Day 42 – Saturday 7/9/22

Dickinson, North Dakota to Glendive, Montana – 101.7 Miles

Today was the second 100-mile plus day in a row, although I don’t think I’ll go for three tomorrow. The original plan was to put in about 60 miles and spend some time looking around the area. Medora was the first choice, since it was near Theodore Roosevelt National Park, but any inquiry I made about a motel room or campsite was answered with a “No”. Other choices in North Dakota were too small or didn’t have anything to do near them. Glendive was the first sizeable town in Montana but was 100 miles away. However, it was in Montana and today is the end of week six on the road. So, the attraction of adding another state to the list (Number 12) before week 7 began was a good enough reason to spend another eight hours with Ishmael.

The rainstorms here have the courtesy to happen at night (so far). I woke up a little after 5 AM thinking a jet was flying over the hotel, but it was a large thunderstorm that ended about 6:15. The forecast for the rest of the day was good between Dickinson and Glendive, so I packed up and left at 8:00. The ACA map got me out of town and onto Old Highway 10 within a half hour, although I could have taken the Interstate close to the hotel and gone straight to Glendive. Both North Dakota and Montana allow bicycles to use Interstate highways, which is a time-saver if you don’t mind the traffic and the noise.

Once on Highway 10, the scenery and hills were looking familiar.

Shortly after the town of Belfield, it was time to get on Interstate 94 to Medora.

The wide shoulder on I-94 makes riding safe and easy. A few miles later Theodore Roosevelt National Park announced itself.

I pulled off the Interstate to a park visitor center and found dozens of others had the same idea. Full summer travel madness reigned, with people from many different states taking pictures, reading signs and yelling at their kids. I was able to slip off to the side and get some pictures of the Painted Canyon.

The scenery had shifted from the rolling green hills that I’d seen for days to the exposed rock formations in the pictures and stayed that way. This was starting to look like the West.

There was even a gathering of Buffalo.

Eventually, I reached the Medora exit.

Medora wasn’t a place I’d heard of, but its proximity to Theodore Roosevelt National Park makes it a tourist magnet. The cool people were arriving on bicycles, but cars and motorcycles brought in the less fortunate. Food, accommodations and entertainment were all there in a town of 129. Location, location, location. I stopped at the convenience store and ate lunch outside while viewing the herd.

The road back to I-94 was quiet.

I was only on the Interstate until the next exit, when I returned to Highway 10. I could have remained on I-94 but had read good reviews of 10’s scenery and serenity.

Few cars passed me during the 22 miles I was on 10, but I was passed by a train.

Shortly after 4:00 PM Mountain time, I reached Montana.

There were 30 miles left to Glendive, and I got there faster than expected. Once in a while, for no reason, cycling almost instantly becomes extremely easy. I was moving along at 10 to 12 mph most of the day, but the last two hours to Glendive things were different. I was climbing moderate inclines at 17 mph and rolling at up to 22 mph on the flats. When that happens it’s as if the bike is carrying you along with no effort on your part. I imagine people buy E-bikes so they can have that feeling all the time, but I’d rather be surprised occasionally by my own performance than spend the money to have it be instantly available.

I checked into the Yellowstone River Inn just off the Interstate. The price was good, the room was clean, and the attached restaurant served up some of the best food on the trip. After a day of trail mix, cookies and Gatorade, it’s a pleasure to order from a menu.

Today was a good day, despite losing my ride data from the phone app. It’s backed up in the Garmin but will have to stay there until I get home to download it. Now that I’m in Montana, I’ll need to figure out possible destination towns across the state, since some have no services and are widely spaced. Crossing Montana could take some time, but I estimate no more than 10 days.