July 28, 2008 by Harry.

       We got a different kind of wake-up service today! Instead of hearing the trains rolling through town or trucks barreling down the highway, we were blessed with the melodies of birds, mostly barn swallows, and black angus as the sun came over the horizon to start a brand new day! The team’s early morning plans of a century were changed as they watched the wind blowing from the east as they ate breakfast in Devil’s Lake. This type of wind generally dictates a shorter day and time to catch up with laundry, rest, blogs, photos, and recharge one’s batteries. That’s right– it’s a motel night! After a 35 mile ride into 20 mph winds, the team is staying at the SunLac Inn in Lakota, ND. Thor, the owner of the inn, is a former farmer and taught Steve what the various crops are: wheat, corn, canola, and flax. He also informed Steve that North Dakota is the #1 producer of flax and wheat in America. The towns of Lakota and Michigan, ND celebrated their 125th birthday over the last couple of weeks. Speaking of birthdays, we have a double shout out today. Eric’s dad, Kellogg Wong, turns 80 today, and Anna Gregory, one of Steve’s nieces, is also celebrating her birthday today. Happy Birthday and best wishes and blessings to both from the  team.  Another shout out goes to Captain’s dad, Sarge, who has been our most faithful blog reader and is keeping us on schedule with our blogs.  Tomorrow we have a relay planned which means a completely different state of mind and we will cross into a new state– Minnesota!

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July 28, 2008 by Harry.

       The second half of the journey or quest started today. The team went 55 miles from Rugby to the Dry Lake Campground 7 miles NW of Devil’s Lake, ND. We passed through the thriving metropolis of Penn, ND named after Da Boss. Unfortunately, Eric and Steve missed that photo opportunity. Their BAD! We spent time talking to some of the locals such as the owner of the cafe at lunch and Olga who runs the campground. People in small-town America are very hospitable and always willing to tell local secrets on how to deal with bugs or the black angus who cross the lake to get the scoop and poop on the other side of the lake. In the plains, there definitely is a beauty of a different kind! One hears the hum of the crickets get faster as the temperature goes up. The wind blowing through the golden wheat or purple flax fields is truly divine! The smell of a fresh cut field or being downwind from the cattle or horses are quite memorable. We were blessed with clear skies and temperatures in the low 80’s. Today’s shout out goes to Ryan Peyton, one of Steve’s nephews, who celebrated his 12th birthday today. Happy Birthday!

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July 26, 2008 by Harry.

       Today’s ride went from the Minot KOA Campground to Rugby,ND whose claim to fame is that it is the geographic center of North America. The 70-mile ride today was marked by flat terrain and straight roads. There were probably less than 10 turns over the course of the day. We were blessed with good tailwinds most of the day and the road surfaces were definitely better than average. One of the highlights for the day was the left crank on Steve’s bike coming off for the third time. The construction crew was out painting the white line on the side of the road which Steve managed to get on his tires. We did notice that they painted right over small roadkill (chipmunk or squirrel) as they gave us a safe passage on the right side of the road. The colors of the fields on both sides of the road were majestic and we spotted a corn field for the first time on route today. A sumptious dinner of turkey burgers, leftovers, and fresh vegetables was enjoyed by all before getting “centered” at the monument in town marking the geographic center. We are blessed with showers, running water, and electricity so we look to be charged up and fresh by the morning.

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July 26, 2008 by Harry.

      Today’s 70-mile ride went from Ross to Minot, ND. The morning and afternoon rides had two distinct flavors. The morning was generally overcast with temperatures in the mid-60’s and some tailwind. We were blessed to ride on some new pavement (road closed) for approximately 20 miles so that we could ride ride three abreast and share stories, or be free as a bird (Captain) and use the whole width of the road. It was a welcome change of pace from riding single file with narrow shoulders! After eating lunch in the Tumbleweed Cafe in Berkhold, the sun shined brightly all afternoon as temperatures climbed into the mid-80’s. We are staying at the KOA Campground in Minot, a little off the beaten path, and the state fair is in town this week. We shall see which brave folk venture there after our showers, naps, and dinner. We are blessed to be away from the railroad tracks which the guys heard several roll through last night. The colors in some of the fields today, purple on the right and yellow on the left at the same time,  were breathtaking!

