Rest Day In Cut Bank, MT

"Coldest Spot In The Nation"
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

Today we are taking a rest day in Cut Bank, Montana and visiting the library where we are uploading and saving pictures.

Also, we are resting for tomorrow's ride since we need to cycle nearly 70 miles in order to cross the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. We do not want end up short of our objective and spend a night on the reservation since we have be told many times that the reservation suffers from the most depressed living conditions of any the reservations in Montana.

Daily 74 Recap: Rest Day In Cut Bank, MT (0 miles)

Big Sky Country

Big Sky Country
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

We began our ride this morning in a cold rain, but as we continued westward we headed toward clearer skies and by the afternoon we enjoyed warmer temperatures and clear skies. In the late afternoon we caught our first glimpse of the Rocky Mountains on the distant horizon as we rolled into the small praire town of Cut Bank, Montana.

We Thank Today's Fans For Life:
Steve & Dylan Hill - Stopped on Route 2 to offer us assistance and invited us to stay at their home in Whitefish, MT. While chatting with Steve we learned he had cycled cross-country several years ago from Washington to Portland, ME and we enjoyed sharing stories.

Daily 73 Recap: Lothair, MT to Cut Bank, MT (56 miles)

Single Gear Touring Cyclist

Neil - "The Single Gear Touring Cyclist"
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

This morning we cranked over 60 miles through mild head winds and by noon we reached Chester, MT where we decided to eat a quick lunch.

While stopping for lunch we met Neil, an eastbound touring cyclist riding a single gear bike resurrected from the trash!! Neil was completing a life-long dream journey which he started from his home in Minneapolis, MN. From his home, he cycled to Fargo, ND, where he caught a train to Seattle, then cycled to Mt. Rainier and climbed Mt. Rainier. After his climb, he hopped on his bike to begin a long ride home. Neil he had just finished riding his single gear bicycle over the continental divide and he was now on the final stretch of his journey back to the Twin Cities!!

After lunch, we immediately hit a ferocious headwind and for the next two hours we struggled to pedal 13 miles to the next town of Lothair, Montana (population: 30). As we cranked our way into Lothair, the sky turned very dark with storm clouds and we found ourselves scurrying like mice to find a wind barrier to pitch our tents behind . . .

Daily 72 Recap: Havre, MT to Lothair, MT (74 miles)

Update From Havre, Montana

Havre, MT - We are getting another weary, early morning start today and although our long trek across the high plains is taking its toll, we are excited for our next several days of riding as we are guickly approaching the Continental Divide and Glacier National Park in northwestern Montana. We will post new pictures and travel log updates when we can access a computer.

High Plains Drifters

Bear Paw Mountains
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

We started riding before dawn today and at sunrise we caught our first glimpse of the Bear Paw Mountains. For the rest of the day we had a distant view of the mountains as we rode westbound on Route 2 over flat terrain to the north.

For the past several days we have been riding across the high plains of northern Montana and during this time we have mostly been riding on Route 2, which is commonly referred to as the "The High Line". The head winds have been incredibly strong, but we are overcoming this challenge by starting each day's ride well before dawn in the usually calm, but chilly morning air. We are now wearing long-sleave clothing, jackets and gloves in the early mornings and late evenings as the night are becoming noticably cooler.

Day 71 Recap: Dodson, MT to Havre, MT (82 miles)

The Sleeping Buffalo Rock

An Offering For The Sleeping Buffalo Rock
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

Today we spent most of the day riding across expansive grasslands where the Plains Indians were known to hunt buffalo herds and in the afternoon we made a pilgrimage to a sacred Native American monument, "The Sleeping Buffalo Rock". We learned from the locals that it is tradition to leave an offering of tobacco on the monument and in keeping with tradition, Greg left an offering of his own.

Day 70 Recap: Nashua, MT to Dodson, MT (101 miles)

Fort Peck Indian Reservation

Fort Peck Indian Reservation
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

Yesterday after nightfall we cycled into Fort Peck Indian Reservation and continued riding until we reached the town of Poplar, Montana at around 2 o'clock in the morning. Exhausted and in need of sleep, we decided to do something that many people had advised us not to do . . . we decided to spend a night on a Montana indian reservation. We heard the stories of the depressed living conditions on the reservations and now we were seeing it first hand as we rode through town and in the shadows of dim street lights we saw delapidated homes, abandoned cars and boarded-up store fronts.

