Crossing Wisconsin

Welcome to Wisconsin

In our last blog we were still in Minnesota and reported on Nando’s intestinal problems. We can now report he is back to his old self! With Nando’s recovery we got back on the road.  We are now on the eastern side of Wisconsin.

Jay opted to forego a Wisconsin northern loop outlined in his Adventure Cycling maps and took a more direct path across the state on State Road 64. Today he completed the last eight miles on SR 64. The crossing was a mostly pleasant experience, but we did have some unexpected discoveries.  

Sign with Balloon

On our first full day in Wisconsin, Jay rode 80 miles from New Richmond to Cornell. Helen drove the same route. Jay thought, “Hey a State Road . . . there should be a plethora of gas stations and convenience stores.” As she drove ahead, Helen texted back to Jay that this state road was devoid of towns, stores and any source of water. Egad!  Cell coverage was spotty, but Helen was able to update Jay with the short text that she had left a large bottle of water at the base of a road sign (“Cornell 42 Miles”). Per the protocol that we established in Washington state, another low cell coverage area, she tied a balloon with pink nylon cord to the sign.  Water retrieved. Jay completed the ride.

Campsite in National Forest

Typically we select campsites near the road, but the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest was nearby and we opted to camp there. Our senior pass gives us a 50% discount, so we paid only $7.50 for a campsite.  Well, Helen had the day from hell finding the campground. Signage was poor to non-existent and she drove for two hours on dirt roads in search of the campground. More egads!

We were in favor that evening of a low cost option at a national park based on our experience the previous night at the Brunet Island State Park.  We discovered that out-of-state residents pay a premium at state parks.  Our campground was pleasant, but cost $44.00.  A recommendation on another park was declined due to a higher cost.  

Overall, our crossing of Wisconsin was pleasant and pretty quick with Jay putting in several 80-mile rides.

Tomorrow we will be near Appleton where we plan to have dinner with Jay’s cousin Bob.  Another ride will put us in Manitowoc, WI where we will take a four-hour ferry ride to Michigan.  In Michigan we will visit some of Helen’s family.

Once we cross Michigan, Jay will end his easterly riding and turn south and start heading south to Savannah. 

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Our Journey

Tin Man On Tractor

Dog Delay

Tenting in the Pavilion in the
City Park in Bowlus

After two days of rest while visiting friends in Minneapolis, Jay was keen to get back on the road.  So we drove from Minneapolis back to Bowlus, MN so Jay could resume riding.  Unfortunately when we got to Bowlus, rainy weather greeted us, requiring another delay.  At the time we thought “Okay, a delay, but nothing serious to be concerned about.”  Well, how wrong could we be?

The next day the weather cleared and Jay rode 65 miles from Bowlus to Dalbo, MN. Our “campsite” for this evening was the Adventure Cyclist’s Bunkhouse maintained by Donn Olson. The bunkhouse is a spacious, renovated 1880’s barn with private rooms, an upstairs dormitory, shower,

Donn's Bunkhouse for bicyclists. What a treat!

kitchen, refrigerator, microwave, etc., etc.  What a perfect place to spend an evening! Then our troubles began.

Our dog Nando, who had not been his regular self all day, vomited shortly after Helen arrived at the bunkhouse.  He threw up again and again.  More importantly, nothing was coming out his back end.  We grew concerned there was some obstruction in his intestinal tract.

At 8:00 Saturday morning Donn came over to the bunkhouse with a cup of coffee in his hand and a smile on his face. We immediately told him of Nando’s troubles and he recommended a vet in Cambridge, about 20 minutes away. We called and got an 8:30 appointment, jumped in the car

The vet Donn recommended

and were off.

The tech asked for details. The vet came in and offered Nando a treat. No dice. How about some yummy canned food? His nose turned up at that, as well. He wouldn’t drink any water. X-rays revealed a lot of air in his intestines, but the vet couldn’t see anything that would cause a blockage. She recommended we go to the Blue Pearl emergency clinic in Blaine, MN, about 30 minutes away.

