We got an early start from Rugby. The riding is fairly level but because of the wind in our faces it is slow. We arrive in Devils Lake about 60 miles and 6 hours later. Devils Lake is a very interesting place. The name has to do with the Sioux Indians name which referred to the salinity of the lake which made it unfit to drink. Devils Lake, like the Great Salt Lake and the Dead Sea, is a closed system, normally. Water flows into the lake but there isn’t any natural outlet to flow to the ocean. The lake is known to fluctuate a great deal from year to year and actually overflowed naturally about 1000 years ago into the Sheyenne River Basin. Now, there is a lot of controversy because the water level is rising, and has been rising for a variety of reasons for about 20 years. We are now seeing flooding of cropland, buildings being moved or abandoned, and there is controversy about what to do about the situation. There are public works projects and environmental concerns about releasing lake water into the Sheyenne River. Meanwhile the lake keeps rising. It is pretty close to overflowing naturally. There is no easy solution that will make everyone happy. According to our motel clerk, Devils Lake motels are full with workers because of the local flooding. Flooding has certainly been the common theme for this whole trip.
Greg
June 24
Randy and I woke up this morning wondering how often the train passed Surrey last night. I thought 6 times, Randy thought 8. We soon found out it was the last few trains leaving Minot for the east. Highway 2 and Amtrak were both shut down due to flooding. As we rode this morning the road was about the same, but it was eerie to ride on a divided 4 lane highway with hardly any traffic. We had talked to a North Dakota State Trooper as we were leaving, he said it looked like we could still travel east but there was water on the road about 30 miles east. When we got there it was amazing to see the flooding Mouse River so defined all the way around the highway and even flowing over it. We had to ride our bikes through the flowing water. This evening we are staying in Rugby which is the geographical center of North America. Once again, the people are very friendly. We were directed to the library, from there we were directed to a drug store and a grocery store. At the drug store a man came up to us and asked if we were tourers. He then told us a comprehensive bikers list of information about Rugby; library location and hours, where to camp and that it was shady and had showers, the best food in town, who had the cheapest pop. We took his advice about the camping. It’s at a combination City Park and Fairgrounds. Preparations are going on here tonight for the Fair next week so we had several people to talk to. Because of flooding, the consensus seems to be we should stay on highway 2 for a while longer.
Greg
Our ride from Stanley to Minot was on roads very similar to yesterdays ride from Williston, but the traffic was better. I think because of the eminent flood in Minot. Flood waters are expected to crest 9 feet above the historic 1969 flood level and 6 and a half feet above the 1881 flood level. Minot is under mandatory evacuation by 6:00 tonight and the roads are in danger of being covered by water so we are anxious to get past Minot. In Berthold, about halfway, we met another biker traveling to Astoria and we talked about route troubles we were each facing going our opposite directions. We helped him pump up his tires and went on our way. When we got to Minot we talked to a State Patrolman who said if we made it past Minot we would probably be OK. As we traveled on highway 2 at one point, we could see water lapping at the edges of the highway. We stopped for supper and had a very nice conversation with the 19 year old waitress, mostly about our bike trip and then the conversation shifted to our eligible sons. After dinner we rode just 5 miles more to Surrey, North Dakota. We are staying in a quite nice trailer park with maybe 8 trailer neighbors. Nice showers, sunny skies and we were surprised to find that Adventure Cyclists camp free!
Greg
First day of summer. We woke up early in Stanley, drove back to Williston to pick up the bikes. As we drive it’s raining and we preview the road we will ride. It’s a 4 lane divided highway with good shoulders most of the time. About 20 miles of road has very narrow shoulders of about 8 inches. Sand extends a few feet further from the shoulder, the sand is too soft to ride on but can be used as an escape route. We have breakfast in Williston and discuss abandoning riding the next section. Riding is both physically and mentally challenging. One advantage of riding with someone else is that if one person is having anxiety over some stretch of road ahead the other person is usually able to reassure that everything will be OK. Unfortunately this morning we were both having doubts about the safety of the days ride. It didn’t matter though, we had no options, we were going. We left our gear at the Fire Station, then dropped off the car at the airport. It was a couple of miles to the Fire Station so we were thinking of getting a taxi. As we waited we were talking to the airport Security Officer, Greg, about our trip. When he found out we needed a ride downtown he said he had to go downtown anyway and offered to take us. So we were shuttled one way by the Fire Department and the other way by Airport Security! Our ride to Stanley was fine. We had hardly a drop of rain. We used the sand escape route 3 or 4 times just to be safe, and we saw our Williston Fire Department Ambulance friends traveling home from a long distance transfer. They honked and waved. As we arrived at our motel we met a group of bike riders traveling from Bar Harbor, Maine to Anacortes, Washington. We made arrangements to meet them for dinner but somehow our wires were crossed, we never could find them. Oh yes, we heard this morning that Minot is flooding and being evacuated. That’s our destination tomorrow, Minot.
Greg
After checking into our place in Williston we went to dinner and met 2 guys named Jason and Jerry who worked for Ziegler Cat. They are both heavy equipment mechanics working in North Dakota for their Twin City, Minnesota clients who are here for the oil boom. The boom it’s self is unbelievable. There are hundreds of trucks traveling both directions at tremendous speeds on every road it seems like. Roads are disintegrating and the local infrastructure is taxed almost beyond capacity; motel rooms are very very difficult to find and every sort of restaurant is crowded. There are fuel lines at every gas station. The locals are understandably aggravated. But the guys we met last night, Jason and Jerry were very cordial and friendly. The restaurant was crowded and they invited us to share their table. Jerry has 5 kids, Jason is a single guy. They were both interesting and enjoyable to talk to. They even gave us advice to go to Grandmas when we’re in Duluth, Minnesota.
We have known for about a week that we might have problems in this area with a place to stay, so we tried to make reservations. The original plan was to rent a room for Sunday and Monday in Williston, rent a car Monday and continue biking on Tuesday to Stanley. Problem is there is a room for Sunday but absolutely no room in Williston on Monday. Next plan, find a room for 2 nights in Stanley for Monday and Tuesday, drive rental car back to Williston Tuesday morning then ride to Stanley. That works, we set that up. Next problem, where to keep the bikes in Williston? Bike shop? Turns out there are no longer any bike shops in Williston. So I phone the Williston Fire Department, explain our situation and my connection to Fire Service. Tom, the Fire Fighter I’m talking to, is more than willing to help us out. We arrange to bring our bikes by the Station about 9:00 next morning. Once at the Station we meet Tom and three other men on duty for the day; Steve, Dave, and John. They show us around the apparatus floor where they have the very first motorized fire engine in North Dakota. We take pictures of the Fire Fighters and Engine 1. Then have pictures of us in the Engine. Finally they ask about our plans and car. When we say it’s at the airport, they arrange transportation for us! The guys in the Williston Fire Department are great. We owe them a tremendous thanks. After renting the car we drove to Theodore Roosevelt Park to see the Badlands. Great trip. Tonight in Stanley, riding from Williston tomorrow.
Greg
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