As we considering pitching our tents in the darkness at a run-down town park, a police officer on night patrol stopped to question us. When we told him our plan to camp for the night, he expressed concern over the thugs and vagrants in the area and recommended that we pitch our tents close to the road so he could check on us throughout the night.

While we appreciated the officer's advice, we felt more comfortable staying out of sight and opted to pitch our tents behind the blue shed shown on the left in the picture above.

After a couple hours of sleep, we awoke at dawn with hopes of riding in calm morning air, but we hit strong head winds right from the start and as the day progressed, the head winds only got stronger. . .

Day 69 Recap: Poplar, MT to Nashua, MT (60 miles)

Riding Into Montana With Uncertainty

Montana Stateline
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

Yesterday afternoon we waited in Williston, ND for strong head winds to subside and after nightfall we cycled 21 miles west to the Montana stateline. Having rode to the stateline in the darkness, we awoke this morning at dawn to explore our surroundings and at once we heard howling winds and saw a desolate and barren landscape, which extended to the horizon in all directions. The only signs of civilization in the area were the stateline casino we camped behind and the passing road.

We hoped to start riding before the head winds picked up, but we were too late. By early morning the winds were already blowing at 30-40 mph and for 3 gruelling hours we pedaled into the wind and barely reached the next town 14 miles away. Exhausted, we decided to sleep through the afternoon and continue riding in the evening. Fortunately the winds subsided in the evening and we were able to cover some decent ground after nightfall.

Even still, our first day in Montana punished us and left us with a feeling of uncertainty as we consider the possibility of facing relentless head winds on the high plains for the next 500 miles. To add to our concern, we are now nearly two weeks behind schedule and we are now in a race to get through the Rockies and the Cascade Mountains of Washington State before first snow fall . . .

Day 68 Recap: Montana Stateline to Poplar, MT (63 miles)

Wes Departs After 500 Miles In 6 Days

Cafe At Lund's Landing & Marina
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

Wes departed us from Lund's Landing this morning and began a 90 mile ride to the nearest city where he will rent a car to drive home to Houston, TX.

Our departure with Wes was emotional as we recollected the numerous challenges we overcame together while cycling 500 miles in 6 days! During our ride we confronted brutal headwinds, weathered relentless rain storms, navigated desolate roads under moonlight, and repaired a broken bike rack with limited resources in a small praire town. Given these challenges, we immediately realized that without Wes's help we could not have covered such significant ground in a short period of time.

We thank Wes for joining us and we will miss our commrade on the tough journey ahead.

We Thank Today's Fans For Life:
Jim & Analene Torgerson - Creators and owners of Lund's Landing & Marine who allowed us pitch our tents on their property and who re-opened their cafe so we could buy some ice-cold beverages.

Day 67 Recap: Lund's Landing (23 miles east of Williston, ND) to Montana Stateline (48 miles)

Wind, Heat & Rain In The Badlands

Early Morning Headwinds
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

Today we cycled across the Badlands of western North Dakota and braved many extreme elements.

At dawn we tried to shrug off the early morning chill as we fought our way through brutal headwinds. By mid-day we were exposed to the sun's blistering heat and we struggled to remain hydrated and cool in a land that is arid and offers minimal shade. In the late afternoon, thunder storms unleashed upon us and we were forced to squat in a small gully to avoid potential lightening strikes.

Even with these severe elements we able to cover significant ground today since caught a tail wind in the late morning, which blew at our back for the rest of the day!

Feeling completely exposed to these extreme elements in such a sparse and open land gave us an appreciation for the challenges the native american peoples must have faced as they roamed this land prior to the arrival of the white man.

Day 66 Recap: 13 Miles South Of Minot, ND to Lund's Landing (23 miles east of Williston, ND) (106 miles)

Wes Rides "The Bison"

Howdy Partner!
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

A cowboy and a laso-toting, bearded cowgirl shown in the picture to the right greeted us today while we ate lunch in the small town of Granville, ND. As we chatted, they suggested that we visit the town's bison leather shop so we could load up on provisions before riding further into the open range.

While shopping at the bison leather shop, Wes found a set of bison horns to mount on his bike and from that point he rode out of town on "The Bison".

Day 65 Recap: Rugby, ND to 13 Miles South Of Minot, ND (81 miles)

"Feeling Centered"

"Feeling Centered"
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

We awoke before dawn this morning and started riding at sunrise in an effort to cover some ground before hitting strong headwinds in the warm afternoon. The early start paid off as we cycled around Devil's Lake in the Spirit Lake Sioux Indian Reservation and covered 45 miles before 11 a.m.