By a stoke of very good luck, a surgeon and an expert at finding blockages on ultrasounds both studied Nando’s X-rays and ultrasound at length, and the only thing they could come up with is that he may

Waiting, waiting, waiting

have swallowed a piece of cloth. He has a cloth chew toy so that wasn’t out of the question, but we doubted it.

Regardless, since he hadn’t drunk any water or kept down any food for two days, he was dehydrated. We left Nando in the good hands of the staff at the Blue Pearl who started an IV almost immediately. We went back in about four hours to visit him before the hour ride back to Dalbo and he was already peppier. Helen took him for a walk outside and he had a bowel movement (the first in two and a half days), a good sign, so we were thrilled. That eliminated the need for exploratory surgery.

While sitting in the vet’s office, Jay was paging through a book of dog breeds. Much to our surprise, there was Nando’s picture under the name “Polish Hound.” Who knew? His new name is Nandoski!

Tomorrow morning is another trip to the Blue Pearl emergency clinic to pick up Nando. Hopefully all will be well and Jay can resume riding his bike.

A Polish Hound. Doesn't this look like Nando?

The sign in front of the barn welcoming bikers

Rails to Trails

Jay has been a long time supporter of the Rails to Trails, an advocacy group dedicated to the conversion of unused railroad lines into bike paths.  When Jay reads in the organization’s magazine of states with hundreds of miles of converted rail beds, he experiences a bit of biker envy.  “Someday I’ll get a chance to ride one of those long distance converted rail lines.” 

Central Lake State Trail, Fergus Falls, MN

Well someday arrived. Leaving Fargo, ND, Jay took an optional Adventure Cycling route that would give him an opportunity to ride 110 miles on the Central Lake Trail, the Lake Wobegon Trail and an associated spur line to Bowlus, MN.  

Before getting on these bike trails, he still had to do some heavy riding on plain old Minnesota roads.  A short 45-mile ride from Fargo, ND put us in Comorant, MN where we camped at the Pelican Hill RV Park adjacent to Lake Tamarac. Many of the “seasonal” RV renters were there to stay. In Atlanta, people have their mountain, lake or seashore cabins. Here in Minnesota, people have their "permanent" lakeside RV encampment.  Who knew? 

Port-o-John Flush Toilet

Jay rode 35 miles from the RV park to Fergus Falls where he finally connected with the Central Lake Trail at mile 184.  It was nice to be off the road, free from trucks and cars. But disappointment soon appeared.  Maintenance on parts of the trail was poor. Some parts of the old rail line had open seams filled with grasses, flowers and tree saplings. The seam gaps were also pretty big, causing Jay’s bike to experience a big thump-thump as he crossed.  Since a county road ran parallel to the trail, Jay alternated between the trail and the county road.

After 30 miles of alternating between trail and road, the bike trail  surface finally settled down to allow smooth cycling.  After cycling 80 miles, Jay arrived in Alexandria, MN where we camped at Don’s Lakeside RV Park.  This RV park was a hoot! We had our own private gazebo, a Port-o-John with a flush toilet and shower that was a repurposed old 1960’s era trailer.

Lake Wobegon Covered Bridge

The next day, Jay resumed his ride on the Central Lake Trail that was later renamed the Lake Wobegon Trail. Signage announced, “The Lake Wobegon Trail, where all visitors are above average.” Garrison Keillor would be proud of his legacy.  Jay completed his 65 mile in Bowlus, MN where we camped in a city park.

Since leaving Bismarck, ND, Jay rode seven straight days.  We decided to take a one or two days' rest and used the opportunity to drive 90 miles to visit Jim and Diane Mills, friends in Minneapolis who are Eric's Godparents.

We will return to Bowlus where Jay will cycle the last 120 miles in Minnesota. We are considering various options for crossing Wisconsin. Originally we considered heading up to the Michigan upper peninsula, but are now considering an Adventure Cycling route option to Manitowoc, WI and taking the ferry to Ludington, MI.