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July 26, 2008 by Harry.

      Today’s ride went from Glasgow, MT to Ross, ND. That’s right, the team crossed the state and time line right after noon in the mountain time zone. We left the Big Sky country of Montana with the endless blue skies and little crosses on the side of the road marking traffic fatalities and entered the Peace Garden State, North Dakota. We did a team relay ride today to make up for some lost time and covered 210 miles in roughly 10.5 hours of riding time. That means we had an average speed of 20 mph for the day. We were blessed with tailwinds with speeds of 10 to 30 mph from the west over the course of the day and only had one short section (12 miles) where the road headed north and we rode in crosswinds. For the beginning of the day, the route paralleled the Missouri River and the Lewis and Clark trail so all you history buffs can research that connection. We rode for half the day in the Fort Peck Indian Reservation where we got several well wishes from the locals. For those C- Lo fans out there, we passed mile markers 546, 555, 564, 645, 654, and 666 on our way out of Montana. Harry told the team that mile markers go up from west to east and we wound up reaching mile marker 667 to get over the state line. A quick moving storm got Captain Eugenia and Harry wet in the late afternoon as it dropped about a half inch of rain in less than half an hour. They were blessed to find shelter in a local greenhouse until the storm blew over. Captain Eugenia noted at the end of the day how the cattle were bunched up today and not spread out like normal. They knew a big storm was coming! We are staying in the Dakota West campground tonight a couple of hundred yards from the railroad tracks. Thanks to maps Harry brought, we were able to give directions to the Canadian border for a family lost along the way. Today’s shout out goes to Steve’s brother, Frank, who went to the hospital with a case of pneumonia. The team sends its prayers and well wishes.

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July 26, 2008 by Harry.

      Da Boss, Harry, gave us the day off. We did not want to bother you with pictures of Captain Eugenia and Harry doing laundry, Steve getting the oil changed on the truck, or Eric rearranging the truck. The temperature outside is in the low 90’s and more humid than usual, which means a storm is brewing according to the locals. The winds are still strong (approximately 20 mph) and from the east. Tomorrow, we are looking forward to being blessed with favorable winds after being blessed with a day off today. We had dinner in a local restaurant and wound up sitting next to our neighbor in the motel. He gave Harry and Steve a rundown on what the upcoming terrain looks like and told a funny story in how his dog ran away and that he could see him for the next two days on this seemingly endless plain. Eric has been talking to some of the train engineers staying in the motel and learning the particulars of their job. The colors in the skyat sunset tonight are simply amazing and remind us of the infinite power and wonder of GOD.

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July 22, 2008 by Harry.

       The team continued its voyage across the eastern plains of Montana today. The ride went from the Sleeping Buffalo Campground to Glasgow, Mt. The temperature hit the low 90’s, with low humidity, and the winds were from the east with speeds of 15 to 20 mph. This meant tough riding conditions for Captain Eugenia and Harry. The 55 miles they covered today would have been a century with the wind blowing the other way. Eric and Steve missed the picture of a windsock in one town which was blowing the right way if you were a bird looking to soar or an airplane taking off. They did get a picture of the structure where they cooked the world’s largest hamburger (over 3 tons or 6,000 pounds). The man at the desk in the campground last night, LeRoy Baublitz, also is running for office in Montana House District #35, who Harry and Steve met in returning the horseshoes from their weekly battle. Eric ran into Dale at the grocery store, so we are looking forward to seeing him on the road tomorrow. We are indulging ourselves in the Campbell Lodge to beat the heat and mosquitoes for the night. Harry got a flat on his front tire and Eric had the presence of a swarm of mosquitoes to aid in a quick change. The team took breaks in Hinsdale and the Buggy Creek rest station, where we were not bothered by any bugs coincidentially. After another windy night in camp, it is a blessing to be in a hotel with all the comforts of home. There was some interesting animal and dinosaur metal sculptures along the side of the road which reminded Steve of some of Mr. Damon’s work at MercyFirst graduation day. A shout out to Kevin Peyton, one of Steve’s brother-in-laws, for a quick and healthy recovery after his surgery today.  The team sends its prayers and well wishes to Kevin and family.