In the early evening we arrived in Rugby, ND having covered 103 miles and we celebrated our first century ride at the Geographic Center of North America.

Day 64 Recap: Warwick, ND to Rugby, ND (103 miles)

High Winds - Friend or Foe?

Bill Price - Eastbound Touring Cyclist
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

We had our first experience of cycling into strong head winds as it took us well over 2 hours to cover 18 miles at which point we crossed paths with Bill Price, an eastbound touring cyclist. Bill was cycling with the wind at his back and he covered over 40 miles in the same time.

Day 63 Recap: Cooperstown, ND to Warwick, ND (58 miles)

Frogger

Frogger
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

We awoke this morning to a rain storm and after waiting out the rains, we departed Fargo in the late morning and started our trek across the flat, open farmland of North Dakota. Just outside the city we turned west onto a two-lane farm road and immediately the traffic subsided and by mid-day we practically had the road to ourselves . . . that is with the exception of a toad we spotted, who was slowly making his away across the road.

In the evening we watched the rising of a brilliant, oranged-tinted, harvest moon and we took advantage of the bright moonlight and cycled late into night on the open plains.

Day 62 Recap: Fargo, ND to Cooperstown, ND (90 miles)

ATO Fraternity

ATO Fraternity - North Dakota State University
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

Today we met some ATO fraternity brothers and we had an opportunity to tour their fraternity house. We enjoyed chatting with the brothers and thanked them for letting us pitch our tents on their lawn the night before. While talking with them brothers we learned that one of the fraternity brothers is currently battling cancer and we wish him a quick recovery.

We Thank Today's Fans For Life:
North Dakota State University - Allowed us to use the computer lab at the university library so we could post pictures and travel log updates on the internet.

Day 61 Recap: Fargo, ND (3 miles) - Rest Day

Wes Joins Us & We Met A Prophet

Peter Karlzefni - "The Prophet"
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org

Fargo, ND - Today we met Wes Hudson, a friend from Houston, Texas, in Hawley, Minnesota and he cycled west with us to Fargo, North Dakota. We welcome Wes as he will be riding with us for the next eight days during our ride across North Dakota and possibly into Montana.

Tomorrow we will rest in Fargo and visit the library at North Dakota State University where we will post new travel log updates. On Friday we will depart Fargo early in the morning and begin our journey into the vast, open country of the northern plains. We are told that Fargo, which has a population of 90,000 people, is the largest city we will see between here and Seattle.

Day 60 Recap: Callaway, MN to Fargo, ND (69 miles)

Awaking With The Spirits

Awaking With The Spirits Near Lake Itasca
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

This morning we awoke to the early morning sunlight and as we exited our tents we we were surprised to discover that we were surrounded by tombstones and had slept the night in a cemetary!

The evening before we finished our ride under the moonlight and as we looked for a campsite for the night we were fortunate to find a wooded church yard along a back country road. Even though the moonlight was somewhat bright, we pitched our tents in the darkness of a thick tree canopy and had no idea we were in a cemetary.

Day 59 Recap: Itasca Lake, MN to Callaway, MN (71 miles)

Paul Bunyan & A Quest For The Headwaters

Paul Bunyan & Babe "The Blue Ox"
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

Cut Bank, MT - Today we crossed the Mississippi River numerous times as we continued our quest up river to the headwaters. On our journey up river we rolled through Bemidji, MN and stumbled upon giant statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe "The Blue Ox". We learned from some locals that the statues honor the legend of Paul Bunyan, which originated in Bemidji.

Erie Evening Near Mississippi Headwaters
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org

In the late afternoon, as we were getting closer and closer to the headwaters, we spotted a rain storm in the distance and tried unsuccessfully to out-run the storm. Even though the storm drenched us and drove us to take cover, it eventually stopped and we continued our quest to the headwaters on an erie and foggy moonlit evening.

Day 58 Recap: Winnie, MN to Lake Itasca (4 miles east of town center) (68 miles)

West Bank Of The Mississippi River

Camping On Westbank Of The Mississippi
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org

Jacobson, MN - Last night we camped along the west bank of the Mississippi River in Jacobson, Minnesota. For the next couple days our route will closely follow the Mississippi River as continue to the river's headwaters at Lake Itasca and then continue to Fargo, North Dakota.

