Northern Tier Day #37 Gackle, ND to Hazelton, ND
Northern Tier Day #37
June 26, 2019
Gackle, ND to Hazelton, ND 72 Miles
Ride Time 6:12
Tour Total 2935 Miles
Last night I finished my report and talked to Charlotte from Dani’s Place, where I had a giant pepperoni and ham pizza along with numerous Flat Tire Ales. Earlier I had showered, shaved, laundered my dirty clothing and set up my wet tent in the sun to dry. My tent was dry when I returned from the bar, but my footprint was still wet. I met Honey Hub Hostel proprietor Jason, a beekeeper who splits his time between Gackle and Northern California. Andre and Colleen had put my laundry in the dryer.
There were two beds in the hostel. The Canadians shared the queen and I took the twin. It was fun comparing tour notes with them. Our room was stuffy so we left the door open. At some point during the night I climbed inside my silk liner. I later covered myself with my sleeping bag. The Canadians slept right next to me and Andre occasionally snored. Somebody’s alarm went off at 5:30am and we all woke up. Andre got on his phone and checked all his weather apps. He promised me a tailwind today .
The gas station wasn’t open until 7:30am so I decided to pedal down the road for breakfast. There were no services listed on my paper map for the next one and a half panels, unless I wanted to go off route. Yesterday I went through all three liters of water.
I was wearing my cycling shorts, short-sleeve jersey, leg-warmers, sweater, and rain jacket as shell. The sky was blue with some wispy clouds on the horizon. My ride started in my highest gear and I was averaging 14 miles an hour. It was definitely better than yesterday. I noticed so many birds this morning. They were launching from the tall grass into flight or splash landing into nearby lakes. I passed a roadkill muskrat.
Many of the semi-trucks that pass me have two trailers. Yesterday I saw a piece of farm equipment being hauled that was wider than the lane. After it passed me, the right wheels used the shoulder where I would soon be. The trees were becoming less frequent and many of my westbound views were now just grass.
I heard back from 17 year-old east-bounder Jack. He asked me to describe some of my political impressions cycling across America. I ranted about the indoor smoking in Indiana, the obesity crisis, veteran’s memorials for soldiers who needlessly died for Cheney’s oil war, and climate change denial. His blog is at: https://labs.da.org/wordpress/jlinger/
I had gone ten miles and was hungry. There were services two miles off route or I could continue another 29 miles to the next town. I decided to pedal the two miles (for a total of four) into Streeter for breakfast. The town was small and I couldn’t find anything open. Google Maps listed a Community Center that served food, but I couldn’t find it. I noticed a van parking in front of the Senior Citizens Center and I asked them where I could buy breakfast. They pointed to the Senior Citizens Center and I gladly joined them.
I ordered a stack of pancakes, and two eggs over easy with a piece a ham, and two glasses of orange juice. The total came to $6. I sat down with the couple and told them about my trip. The next thing I knew, other folks had joined us. We talked about all the neighboring towns, the pizza at Dani’s and the cinnamon buns at Tesoro. Someone mentioned that an eastbound cyclist had been killed last year by a trucker who couldn’t see them, because it was late in the day with the sun low on the horizon. We talked about how strong the wind had been yesterday, and they warned me that it was going up to 100° on Saturday.
After breakfast I stowed my rain jacket. After three days of traveling west on State Highway 46, I left it and went south on State Highway 30. I saw dozens of gophers scampering alongside the road this morning.
Today’s terrain was less flat than yesterday, and I didn’t gain much elevation. The rolling hills featured tall grass and the occasional cow pasture. I noticed numerous beehive boxes stacked in the fields and thought about my host Jason. Don't use pesticides people! We need the bees! I was making good time today.
I could see Napoleon from four miles out. The highway was completely empty. I saw large piles of rocks in the fields that I passed. In the east farmers used these rocks to make stone walls or corner posts. Here they just make piles.
I passed the thresher graveyard, where I counted 38 gray threshers lined up the spine of a hill. When I got to where the spine met the highway I noticed quite a few more, in addition to a sign that said Dinosaur Threshers. I saw so many types of ducks paddling around in the nearby ponds and lakes, and noticed a family of mallards. I’ve tried to stop and photograph some of the large species, but they all fly away. I noticed a sign that proclaimed I was now in the North Dakota Well Head Protection Area to avoid contamination of public water supplies. This was definitely not the case up north in the Bakken oil fields.
I cycled into Napoleon, population 792, passing the cemetery, the John Deere dealership, an enormous grain elevator complex, and a church with an ugly modern bell tower. My friends at the Senior Center had told me about the donuts in Napoleon, but I decided instead on Gatorade and a small bag of peanuts from Ken’s Shopping Center. I had pedaled 46 miles and only had another 26 miles to my destination. The wind was out of the south west, and Andre had been incorrect. Nonetheless it was a much easier day than yesterday.
Clouds appeared in the sky around noon. There were some small low-hanging fluffy ones, and then higher rippling clouds creating stripes in the sky to the west. Most of the haze was to off the west. The sky was beautiful! It smelt like grass, and it was generally a good smell. There were wildflowers in bloom, so perhaps that was the fragrant smell I was enjoying. I was averaging 14 miles an hour, and making good time. I could see the Hazelton water tower from 3 miles out. It was going to be a short day!
I surveyed the tiny town, population 235, for services and didn’t find much. I located the town park where the Canadians had camped, and then I went to Main Street Market for four bottles of lemonade and a bag of cashews. I was tired, but it was only 3pm in the afternoon. I cycled over to the park and pitched my tent in the shade of a tree. I enjoyed a two hour nap before getting up to work on this report.
Comments
Post a Comment