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Our trip from Fargo, ND to Bowlus, MN

Our bathroom at Don's Lakeview RV Park,
the back half of an older mobile home

View of Bike Trail
Smooth Sailing

Gone with the Wind

After a stay of three days in Bismarck with our magnificent hosts Steve and Janis, Jay again took to the road.  With four days of riding (50, 65, 75, 57 miles) we are now in Fargo, ND, just a few miles from the Minnesota state line.   Along with crossing the states of Washington, Idaho and Montana, North Dakota will soon be added to the record book.  Jay has logged 1,781 miles since we left La Push, WA on May 31.

Today was are on our way to Cormorant, MN.


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Red Line - Our Bike Ride

Open Road in North Dakota

Three Westbound Riders

Westbound Riders Ruth and Jack

Homestead of Lawrence Welk's family,
 Strasburg, ND

The sod house where Lawrence Welk was born no longer exists.
The house is 2.25 miles from the main road and 25 miles to the nearest town.

The Welk Homestead is still a working farm

Busy in Bismarck

On Thursday July 5th, Jay felt free enough from the aches and pains that had plagued him from July 1 to take a short 35-mile ride from New Salem to Bismarck, ND.  The morning was sunny, but evening thunderstorms were predicted. The unpredictable”weather of North Dakota is becoming more understandable. To avoid camping in the bad weather, Helen booked a room at a motel.

Jay’s ride to Bismarck put him back on the same Route 139 he had ridden the day his body pains began.  He realized that as he rode over rough road seams again and again, that a more plausible explanation for his body aches was not bacterial or viral infections, but the pounding the road had given his body. Jay slowed to a 10 mph pace and spent most of the day standing on his pedals when crossing road seams.

When Jay reached Bismarck he returned to the health clinic and discussed his “road pounding” findings with his doctor. Back x-rays thankfully showed no compression fractures. The next day, on Friday, Jay visited a sports medicine specialist who further confirmed “the road did it” theory.

Bismarck ND UUs around the campfire

Lower back traction was applied at a visit later that same day by a physical therapist and Jay was given a set of exercises to help with his recovery. A Monday visit to the physical therapist was scheduled to re-evaluate his readiness to resume his ride. All the professionals involved voiced their objective, “We need to get you back on the road!”

Having a weekend in Bismarck was a stroke of good fortune. We had previously declined an invitation from the Bismarck Mandan Unitarian Universalist Congregation to attend their 4th of July weekend camping outing. Well, now we could attend.

RV temp home, thanks to
Janis and Steve

The outing was held at the Cross Ranch State Park near Chester, ND.  We had a marvelous time with our fellow UUs. The outing was planned from Friday to Sunday, but reports of late Saturday evening severe thunderstorms resulted in all of us packing up and heading home. We had no local home, so Anessa offered us her son’s bed for the evening.  Things always work out.

On Sunday morning at Anessa’s home, Helen stayed to do laundry and chat with her new gal pal and Jay went to Sunday service, a contemplative Taize service of song and silent

Bismarck-Mandan UUs were active at Standing Rock

meditation.  Jay reported that it was excellent.  The UU Bismarck Congregation is known by many Atlanta UUs for its participation at Standing Rock to protest the XL tar sand pipeline.

With Anessa’s son returning Sunday evening, we drove to the home of other church members, Janis and Steve, who offered their 25-foot RV as a temporary home. We have been offered the most gracious home hospitality that could ever be imagined. We are ever so grateful to Anessa, Janis and Steve.

Jay has a southeastern ride on Tuesday, July 10 with predicted head winds of 10 – 15 mph. The plan is to drive to the end point and ride back to Bismarck with a tail wind. His momma didn’t raise no fool!

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Breakfast at Campground

UUs Social Action at Standing Rock

Painting Slices of Trees (cookies)
Helen's Green and Blue in the Center

Helen and Anessa

Pain Delay

After a two-day stay in the North Park Campground in Dickinson, ND Jay headed out on a 75 mile to New Salem, ND.  The day was hot and sunny and the roads were pretty good.  The last 17 miles on I-94, however, were pretty tough.  The rumple strip extended all the way across the shoulder leaving Jay a 9 – 12 inch riding path between the rumple strip and the edge of the roadway.  Not fun.