Controversial Roadside Advertisement
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

As we cycled into Grand Rapids this morning, we saw this roadside ad and we later learned from the locals that the advertisement is an item of national controversy.

Day 57 Recap: Jacobson, MN to Winnie, MN (71 miles)

Frogs & Toads Hop Aboard

Frog Hops Aboard Greg's Bike
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

Cut Bank, MT - This morning, while we broke camp and packed our bike near Mille Lacs Lake, we found a frog on Greg's bike and a toad on Drew's bike. Neither creature was interested in dismounting from our bikes and for a moment we thought we had found new travel partners.

In the early afternoon, we enjoyed watching a Little League game while taking a lunch break. Later in the day, as we continued riding north, we made our first crossing of the Mississippi River just outside of Aitkin, MN.

Day 56 Recap: Malmo, MN to Jacobson, MN (86 miles)

Forgotten Gear Item?!

Innovative Tent AC
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

Cut Bank, MT - While eating lunch today, we leafed through a scientific magazine and found an article, which explained the development of modern air conditioner and highlighted its impacted our society.

The article included a picture of an AC unit that a camper had adapted for a tent. Seeing this picture, we reflected on the unusually hot summer nights we have experienced thus far and it led us to question if we had forgotten an AC unit from our gear list?!

Day 55 Recap: Stark, MN to Malmo, MN (80 miles)

Tom Loome's Bookstore

Tom Loome's Bookstore
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

Cut Bank, MT - We toured Tom Loome's bookstore prior to departing Stillwater, Minnesota in the early afternoon. Tom Loome, Dave's father, opened up this bookstore about 20 years ago in a vacant church and now the bookstore is largest theological bookstore in North America.

Today we begin a several hundred mile trek northward to Grand Rapids in northeastern Minnesota and after we reach Grand Rapids, we will start heading west once again.

Day 54 Recap: Stillwater, MN to Stark, MN (54 miles)

A Cracked Wheel & Worn Tires

Cracked Rear Wheel Rim
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

Cut Bank, MT - We stayed in Stillwater, Minnesota today as Dave Loome built and installed a new rear wheel on Drew's bicycle and we replaced our worn bike tires.

Day 53 Recap: Stillwater, MN to Stillwater, MN (3 miles)

Visiting Dave Loome In Stillwater, MN

Central Hub Bike Shop, Stillwater, MN
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

Fargo, ND - This morning crossed the St. Croix River and entered Minnesota enroute to Stillwater, MN. Upon our arrival in Stillwater, we met up with Dave Loome, who we originally met in late June in New York State as he was completeing his own coast-to-coast cyclotour from Washington to Maine.

We contacted Dave, who is a bike mechanic in Stillwater, for guidance after discovering a crack in Drew's rear wheel in Michigan and Dave immediately offered to custom-build a new wheel and install it upon our arrival. We enjoyed meeting back up with Dave to swap stories about our cycletours and we are greatly appreciative for the timely maintenance and service he provided on our bicycles.

Also, we thank Dave's parents, who graciously invited us stay at their home so we could take a respite from our journey and prepare for the remainder of our trip.

Day 52 Recap: Osceola, WI to Stillwater, MN (25 miles)

Midway-Point Rendez-Vous

Ordering DQ Blizzards
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

Fargo, ND - Today we crossed paths with Luke and Olaf just west of Cumberland, Wisconsin. Luke and Olaf are brothers who started cycling east on July 1st from their hometown of Astoria, Oregon on the Pacific coast and they plan to reach their final destination of Bar Harbor, Maine by early September. Our rendez-vous happened to be at the midway point of each of our tours and we enjoyed sharing insight with each other as to what we could expect on the second half of our ride.

After our rendez-vous we rolled into Amery, WI and celebrated reached our mid-way point by getting a couple DQ Blizzards. The DQ Blizzard is another favorite source of "energy food", which we take advantage of when we are able to find a Dairy Queen.

Day 51 Recap: Haugen, WI to Osceola, WI (75 miles)

The Jack-O-Lope

Jack-O-Lope
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

Fargo, ND - We saw this prize winning stuffed Jack-O-Lope while eating lunch at the Chit-Chat Bar & Grill in Edgewater, WI. We learned after chatting with some of the bar's patrons that while this stealth-like animal is legendary in northern Wisconsin, it is rarely seen by humans and in fact, its very existence is often a topic of debate.

