Sunday, July 17, 2011
Big Ride Across America 2011
July 15 Tyler to New Ulm 87 miles in severe heat and humidity so thick I could see it. Dick rode with me today. His whole body is swelling and he has been slow the last few days, so he and others decided he needed and extra rest day before the day off. Dr. John listened to his heart and lungs and nothing is awry, so it may just be the heat. We spent a lot of time in a drugstore along the way because it was air conditioned. We traveled through miles and miles of corn fields alternating with soybeans. So, the day I get a navigator is a one page cue sheet with no turns.
Big Ride Across America 2011
July 17 Owatonna MN
OK, I'm back. We're at the Microtel, which has both air conditioning and WiFi. I recommend to you Daria Kurkjy's blog www.bigride2011.com. She even has pictures!
So, continuing on about DeSmet. Daria met a Laura Ingalls Wilder historian from Georgia, who comes to DeSmet every summer. I took another "alternate route" and ended up in Fedora, Noel's father's hometown. Most towns list their population after the name, but Fedora didn't bother. All 2 or 3 of the commercial buildings and several homes were vacant, and the town has a sad look, but is situated in beautiful surroundings on a lake. When we arrived in DeSmet we learned that Charlton had been interviewed by a reporter whose father was from Fedora! I got her phone number from the newspaper office the next day and will give it to Noel when I find it. We think her grandfather may have known some Gilbroughs or Gulbraas.
OK, I'm back. We're at the Microtel, which has both air conditioning and WiFi. I recommend to you Daria Kurkjy's blog www.bigride2011.com. She even has pictures!
So, continuing on about DeSmet. Daria met a Laura Ingalls Wilder historian from Georgia, who comes to DeSmet every summer. I took another "alternate route" and ended up in Fedora, Noel's father's hometown. Most towns list their population after the name, but Fedora didn't bother. All 2 or 3 of the commercial buildings and several homes were vacant, and the town has a sad look, but is situated in beautiful surroundings on a lake. When we arrived in DeSmet we learned that Charlton had been interviewed by a reporter whose father was from Fedora! I got her phone number from the newspaper office the next day and will give it to Noel when I find it. We think her grandfather may have known some Gilbroughs or Gulbraas.
Big Ride Across America 2011
Sun, July 17 New Ulm MN
Very, very hot! And Humid! We spent 2 nights in the non air conditioned dorm at Martin Luther College. We had 3 fans going in our basement room, which made it possible to sleep. Tonight, we are staying in an air conditioned room at the Microtel in Owatonna--72miles for the riders. The temperature will be in the 90's with close to 100% humidity. The city (13,000) is very beautiful, and the town seems prosperous, with 2 quilt shops only a block apart--Spinning Spools http://www.spinningspoolsquiltshop.com/ has lots of batiks, MN fabrics, and other country-is fabrics--The Thimble Box http://www.thethimblebox.com/ has more MN fabrics, including the 2 state birds, the loon and the mosquito. It also boasts the Sven and Ole bookstore. Before we got here, everyone wanted to go to the Wurst Blast at the fairgrounds (this is a very German town), but we soon realized that the fairgrounds probably wasn't air conditioned, so Noel and Dick drove to a wurst house downtown, which was. I bought sandals to cool my feet.
Now to catch up:
July 9 Rapid City We had dinner with Noel's cousins, Diane and Dave at Diane and Ron's house. Daughter Katie and her husban Darren and baby boy were also there. Their home is beautiful, sitting on a hilltop with a view of the countryside and city, and the food was much better than dorm food! Cousin Mark couldn't come, as he was in Pierre, trying to clean up after the flood.
July 10 Rapid to Kadoka, 102 miles through a section of the Badlands. I'm not sure how to describe the Badlands, except to say that it is beautiful in an eerie sort of way. I recommend looking at Charlie Shuttleworth's pictures, which you can see via the American Lung Associaton Big Ride Across America website. Anothe website of note is Daria Kurkjy's, also accessable from the website. We had dinner and breakfast at the H&H Cafe, and eatery with a definite 50's theme--it even had a picture of a 55 Buick, my car during college.
July 11 Kadoka to Pierre 96 miles. Wow, averaging nearly 100miles per day for 2 days in a row! Pierre was badly flooded, so badly that the quilt shop was empty and closed. We were supposed to stay at the city park, but since it was under 4 feet of water, Charlton, the group leader, arranged with the principal of the high school, to stay there. Well, the principle didn't know that the boiler was broken, so no hot water for showers, very necessary after 96 miles. The maintenance man arranged for us to stay at the middle school, along with the Red Cross and the National Guard. We had electricity, so the fan kept us cool at night. The town was a mess, with sandbags everywhere. Noel was warned not to wear his belt with the Corps of Engineers buckle. I took an "alternate route" today, ending up on dirt roads to get back to the highway What the map did not tell me was that the road was washed out. I'm getting pretty good at backing and turning Baby. On the plus side of my adventure: a golden eagle flew up off the ground right in front of the truck, and I saw a meadow lark.
