kellita the señorita the ibby dibby dow: New Town? More like Oil Town

Something I didn't know - North Dakota is becoming one of the fastest-growing oil producing areas in the U.S. If I've ever seen an oil rig in person, I don't remember until now. Every time I saw one today among the beauteous North Dakotan landscapes, it made me feel a little angry. Not outwardly, or crazily, but because of the recent oil spill. I just have a totally negative reaction to it.

Yesterday was the most stressful day I've had in the van on this trip, and probably the most dangerous for everyone on the bike. The road we were on to New Town had no shoulder, and had cars flying by the riders at 65mph (at least that's the posted limit), mostly oil trucks, but huge trucks that wouldn't slow down or move over. It was even scary for me, and I was in the van. Plus the head winds were at about 15-20mph. The riders were not happy upon arriving at the high school, and we totally understood given the circumstances of the day. As a leader team, we decided that we needed to come up with another option since we were supposed to be on the same road again today. Unfortunately in this area of the country, there aren't a lot of other options. There are no paved roads that run parallel to our route, and we didn't know if the gravel roads would be a good option.

The only way to find out was to do a little road trip action and drive the route. So KG and I set off at 8pm to find a better way. After stopping at an oil rig to ask the men in the biz where they aren't driving, and which ways might work, we kept going. Anyone who knows me well knows how much I love a great road trip. This was no different. We got to see a kick ass sunset over the rolling hills. After driving the route to Teddy Roosevelt National Park, we were quite pleased with ourselves, and decided that even though 1/3 of the route was gravel, it was the best bet to keep the team safe and happy. After a quick pit stop for coffee, and KG denying a bum a ride south, we were on our way back. But then we passed the other route the men had suggested and thought it was best to check that out as well because it could be better. After seeing 3 owls, several deer, and some bats, getting dusted by oil trucks flying down gravel roads, almost being hit by a drunk driver who swerved right for Elvis, trespassing on forbidden land, and deciding that we were the characters in some scary movie who you scream at not to go that way, we gave up and headed back home. Unfortunately, we landed back at the school at 4am, just in time for 2 hours of shut eye.

The great news from all of this is that the riders were so happy to be off Rt 23, they didn't even care about gravel roads. I rode with Sam and Trav because they were excited about the gravel. It was good for me to be with a positive and funny crew so I could keep my lack of sleep under control. (Those of you who know me well also know I'm not very functional or nice if I'm sleep deprived). Today was one of the best rides of the trip even though it felt like it took forever.

We ended our ride into TRNP, and I wish I could end every day riding my bike into some amazing national park/outdoor mecca. It was so amazing. We are camping tonight. I LOVE CAMPING, and wish we could camp every night for the rest of the trip. Dinner was hobo dinners in the fire, followed by s'mores. Showers were a bike tube tied around a cold spicket as a hose. We're sooooo creative, huh? And the park comes complete with buffalo. Seriously, real buffalo. They don't have this kind of wildlife at any of the places in the Midwest I camped as a kid. They walked up about 25 feet from our campground. NBDs. NBDs.

We have 7 tents, and my tent crew is Sarah, Trav, Abbs, and Jamey. It's funny when everyone gets in their tent to go to bed. When we're all in one room and peeps go to bed, it's business time, and everyone goes to sleep. But put us in small groups in tents out in the great wide open, and the giggling starts. Laying in our tent, we can hear everyone chatting and laughing, and it's funny because I feel like I'm 10 years old again camping with my sister in my back yard. Only these people aren't my sister, I'm 28, and we're in North Dakota with buffalo nearby. Weird. Michael so nicely told his tentmates that he soaked their undies in peanut oil, and his own in bear mace, and that he hoped they slept well. Jerk.

Today was a good day. And it's good because yesterday started our longest stretch of consecutive ride days: 11. And yesterday as #1 of those 11 days was a horrible way to start the positive energy for the stretch. Good thing we recovered for day 2. Bring on the next 9 northern U.S. We're ready.