Tuesday 8-7-07 Day 3 - Lake Metigoshe St. Park 69 miles

Time-4 hr 42 min Max Speed-28.4 mph Ave Speed-14.6 mph Calories-2235

Today was quite a good day. I woke up early as usual but got up anyway. It was very foggy and could see the fog clouds rolling down the streets. Marian wanted to ride with me so we ate at the school and left around 6:15 AM. I only had my pink arm warmers, and was cold at first, but warmed up as we rode. She really pushed me but I was able to keep up - riding steady at about 17 or 19 mph. The adjustment on my shifter really helped a lot and wasn't difficult at all.

This first rest stop was 23 miles from Towner and a welcome site as we were all pretty chilled from the thick fog. But thankfully, they had plenty of hot chocolate and PB&J sandwiches.

Here the boy scouts (or their Moms) were handing out small bags of gold (painted stones) and blankets which were worth real gold to all of us - we need to stop to get food, but when you stop pedaling in this weather, the chill really sets in.

This was kind of eerie looking and beautiful at the same time so we had to stop and get a picture.

Every year I manage to get a ND sunflower picture, so this year I decided not to take one in sunshine, but in the morning fog.

We stopped at all the rest stops. The big hill at the entrance to the Turtle Mountains was very long, but I was able to gear way down so my heart rate didn't get too bad. At the start of the hill, it was a little difficult to realize we were going uphill. Many of the riders couldn't figure out why it was so hard to pedal and got off to investigate the possibility of a flat tire. The gradual incline was subtle enough to trick us, especially in view of the higher bluffs on the horizon. We didn't stop at the rest stop called 'Mystical Horizons' - as it looked like more uphill pedaling. About this time, the sun came out and we started taking off layers of clothing. The entrance to the park was all decorated with balloons in an archway and we got a refreshing spray of water as we biked through it. Marian and I found a place to tent next to some trees but not too far from the bathrooms. After a great shower in the camp's bathrooms - we were early so had plenty of hot water - we looked around for a place for lunch, and discovered we would have to bike or walk to a restaurant a few miles down the road. I wasn't up for that, so I talked one of the park's rangers into giving me a ride to a little ice cream shop not too far down the road. I discovered many others had the same idea. There I met up with Bob and Kathy aka 'bobkat' and we reviewed the day's route. Kathy was just getting in, Bob had been there awhile and was all cleaned up like me. Then Dave came up and joined us for a few minutes. While there, Steve phoned me and agreed to pick me up at this place. I forgot that he hadn't seen me since I got my hair cut short, so he was a little surprised. After visiting for a bit with him and some friends of his who also pulled up for a cone, we headed off to explore the park. He took me over to Mystical Horizons and showed me some great views.

Canada is easily visible from this spot.

Here is something fancy my camera will do - a panoramic view from Mystical Horizons. North Dakota on the left and Canada on the right. Kind of hard to see how high I was from this small picture.

At this same spot is an impressive huge sundial.

Some local campers taking their dog for a swim at one of the campsites.

We stopped at a few camping areas, then he took me to some huge gardens he developed for a family who wished to be as self-sufficient as possible I guess. I learned a couple things, first that you can grow tobacco to make it into a natural insecticide, and a good raccoon repellent for the sweet corn is to plant the pumpkin and squash in the rows between the corn. Steve swears it keeps those critters away.

One of the many gardens for the Bartlett family - oats must be harvested by hand for their livestock. Large green plants are tobacco.

Some of the chickens roosting in between all the gardens.

We made our way over to his cabin and the health center he takes care of as the groundskeeper. He talked me into going for a canoe ride with one of his 3 dogs. Little Moxie was so enthusiastic and a lot of fun. The other two dogs weren't as energetic as that little black one, but did come out for a swim along side the canoe for a bit. It was so pretty on that little lake, very relaxing.

Here is the health center/retreat where my friend Steve lives and is the groundskeeper. Very beautiful on the inside as well.

These are the other 'residents' that have become good buddies of Steve while he works around the grounds. I think this place must be dog heaven - plenty of room to run, play and swim.

On the canoe with little Moxie in charge at the front of the canoe. She would jump out and go for a swim and then back in and join us.

Moxie and the St. Bernard are swimming out to meet us.

My friend Steve doing what seems to come naturally for him.

After a small supper of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and sweet corn, he brought me back to my tent as I was getting pretty sleepy by then. Before I hit the air mattress I chatted for a bit with Marian. Then I found Deb, Dave & Sheila and talked with them about the day's activities as well. They had a bit of trouble with flat tires and some road construction detour confusion, but I think they enjoyed the day anyway. My friend Randy Narum from Garrison called me just before I fell asleep and wanted to get together in Butte on Friday as it isn't too far from his farm. I was feeling pretty good and promised Marian not to get up too early in the morning as the Peace Gardens don't open before 7 AM anyway. We had a little thunderstorm during the evening, but it didn't last long and nothing got very wet. I have to say that Lake Metigoshe was probably the highlight of the tour this year. I wasn't aware of the Turtle Mountains and just how peaceful and beautiful they are - and in such stark contrast to the area I live in on the edge of the Badlands with stony buttes and not many trees in site.