their beauty and snap photo after photo, trying to do so without stopping cycling.

It is cold. We joke later that we got seven minutes of sunshine; the rest of the day was overcast and brusk. The sky is grey to dark. The wind a near constant cross wind or headwind. Only occasionally is there relief and that only momentary; the wind is a companion invariably making our ride more difficult. It is a hard day in the saddle. I am thankful to be riding with David. We alternate periods of quiet contemplation with banter on serious and not-so-serious topics.

Sometime in the morning I don my rain breaker. It is not raining but it is cold. The jacket provides just the right relief. I am warm and happy. My feet are warm; they would be happy if they weren’t stuffed in cycling shoes and forced to drive pedals 85 times a minute for untold hours. Warm will suffice. Every decision I made this morning was the right one: I have the clothes to ensure an enjoyable day.

David and I stop for lunch (linner/dunch?) at a rare roadside convenience store. David has hot chocolate, a frozen Snicker’s bar, a ring ding, and fills his water bottle with hot water. I enjoy a hot dog and a hot chocolate. I have 4 bars LTE connectivity. I’m so excited I make a quick video for Terri and daughters just because I can. I will try and upload it to my blog. There is nothing significant about the message. It just shows how much fun I am having.

We have traveled 80 or so miles already and I feel great. In a way, it is crazy how good I feel. We have another 35 miles or so to go. I’m not even thinking about riding a Century. My focus is on having fun while riding and reaching my destination feeling good. Focusing on the ‘now’ of what I am doing makes everything else easier.

After lunch the sky darkens precipitously to the north and west and us. I increase my pace trying to outrun what appear to be a monsoon heavy rainclouds. We are cruising at 20-22 MPH. The clouds drift to our west. We get rain but it is nothing calamitous. The worse passes behind us. Glimpse of sunshine smile on us, but they are brief. For the most part, we pedal in grey. I think David is feeling the effects of the past days more than I, however, David has ridden so many more miles and he never takes a moment off. If one of us is riding, David is riding. HIs endurance and recovery are impressive. His riding style is power and strength personified. David is a bull who won’t stop until he has reached his goal. I marvel at his ability to perform a such a high level day after day.

TRAINS AND MORE TRAINS …

We reach the outskirts of Grand Forks. While train tracks paralleled our ride most of the day, we have not seen any moving trains. As we enter town, there is a train leaving. Without stopping cycling, I ready my iPhone and video the train. The engineer blows his horn. We are happy and excited. I know just who will love this video when I send it to Samantha.

We are in town, just a few miles from our hotel. We are both ready to be off our bikes and resting comfortably; well of course after eating a meal or two first. Suddenly, I hear crossing signals. A train is passing through. I speed up to the crossing full of energy to get there in time. I do! iPhone at the ready, I video another train for my grandson. This is a long one and I know how excited he will be. Amongst dozens of cars waiting, I stand in my cycling gear, iPhone held high, moving back and forth capturing as much of the train and the crossing signals as I can. What a wonderful end to a great day or riding.

I cycled 118 miles today. The distance amazes me. I feel very strong and not at all exhausted or at my limit. The pace David set at the beginning has paid off. It has been a great day riding.

ODDS & ENDS …

There were several pelicans in the lake in front of our cabin this morning. I think of Terri and how much she would love seeing them. I can hear the excitement in her voice. I take several pictures just for her. I apply one of Jonah’s lessons and use the burst shot feature on my iPhone to get the best shots.

David and I compete to see who can get a passing trucker to blow their horn. Graciously David doesn’t try too hard and finally I succeed in getting a trucker to oblige. Even as adults we remain kids at heart at times. It is simple fun. Continuing a theme realized days ago, truckers remain the friendliest of passersby, almost always waving a warm greeting as they pass.