We Thank Today's Fans For Life:
Yvonne - Re-opened the Village Grocery Store in Haugen, WI after closing hours so we could buy an ice cream and gave us the opportunity to sign her cross-country cyclist logbook.
Jim - Owner of the Haugen Inn State Bank Bar who gave us a couple ice-cold beverages and peanuts for our enjoyment after a long day on the road.

Day 50 Recap: Clam Lake, WI to Haugen, WI (83 miles)

Mary Completes 550 Miles

Wisconsin Road Sign
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

Fargo, ND - We saw this unusual road sign today as we cycled on a Wisconsin country road and we were not sure what to make of it, but figured it deserved a picture.

More importantly, we want to thank Mary Fordham for riding with us for the past 550 miles from Traverse City, Michigan to Clam Lake, Wisconsin. Today is the last day she is riding with us and and we wish her safe travels as she returns to Houston, Texas for another school year.

Day 49 Recap: Lake Of The Falls Park (6.5 miles west of Mercer, WI) to Clam Lake, WI (51 miles)

Antler's Pub - "The Horniest Bar In Town"

Antler's Pub - Mercer, Wisconsin
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

Fargo, ND - Today we enjoyed riding on quiet county roads in northern Wisconsin, which took us through over rolling hill, through wooded forested and around numerous picturesque lakes.

In the evening, we ate dinner in the small town of Mercer, Wisconsin and afterward as we explored town trying to find the ice cream parlor for a little to have a little desert, we happened to stumble upon the "Horniest Bar In Town".

Day 48 Recap: Long Lake, WI to Lake Of The Falls Park (6.5 miles west of Mercer, WI) (73 miles)

Hitching A Ride To A Bike Shop

Saying Goodbye To Scott Patterson
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

Fargo, ND - Late in morning we crossed into Wisconsin and entered the sparse wilderness of the Chequamegon National Forest. As we cycled through the forest, Mary broke a spoke broke her rear wheel and this caused the wheel to become warped. Although this made her bike nearly unride-able, we decided to continue at a slower pace for the next 12 miles so we could make it to the next town of Phelps, Wisconsin (Population-103 People).

In Phelps we were very fortunate when Scott Patterson graciously offered to drive us to the nearest bike shop, located 15 miles south in Eagle River, Wisconsin, where we could get Mary's wheel repaired the next day.

We Thank Today's Fans For Life:
Dave Hurd & Family - Let us pitch our tents at their lake house on Long Lake and shared an incredible cook-out meal with us with plenty of hamburgers, french fries, baked potatoes and more to go around.

Day 47 Recap: Pentoga County Park, MI to Phelps, WI (41 miles)

Another Hour Of Cycling

Crossing Into Central Time Zone
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

Fargo, ND - Today we picked up an extra hour of cycling time as crossed into the Central Time zone just west of Schaffer, Michigan. We cycled over 2,000 miles before crossing into the new time zone and with this great distance it is hard to believe that Bar Harbor, ME and Schaffer, MI are in the same Eastern Time Zone.

Day 46 Recap: Schaffer, MI to Pentoga County Park, MI (5 miles east of Gaastra, MI) (74 miles)

Bicycle Wear & Tear

Brampton Bike & Ski In Gladestone, MI
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

Fargo, ND - We are seeing wear and tear on our bicycles as we carry heavy loads over a longer distance. Yesterday Greg broke another spoke on his rear wheel so today we stopped at Brampton Bike & Ski in Gladestone, WI to replace the broken spoke. Also, while the shop mechanic was doing some fine tuning on Drew's bike he noticed a crack in Drew's rear wheel. No bike shop in the area had a replace wheel so we are continuing our ride on a cracked wheel for the next 400 miles to Minneapolis, MN where we can get a replacement wheel!

Day 45 Recap: Indian Lake State Park, MI to Schaffer, MI (68 miles)

Energy Food For The Road

Little Debbie Snack Treats
Originally uploaded by TourForLife.org.

Fargo, ND - We bought our first Little Debbie snack treats in Maine and ever since then these snacks have been one of our favorite "energy foods". Today we saw a "2-for-1" deal on Little Debbie's and we definitely took advantage of this incredible deal as we loaded up on more "energy food" for the remainder of our ride through the UP.

Day 44 Recap: Brevort, MI to Indian Lake State Park, MI (just west of Manistique, MI) (76 miles)