More Oil Than Saudi Arabia

To Little Yellow Stone Park, North Dakota -- 47.4 miles, 12.0 mph, 875 ft

“We have more oil than Saudi Arabia.” So said Mylene at the Traxside Cafe in Enderlin. She introduced herself as the welcoming committee for cross-country cyclists riding through and was a wealth of information about the town and state. Apparently, the largest locomotive roundhouse -- housing seventeen engines -- was right there in town. We also learned that North Dakotans don't use the term fracking, cannot possibly get enough workers, and the state has enough money to guarantee all children free health care.

The second of two storm fronts came through at 6:30 a.m., which convinced us we should head the few blocks to downtown for breakfast and wait until after breakfast to pack up the now wet tent. Kindred is a lovely little town with quiet streets, wide yards, and well-maintained homes from the 1930’s.

Today is the best my leg has felt for at least a week. I'm almost walking normally. Fortunately, it was another relatively easy day although we had an unrelenting headwind for the last 15 miles. The sky was filled with cotton ball clouds and the terrain was gently undulating with freshly tilled or recently planted fields and periodic small ponds complete with mallard ducks and surrounded by reeds. Unfortunately, it was very difficult to appreciate the view because Hwy 46 is a horrible road for biking. For dozens of miles, the rumble strip is smack dab in the middle of the ten-inch-wide shoulder. Five seconds is about all any sane bicyclist can take, so for miles and miles you must ride on or just to the left of the white line. Fortunately, the many semis were very respectful and moved to the oncoming lane if possible… it just wasn't always possible.

Roadway... rumble strip... gravel

Enderlin

Little Yellowstone Park is awesome. Lots of trees, wide expanses of freshly mown grass, and dozens of spaced-apart campsites with tables and fire pits. Not only that, we had the run of the entire place -- bathrooms, gazebos, playground.... We also, for the very first time, got to break out our propane stove, collapsable pot, and color coded, four-piece eating set.

Dex and Kylie have clearly been spending too much time together. They have, unfortunately, become experts at the art of escalation. This afternoon, after arriving in camp, we switched spots but left Dex and Kylie's shoes, helmets, and Camelbacks for them to move. Dex fetched all the stuff deciding to ford the small stream instead of taking the bridge. He tossed the shoes to Kylie, but then, despite her protests threw her camelback up the embankment where it landed in the dirt because he “couldn't carry both up the embankment". She was upset at his blatant disregard for her request, so threw his shoes down almost into the stream. So Dex threw her helmet into the water where it “just barely got wet.” Kylie retrieved her helmet and hit Dex with it, and then Dex dumped the recently found and highly coveted bottle of bubbles that Kylie had found at the playground. And just like that, North Korea launches nukes at US warships!

On the other hand, the camera is rarely out during the feuds and they luckily have very short memories.