Assumption Abbey

While Jay rode his bike Helen stopped in Richardton, ND to visit the beautiful Assumption Abbey, built in 1906. Surprisingly, about a third of the stained glass windows in the main sanctuary depicted women (i.e. Hildegard). Helen met a 30-year-old junior monk, Simeon, while she was eating lunch on a bench, and they talked for about an hour. The abbey produces wine and bread to sell, but Helen couldn’t find anyone inside and left empty handed.  

Since severe thunderstorms were predicted for the evening, our home base this evening was the Arrowhead Inn in New Salem.  We planned to spend one night in New Salem and then head to Bismarck. We had earlier contacted the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Bismarck and were offered a backyard in which to pitch our tent. We were also looking forward to some conversation with our fellow North Dakota UUs.

Pretty good plan . . . so we thought.

Stained Glass depicting
the birth of Jesus

Before the heavy rains came, Jay started to feel body aches.  He had a thundering headache, debilitating lower back pain with sharp pain radiating down his legs.  This was not rider fatigue but something else. We extended our stay in New Salem and went to a walk-in health clinic in Bismarck. After a thorough examination by an inquisitive doctor, he concluded, “I have no idea what is causing your pain.” He theorized dehydration, electrolyte deficiency, muscle breakdown, West Nile Virus,  encephalitis or meningitis could be cause Jay’s pain. Yikes! We agreed on blood tests for muscle break down, dehydration and electrolyte deficiency.  All results came back normal.  

Helen in Room at Arrowhead Inn

In the end Jay and the doctor decided on a routine of daily ibuprofen and rest. If things did not improve in 48 hours, Jay was to return to the clinic for more tests.  Fortunately, within 48 hours Jay’s pain started to abate. He is now planning to head out on a short 30-mile ride to Bismarck on July 5 and then re-evaluate if this “pain storm” had past.

We did not let our time in New Salem go unused. We visited Salem Sue, the world’s largest Holstein Cow replica. Standing 12 feet tall, 50 feet long and weighing 12,000 pounds, Salem Sue has been towering over New Salem since 1974. 

Helen Next to Salem Sue

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Salem Sue on Hill

Assumption Abbey Signage

Arrowhead Inn in New Salem

In the Beginning

Dinosaur Museum in Glendiv, MT

Just before leaving Montana we finally got an opportunity to visit a dinosaur museum. Montana is a paleontologist’s dream come true. Buried across Montana are the fossilized bones of short-armed Tyrannosaurus rexes, horned triceratops, velociraptors (those famous critters from the Jurassic World movie franchise) and other dinosaurs who roamed here millions of years ago. 

Jay attempted a dinosaur museum visit in the tiny town of Rudyard, MT, but the museum was closed.  So when we noticed that the Glendive Dinosaur and Fossil Museum was just across the street from our motel, we did not hesitate.

Pachycephalosaurus wyomingensis

The two-story museum is unique in two aspects.  One, the displays of articulated dinosaur skeletons are exceptionally well done. Two, this museum is run by an organization called Foundation Advancing Creation Truth (FACT).  Among the truths advanced are that dinosaurs and humans co-existed on earth and Noah included dinosaurs on his ark.  Evolution is de-bunked and Biblical explanations such as The Great Flood are provided to explain findings revealed at dinosaur dig sites.

As Unitarian Universalists we are encouraged to conduct a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. This was our first creationist museum so we remained open to the arguments presented. We were disappointed that the “evidence” provided only worked if you already believed in creationism.   

Alvis Delk Track

A key artifact “confirming” that dinosaurs and humans co-existed was the Alvis Delk Track showing a dinosaur footprint and a human footprint together.  The museum tries its best to provide scientific proof of authenticity of the two overlapping footprints, but a quick Google search while standing before the display reveals that the footprints are a hoax. We did, however, find the miniature replica of Noah’s ark with dinosaurs roaming about in the foreground convincing to the un-questioning eye.  A Biblical diorama of the Great Flood circling the earth was less comprehensible. 

