Following the Missouri (July 12, 2010)

After about five weeks of riding eastward, I am now heading south.

Rich finally completed his "Tour de Denver Airport", and arrived in Williston on Wednesday, July 7. I spent the day lounging around the City Park, watching World Cup soccer, and generally riding around Williston ... a good rest day.

Currently, Rich and I are in Bismarck, ND ... lounging in the comfort of a Motel 6. The past four days of riding have been hard on me. On July 8, we rode the 74 miles eastward to Stanley, ND, followed by 65 miles to Minot (rhymes with "why not"), then 71 miles south to Pick City. Yesterday we continued on to a campsite 61 miles south of Pick City. Today's ride into Bismarck was a much needed rest-ride ... 29 miles. My legs and my spirits are weary.

Camping has been the rule of the nights of late. Most of the towns allow camping in the city parks, so we have been setting up the tents adjacent to swings and swimming pools. It is a less expensive way to travel, but amenities (coffee, wifi and white porcelain) are sadly lacking. In Minot, we were paid a 10:00 PM visit by a park police officer advising us that camping in the park is against city laws ... but he said that since we were already set-up, we could stay as long as we left reasonably early. I had chatted with this same guy around 7:00 PM; I think he may have received a complaint from a local citizen.

I said good-by to the various riders I had been traveling with over the past week or two. Sean and Dave, Wes and Martin, Tom and the group of seven ... they were all continuing east on the Northern Tier route. Sorry we parted ways as it was enjoyable having a small community of riders with which to share experiences.

As mentioned, we are heading south. We are following the Lewis and Clarke route, which follows the Missouri River ... our ultimate goal is Sioux City, IA. I made a short stop at a historic site ... Double Ditch Village. This site was occupied by the Mandan Indian tribe from 1480 until 1790. There were about 10,000 Mandan Indians in this area prior to the population being reduced to 1200 by small pox in the 1780's. Think about that ... this site was an active community for over 300 years. Phoenix was founded a little over 150 years ago. The history of the North American tribes still leaves me in awe.

Weather calls for storms and rising levels of heat. Guess the glory days of cold and wet travel are through. All of the rain that this part of the country has been receiving has provided a most wonderful green landscape ... really quite beautiful.

Tomorrow we head 56 miles, or so, to another campsite ... ah, more sleeping on the ground.

Life ain't so good sleeping on the ground.