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July 22, 2008 by Harry.

       Today’s ride was from Harlem to the Sleeping Buffalo Campground 1.5 miles north and 10 miles west of Saco. The team said their  goodbyes to Dale as we were not sure when we might see him again. We had a loose or stray dog visit us as we broke camp early in the morning. The dog appeared to be a little undernourished and a little too playful. He kept trying to take off Dale’s socks as he put them on and  would jump on you without prompting. Harry and Eric took their turns with dogtraining 101, but we really needed one of the ECAD trainers or MercyFirst puppy trainers to get him in program. On the 70-mile ride today, we saw a beauty of another kind! The colors in the fields (green, gold, and brown) were a sharp contrast to the puffy white clouds dotting a blue sky. Simply Amazing! Eric and Steve got the answer to that hated math question of where the two trains meet starting out in Portland and Chicago. They meet in Dodson, MT where the team stopped for a delicious breakfast over a stretch with little services for 50 miles and saw two trains meet. We read the logs of numerous bikers crossing the country with most of them along a similar route to ours. There was another cyclist with the name of Eric from New York who got the spare tire we had on hold in Havre. We stopped for a nap at lunch in Malta and got to watch girls of every age compete on their horses over a designed course. The people in the campground claim it to be the mosquito capital of the world and they are not lieing. The temperature hit the high 80’s today and the children in the water park beside the campground seem to have figured out the best way to beat the heat and mosquitoes as well! We can always learn from the children!

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July 21, 2008 by Harry.

       What a night followed by an even more incredible day! Last night, a wind storm blew through the park for an hour or so and took the big tent for a little ride. Eric and Steve decided to brave it and slept on some tables under a pavillion in the park. Captain Eugenia and Harry posted the first century for the trip, 105 miles, and the team passed the thousand mile mark for da ride. Today’s ride went from Chester to Harlem(not NY), MT! Maybe the thoughts of home and some brisk tailwinds were the inspiration for the day. It can be a little confusing for the navigation crew as the town before Harlem was the thriving metropolis of Zurich with a population of less than 50 people. Most of the towns we passed on the Hi-Line (Route 2) between Chester and Havre had populations of less than 300 people, all friendly though!  We had lunch in Havre at a Wendy’s. It is one of 16 locations in Montana, but this is the last one on the route we are on. We keep meeting friendly folk on the route such as the group from PetroCanada today who were discussing plans with Native Americans on the Blackfeet Reservation. We broke bread tonight with another touring cyclist, Dale from San Francisco, who is headed to Minnesota and then Arkansas the old school way, fully loaded with front and rear panniers. We are camping behind the city hall tonight which is adjacent to the pool in town. We were blessed to take showers at the pool, and the local sheriff’s office, part of the city hall building, left the building open all night so we had a bathroom all night. Doubly blessed! A sumptious and healthy dinner of steak, spaghetti, spinach and onions was enjoyed by the team and Dale after being cooked by Eric. Another shout out to Steve’s sister, Margaret McCabe, who is celebrating her birthday today.

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July 21, 2008 by Harry.

         Today’s 70-mile ride went from Cut Bank to Chester, MT. The team is now on map #3 of the Adventure Cycling Association’s northern tier transamerica route. We were blessed with tailwinds most of the day and saw plenty of grian and wheat silos. Most of the railcars that crossed our path had some type of grain on board. The route parallels the Amtrak service for anyone looking to meet us in the next week or two. We are on the high plains of Montana where you can spot the next town several miles away by simply looking for the silos along the rail track. We passed the construction of a wind farm with rotor blades 40 or 50 feet long. Man getting in touch with the natural resources provided by GOD and nature. Eric and Harry counted the number of railcars for one train and came up with either 118 or 119 cars , counting the engines! That is what riders do when they are bored or they can’t sense a beauty of another kind in the plains. We ran across an eleven month old puppy, Scooby, in Galata as his owner gave us the lowdown for what services are available in upcoming towns. We are camping tonight in the city park, all to ourselves, and were blessed to find hot showers at a local motel in town.

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