Stegosaurus and Noah's Ark

We have travelled far and wide and have seen the devotion in which others hold their religious beliefs. The Hindus have their own creation stories. The Blackfeet Indians believe that the creator Napi fashioned the Sweet Grass Hills from the rocks left over from the formation of the Rocky Mountains.  Who are we to judge a belief as unworthy of respect?

The rub comes when a religious group claims that they hold the ultimate and single truth, then tortures science to achieve a pseudo legitimacy to compel others to accept their point of view. We had our own local fight few years ago (in Georgia) when a religiously motivated school board insisted on placing disclaimer stickers in textbooks stating, “Evolution is a theory, not a fact, concerning the origin of living things.” An attorney from our church was among those who returned science to the classroom and religion to the church. 

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Signage at Admissions Counter

Dinosaurs in Foreground - Ark in Background

Dinosaur Display

Man and Dinosaurs Section

Good-bye Montana

Our Route Montana to North Dakota
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On Saturday, June 30, we bid farewell to Big Sky country. Before we left Atlanta, Jay was “spooked” by Montana. It’s big, and as a lone rider on vast stretches of open road, Jay was filled with the doubting thought, “Can this be done?” Well, it’s now done. As he pedaled, he grew comfortable with being on long, open roads.

Most of our Montana crossing was a straight line with only a few unexpected twists.  One twist was the failure of Jay’s rear pannier bracket that broke at the mount point on the day of his 70-mile ride from Malta to Glasgow, MT. The silver lining was that the bracket broke just as he arrived at our campsite at the Comfort Inn and RV Park.

Machine Shop that fixed
Jay's bracket

A Google search found a “nearby machine shop.” An hour later a welding solution looked viable, but to be safe, Jay rigged a support system of nylon cord to relieve pressure on the mount point. We have learned that there will always be a solution.

Another twist was the radical change of weather.  The morning sky on Jay’s Wolf Point to Circle, MT ride was clear, but weather reports gave dire warnings of late evening thunderstorms and possible tornados. During stops on his ride Jay spoke with local farmers who shook their heads saying, “You’ll be facing some pretty bad stuff later today.” Yikes!

Helen’s attempts to find shelter at a motel in Circle were thwarted by road gangs from the Montana Department of Transportation who had booked all the rooms. Helen successfully redirected her hotel search 45 miles to the east in Glendive. Later she retrieved Jay in Circle and we drove to our hotel.  That evening the sky turned black, winds roared and a terrible rain fell. “Pretty bad stuff.” The next morning we returned to Circle so Jay could complete that section of his ride.

I-94 Wide Shoulders

Glendive was our last stop in Montana. The morning after the stormy evening was clear. Jay woke early to get a jump on his ride to Dickinson, ND, 98 miles away. His Adventure Cycling maps put him on I-94 (allowed in Montana and North Dakota). Egad! He envisioned an I-85 nightmare. However, his cycling on I-94 could not have been more pleasant. There was little traffic, a wide shoulder allowing trucks to pass with many feet of clearance and the hills were all gradual inclines. Jay ignored the non-interstate elements of the Adventure Cycling route and stayed on I-94 all day.  He got his first flat tire on this route, but otherwise it was a pleasant ride.

In the meantime, Helen stopped in Medora, ND just outside the west entrance to the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Medora is a cute little town well maintained for the huge tourist trade. It’s a perfect place to spend several hours walking around, taking in the sights and have a snack or a meal.

2018 Miss Rodeo North Dakota

Helen visited the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame, a lovely facility with photos and keepsakes, including many saddles, from cowboys going back to the early 1800’s. There were also many Indian sculptures and paintings, since they lived in the same areas where horses were an integral part of all their lives.

We are now in the North Park Campground in Dickinson, ND. We will spend two nights here letting Jay take a rest day before heading east again.

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North Park Campground, Dickinson, ND. One of the nicest we've stayed at.

Laundry Day

Helen keeps an eye on Jay through the app Life 360.
She frequently finds him to refill his water bottles.

Entrance to Park

A famous group of young rodeo standouts

In addition to bronc riding, bull riding is a dangerous, popular sport.
"Rodeo" is a sport at the local colleges (in addition to basketball and fast-pitch softball).