2015-07-10 - ND - Day 44 - Bismarck to Hebron

Today was a day of beautiful hills. I left camp around 8:15 AM, riding alone. A number of people had gone into town for breakfast, but Libby and Svetlana caught up to me on the bridge after I lubed my bike chain near Bismarck. I rode with them for most of the way to our first stop in New Salem. During the ride, there was one downhill portion where a wasp or some other stinging insect flew into my face and got caught between my helmet strap and my head. It panicked and stung me right in the scalp. I had to pry it off, ripping its body apart in the process, and then dig its stinger out of my skin. It hurt. Meanwhile, Libby was talking to Svetlana, remarking that although it was hilly, the light wind and surrounding beauty made it quite enjoyable.
    Me: "Ow, ow, ow, ow."
    Libby: "I'm having so much fun!"
    Me: "Ow, ow, ow, ow."
The sting hurt for several minutes before the pain began to dissipate. 

Soon I reached New Salem where people were serving us free food at the United Church of Christ. I enjoyed some lentils and the best fruit salad of this trip. The sweet church ladies, eager to help, gave us drinks and took away our used plates. Did you know the giant cow sculpture in Salem cost $40,000? I discovered that I had a flat and stopped to fix it while others visited the town's giant cow mascot. The ride from the first to the second stop included a 12.5 mile segment of Interstate 94. The road was smooth with a gradual downward slope and a tailwind which made for fast riding. The shoulder, although wide, had a rumble strip which left only a narrow lane a foot and a half across in which to cycle comfortably. Imagine trying to keep your front wheel within this safe zone while avoiding tire scraps and roadkill as cars raced by on your left with dubious respect for the 75 mph speed limit and wildflowers on your right conspired to ensnare your derailleurs. Anyway, some people liked it and others hated it.

I finished the ride with Libby on smooth roads pushed by a wonderful tailwind, a fantastic twelve mile stretch to end the day. Some others opted to skip the second rest stop altogether and stay on the interstate all the way to Hebron where we stayed in a nice warehouse at the back of the town's city hall.