Wind and good people

So we broke 1000 miles. We stopped for a clif bar as we did it and chatted about how the two of us have never felt more patriotic than we do as we progress through the heartland of our country. And as we're getting ready to saddle up a bald eagle flies overhead. I shit you not.

We're still astounded by the people we've met. In bars and cafes everyone has been super friendly, and we've had some folks take us in that are simply fantastic.
I think we met the guy from the Dos Equis commercial, the most interesting man in the world, Dean of Minneapolis. He and his wife, Jenny, took us in out of the rain and showed us a great time. They talked to us about Urban Farming, starting Co-ops, being a green on the City Council, biking, and hiking food around FBI lines into the seige at Wounded Knee. Amazing people.
Then in Alexandria, MN, Martin and I are sitting enjoying a beer after a long day of riding and a man rides up and asks us about our trip. We get to talking and he ends up offering a space in his gorgeous backyard to put up our tents. Dan is a man that you want to emulate: a grandfather, incredibly fit, has ridden nearly every major bike trail in the Midwest, maybe the US. He's got a house on a lake with a gorgeous view. And just a generally friendly and generous person. It was great sitting on his back lawn talking and watching the thunderstorms over the lake.
And now we're in Fargo, where we met Judith at the local bike shop. She gave us some good information and then offered up her floor as a place to crash. She's been fantastic, loves bikes, beer and a good time. Obviously, we enjoyed ourselves immensely hanging out with her. We'll take her out for breakfast, and then hit the road.

I need to mention the wind. It makes or breaks us each day. The days where it's at our bikes we can cruise at upwards of twenty miles per hour and you feel like your flying on a magic carpet or something. The days when it is a headwind exhausts you and sends your morale spiraling downward. We had a wsw wind, 30 mph with gusts to 50 mph, when we were headed wnw. It was brutal, giving everything you had and barely maintaining 9 mph. We are at the mercy of the weather. Pray for se winds for us.

Here are some pictures from my phone:



Highway 61 along the mississipi in Minnesota.




Our first dairy queen stop of the trip (this was very important to us), in lake city, mn.



Martin is very pleased with his blizzard.



On the trail with a bit of cover from the brutal wind.

That's all i got. Well I should go wake Martin (I do it everyday).

Location:N Broadway Dr,Fargo,United States