stanley, north dakota

 Yawn.

This was quite a simple ride today. Not that it was boring, just a lot of the same stuff . . .over and over and over and over. And over. It was windy, too. Headwind. Not just part of the day. All day. But it was still a pretty good day in spite of all the windy, flat, and boring.

Let's start at the beginning of the day. Phil and I started pedaling at a Holiday Gas Station/Convenience Store in Williston, ND. The traffic wasn't too bad but our first mile was uphill into the wind. We were hoping that the wind would turn into a tailwind when we made the ninety degree turn north of Williston to head east to Stanley. It didn't. We dealt with the wind all day but it's all part of the ride. We can't pick and choose our days or we'll never get to Maine. And, we've had three incredible days of tailwind in Montana. I'm not sure why North Dakota can't be like Montana with the wind blowing east but it's not and I'm over it. No matter which way it blows . . . we're going to Maine and the Atlantic Ocean.

While I'm trying to make this day somewhat interesting, let's talk about prairie dogs. I don't know much about prairie dogs except people, for some reason, think they're cute. I don't understand it but people were lined up at Theodore Roosevelt National Park ooing and aahing and taking pictures of the little rodents. On the other hand, I know cowboys and ranchers who say, "The only good prairie dog is a dead prairie dog." I also know, years ago, a guy in Cortez, Colorado bought one of those street vacuum units from some municipality and transformed it into a unit to suck those little prairie dogs right out of their burrows. It worked, too. He padded the inside of that vacuum unit and, therefore, harvested living prairie dogs that he sold to pet stores and other places that bought prairie dogs. One of his largest customers was Japan where the prairie dogs were sold as pets and delicacies. Appetizers maybe?

But let's get back to the Montana and North Dakota prairie dogs. From my recent research I have discovered that prairie dogs are not real smart. If they are smart, they are suicidal! Their furry little bodies line the highways out here. If they're dumb, they're real dumb. If they're suicidal, they are extremely good at what they do. Also, prairie dogs must be related to squirrels. Squirrels are nature's little speed bumps. Prairie dogs must be considered speed blips since they are not quite big enough to be bumps. At least squirrels build their homes high in trees (or in your attic) which makes them a wee bit smarter than prairie dogs who dig their little burrow holes six, seven inches from the highway surface. They have miles and miles of land and food off to the left and right of every road and highway and they, for some insane, instinctive reason, build their little subdivisions right next to roads where trucks with forty-two really big wheels and tires zip by at seventy miles per hour. Like I said, prairie dogs are stupid and suicidal. And often, very smashed!

Grain elevators, huge farming equipment, very large trucks, miles and miles of farmland, prairie dogs, ducks, and you're looking at western North Dakota by bicycle. Today was a good ride and a good day. The truck drivers, once again, were courteous, careful, and kind. Even though we had about an eight foot wide shoulder on which to ride, the truck drivers still went into the left lanes as they drove by. (That may have been because they would have blown us off the road otherwise.) I also found four North Dakota license plates today, two of which were so mangled I decided to leave them for someone who has the skills to restore such license plates.

All in all, this has been a good day and a tough ride, but we are now 67.74 miles closer to the Maine and the Atlantic Ocean. We've pedaled 1,279.48 miles in twenty days and are in our fourth state of the journey. We've pedaled in mountains, valleys, plains, snow, sleet, sunshine, tailwinds and headwinds, and rain . . . but we're pedaling and that is what will get us to our goal. No turning back. No complaining. No quitting. We're pedaling. 

The Apostle Paul wasn't pedaling around on his missionary journeys but he did face lots of different, difficult, and dangerous situations when he wrote Philippians 4:11-13. We've not been in dangers like Paul was, but we have faced many different and some difficult, situations as we've traveled. I want to have Paul's heart as we journey. Here's what he said:

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

We're goin' to Maine . . . and the Atlantic Ocean! Look out, prairie dogs!