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This section of the trip took me from home, Shaker Heights, Ohio [1], to Canmore, Alberta [6], just outside Banff National Park.
Day 1 - Friday |
| I left Peter and Mary's the next morning without my wallet, which I discovered 20 miles later when I tried to fill up with gas. Luckily, I made it back to to get my wallet and back to the gas station with just fumes left. |
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I got to Minneapolis to Chris and Maria's, and grandson Emmet and granddaughter Claire. Spent two overnights, repacked my stuff and sent some excess clothes back home. Had a great time playing with little Claire - that's her on my shoulders. |
Day 3 - Sunday
| Monday morning Emmet came
out to sit on the bike with me before I left. We had a great time Sunday and
Monday building forts, playing with Tinker Toys, telling stories, and coloring. The time with Claire and Emmet will be one of the highlights of my trip.
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Day 4 - Monday
Today I took Interstate 94 all the way from Minneapolis through Moorhead, MN and Fargo, ND, through Bismark and to Dickinson, ND, where I spent the night -- about 530 miles in all. The speed limit is 75, so the miles roll by pretty fast. The air was clean and fresh and in the low 70's - perfect temperature for riding. There was a strong wind out of the North about 25 mph and gusting, which made passing the big trucks a little dicey until I learned what to expect. The bike would lean over 10-15 degrees until I caught up to the truck, then it become upright while passing the truck and out of the wind, then it would list over again as soon as I cleared the truck.
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On the left is a photo of I-94 just east of Moorhead, MN. Not much traffic on the interstate! On the right is a similar photo west of Jamestown in central North Dakota. Spectacular open country - all was well with the world.
Day 5 - Tuesday
| Just a few miles west of Dickinson, and near the Montana boarder, I stopped at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park in the North Dakota Badlands. It was a spectacular sight... |
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The park ranger was looking for a buffalo that usually hangs around but she couldn't find it, so she loaned her binoculars to this young man to see if he could find it. The buffalo were disgusted at the commotion caused by road work near the park and were making themselves scarce, she explained. |
| The ride west of the Park was beautiful, like this, for the next 20 miles. The badlands stretch all the way south to the South Dakota badlands. Wind and rain constantly erode the badlands and in another few thousand years they will all be smoothed out. |
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Soon after entering Montana I exited I-94 and took Montana state highway 200 straight west to Grand Falls, where I spent the night. By "straight west" I mean really straight west! I love these roads in the west where the asphalt disappears into the horizon miles ahead. It makes my blood bubble - like champagne. |
Day 6 - Wednesday
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Much of the ride to Calgary today was in the rain - some of it heavy and accompanied by strong winds. Still, the views of the countryside had a quiet, peaceful beauty... |
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| I stopped for the night in Canmore, Alberta, west of Calgary and just a few miles from Banff. It was rainy and foggy when I got in, but the next morning this is what I saw when I looked outside - a preview of what was to come on my ride up through Banff and Jasper National Parks. |
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Last updated:
11/29/07 |
