July 13 Day 43 Fargo 68 miles
Cold morning. We stopped at Erie for a coke at the gas station. We met farmers James and Gene. I was surprised at how anti-war they are. James owns the old bank building, the only remaining original building. He maintains something of a museum in it. When we think back to Binford, to Stanley, to Cooperstown, and Erie, we are struck by how fiercely proud everyone is of their little town. There's something shared and strong in these little towns that we of the big cities have perhaps forgotten.
Lunch at the American Legion hall in Hanford.
Marvelous service at Island park Bicycles in Fargo. New tire, new handlebar tape for me. Michele's shifters repaired. She's had big trouble with them pretty much all along. The shifters balked at shifting gears, especially into low gears when she was desperate to get into a low gear to climb a hill. Michele wants it said that she knows I thought the problem was Michele, not the shifter (there's some truth in that - Michele is impatient with mechanical objects. I figured that part of the problem was that she waited too long to downshift and put too much pressure on the pedals while shifting), but she is vindicated. Something was busted and the cable was sticking as well. So there you are, Michele. New gloves for both of us. The bike shop maintains a map with pins for the home towns for all the cross-country bicyclists. Lots around San Francisco and Seattle, many in the New York-Boston area. Some from Texas (Austin?). It tails off rapidly after that. None at all from most "red states". What's it mean?
First rest day in a long time tomorrow. Our friend Katie Lambden finished second in a women's professional bike race at Fitchburg, Massachusetts, a few days ago. She'll compete in the national championships at Seven Springs, Pennsylvania, July 16. Check her out at www.teamtibco.com/blog/ Root for her!
A couple of other notes. Michele and Roy are informally tallying the roadkill differences from state to state. Lots of deer in Oregon. Snakes in Idaho. For some reason three grouse in one day in Montana, never to be seen again. One porcupine. Ground squirrels in North Dakota.
Have you ever noticed those cracks that develop in a road surface after a few years? Often filled with tar until the crack opens some more. You just feel them as a tremor in the steering wheel and maybe a gentle "thwup" sound. For us, they are butt-breaking "Thwap-thawps" as the front wheel and then the rear whell falls in and bounces out, every twelve feet mile after mile, until we are ready to go mad! Just thought you'd like my opinion.