"Entry for Friday, 8 August 1997

Ray upon entering North Dakota after 667 miles (1073km) of cycling in Montana.

Last Modified on 9/23/97 at 17:33:27

Day's Narrative: [Ray] Neville and I met at 6 am for breakfast at the motel restaurant in Glasgow.

Last night is the second night in a row that there have been plastic mattress covers on the beds. I find it impossible to sleep when these things are on the bed. I lie in sweat wherever I touch the bed. I wonder if people in this region have a bed wetting problem.

[Connie] I kept moving over to a dry spot all night until I used up a whole queen size bed all by myself. I didn't realize the bed was plasticized. I was so sweaty that I had to take another shower in the morning, after my shower the night before.

[Ray] Neville and I were cycling along in the early morning when a train sneaked up behind us and blew his very loud whistle. Neville almost lost it. He hit his shift levers and almost went down. I almost swerved into the left lane. Where did that train come from?

[Neville] While we were peddling along admiring the scenery, a pickup passed us very slowly hauling some sort of farm implement. Ray mentioned the tractor was right behind it and gaining on us very slowly. I said "Here's our chance to draft--jump on it in your big ring as soon as it passes and get in behind it!" I did but Ray didn't! I got into a 52/14 and immediately was up to 25mph!

[Ray] I tried to slip in behind the combine, but then it suddenly accelerated, I hesitated, and after that I couldn't catch it. I saw Neville get behind and take off. Then the combine and Neville drifted off into the distance. That was ok, these farm things don't usually go over a couple of miles, so it was no big deal. I didn't know then that this was a transcontinental combine. I didn't see Neville again until 20 miles away at a Subway restaurant in Wolf Point.

[Neville]I wasn't drafting a tractor but a combine -- a house on wheels taller than I am when I stand up on the pedals! This baby was roaring and I was sucking diesel fumes about 6 feet from this gizmo hanging under it that had Caution! Stay Clear! signs all around it. I was actually riding nearly UNDER THE WHOLE THING! Then it started climbing a long hill--I kept gearing down to keep from losing it. Heart pounding, lungs burning, it slowly slipped away. I thought damn! there goes my ride. But as it crested the hill it didn't accelerate--there was hope. I stood up & jammed! My speed picked up as I started downhill. YES! I was going to close the gap! I was soon under the behemoth, coasting at 25, panting, sucking up more diesel fumes. Can anything beat a free ride across the prairies? And how much longer can I concentrate on this, hands on hoods, head up, ear tuned to roar, listening for any change? Suddenly it slowed -- and I mean suddenly!

I peeked around the side and we were waiting for oncoming traffic before proceeding across a small bridge. I geared way down practically to a track stand and then boom! He was over the bridge and accelerated right up to 25 with probably a flick of the wrist. YOW! I jammed and pulled right out of the cleats! OMIGOD! Clicked back in and a time trial start and it was catch up all over again. Again I caught it and again wondered if this is the way to see America. Ten minutes later the beast slowed but I was ready. It turned off the road and slouched off into a field of waving grain. I turned slow circles on down the road and wondered if my hearing would be permanently impaired.

[Ray] The tailwind had really picked up by Wolf Point and it was only about 10:30. We guessed we would be in Culbertson, a 94 mile (150 km) ride, by noon. We decided that if everything went as expected we should push on to Williston, ND. That would make today a 150 mile (240 km) ride -- more than either of us had ever done before. However, we had to catch Connie, who thought we were still going to stay in Culbertson, and was planning to get motel rooms there.

Connie caught up with us just after Wolf Point with our banana break, and we redid the plans.

The tailwind got stronger as the day wore on. By the middle of the afternoon the wind was 30 mph (50 km/h). If I had extended my arms I would have been airborne!

We stopped at the North Dakota state line and took pictures (see photo). We got into Williston about 5 pm and found Connie at the El Rancho Motel. I was pooped, but Neville was still excited about the day's ride and ready to go on some more. I suggested he do laps around the motel until it wore off.

Time for a shower and a nap.

If we still have the tailwind tomorrow -- as we expect -- Neville and I will try for Minot, ND 125 miles (200 km) away.

[Connie] The motel restaurant had an all-you-can-eat buffet for $5.95 -- the bicyclists dream. It wasn't gourmet cuisine, but there was enough to refuel 2 hard-working cyclists.

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© Ray & Connie Poore, 1997