May 23, 2007

May 23, 2007 Bismarck to Mobridge - 130 miles

“…every man’s daydream of ordinary men doing extraordinary, improbable things”

The headwinds are hurling today at about 25-30 miles per hour and the riders are working hard to keep the bikes in motion. Although, the scenery makes up for any weariness. The terrain is sprawling along the Missouri River where the Lewis and Clark Expedidtion was introduced to the sage grouse and we are having no lack of the birds around here.

This quote from ‘The Saga of Lewis & Clark’ should sum up the surreal sights throughout our day; “The radiant wildflowers bob in the angled sunlight, and long shadows stretch across the land, revealing every fold and undulation among the smooth, grassy hills that line the river.” Over and over again, the bikers top out over the dome shaped hills only for the others to be revealed. (see photo)

Today the riders took to the van for a few miles of refuge. The miles they did put in sure felt like 130... so, ‘let’s call it good’. The winds were just too straining to push ahead without a rest.

Tonight we stay at the Best Wrangler Value Inn on the Missouri again. The manager, Pat, is excited about our adventure and signs our van with pleasure. It’s a great hotel and again, a beautiful town on the river.

“This may very well just be the best day of my life!” - Dick

Note: To our readers, you can enlarge the photos to get a better idea - expressions tell a thousand words.