July 12 Pierre to Miller SD 73 miles with rain and a headwind. Again the countryside is all shades of green, plus it was a 3 pheasant day.
July 12 Miller to DeSmet 77 miles. DeSmet was named after Fr. DeSmet, and it was the home of Laura Ingalls Wilder from age 12 to her death in 1956. The Little House books were published from 1932 until 1943, and then postumhously from 1957 to the present. The town is all about Laura, and Hwy 14 is subtitled LIW Highway. We stayed in a park, it rained, all the tents got wet. Bernie and Daria stayed in a hotel
.
Very, very hot! And Humid! We spent 2 nights in the non air conditioned dorm at Martin Luther College. We had 3 fans going in our basement room, which made it possible to sleep. Tonight, we are staying in an air conditioned room at the Microtel in Owatonna--72miles for the riders. The temperature will be in the 90's with close to 100% humidity. The city (13,000) is very beautiful, and the town seems prosperous, with 2 quilt shops only a block apart--Spinning Spools http://www.spinningspoolsquiltshop.com/ has lots of batiks, MN fabrics, and other country-is fabrics--The Thimble Box http://www.thethimblebox.com/ has more MN fabrics, including the 2 state birds, the loon and the mosquito. It also boasts the Sven and Ole bookstore. Before we got here, everyone wanted to go to the Wurst Blast at the fairgrounds (this is a very German town), but we soon realized that the fairgrounds probably wasn't air conditioned, so Noel and Dick drove to a wurst house downtown, which was. I bought sandals to cool my feet.
Now to catch up:
July 9 Rapid City We had dinner with Noel's cousins, Diane and Dave at Diane and Ron's house. Daughter Katie and her husban Darren and baby boy were also there. Their home is beautiful, sitting on a hilltop with a view of the countryside and city, and the food was much better than dorm food! Cousin Mark couldn't come, as he was in Pierre, trying to clean up after the flood.
July 10 Rapid to Kadoka, 102 miles through a section of the Badlands. I'm not sure how to describe the Badlands, except to say that it is beautiful in an eerie sort of way. I recommend looking at Charlie Shuttleworth's pictures, which you can see via the American Lung Associaton Big Ride Across America website. Anothe website of note is Daria Kurkjy's, also accessable from the website. We had dinner and breakfast at the H&H Cafe, and eatery with a definite 50's theme--it even had a picture of a 55 Buick, my car during college.
July 11 Kadoka to Pierre 96 miles. Wow, averaging nearly 100miles per day for 2 days in a row! Pierre was badly flooded, so badly that the quilt shop was empty and closed. We were supposed to stay at the city park, but since it was under 4 feet of water, Charlton, the group leader, arranged with the principal of the high school, to stay there. Well, the principle didn't know that the boiler was broken, so no hot water for showers, very necessary after 96 miles. The maintenance man arranged for us to stay at the middle school, along with the Red Cross and the National Guard. We had electricity, so the fan kept us cool at night. The town was a mess, with sandbags everywhere. Noel was warned not to wear his belt with the Corps of Engineers buckle. I took an "alternate route" today, ending up on dirt roads to get back to the highway What the map did not tell me was that the road was washed out. I'm getting pretty good at backing and turning Baby. On the plus side of my adventure: a golden eagle flew up off the ground right in front of the truck, and I saw a meadow lark.
July 12 Pierre to Miller SD 73 miles with rain and a headwind. Again the countryside is all shades of green, plus it was a 3 pheasant day.
July 12 Miller to DeSmet 77 miles. DeSmet was named after Fr. DeSmet, and it was the home of Laura Ingalls Wilder from age 12 to her death in 1956. The Little House books were published from 1932 until 1943, and then postumhously from 1957 to the present. The town is all about Laura, and Hwy 14 is subtitled LIW Highway. We stayed in a park, it rained, all the tents got wet. Bernie and Daria stayed in a hotel
.
Friday, July 8, 2011
2011 BIG RIDE ACROSS AMERICA
July 7 Gillette to Newcastle 76 miles. Newcastle, as in coals to Newcastle. Hot day. A herd of 7 antelope crossed the road in front of me. One of them couldn't decide which side of the road he wanted to be on, so I had to stop and wait for him to make up his mind. We stayed at the Newcastle Senior Center, which used to be an elementary school. It's huge, and includes 10 apartments. I took a nap in one of the many recliners in the "family" room. They fed us dinner and then breakfast, including sticky buns as good as the ones I make. Oh, I finally remembered what BF stood for--Ben Franklin!. The night was noisy with the coal train whistle--every 45 minutes, lasting for at least a minute. At breakfast our leader, Charlton, thanked Dick Cheney for the coal trains. On my walk this morning I counted 70 empty coal cars heading for the mines. Did you know that WY is the leading producer of coal? It's such a windy state that wind farms have been suggested, but the feeling here is that windmills would be a blight on the countryside. ?
Happy Birthday MaryBeth!!
July 8 Newcastle to Rapid City 80 miles. Our 5th state, where helmets for motorcyclists and cyclists are optional, but recommended. I'm beginning to think I live in the best place possible. On my walk this morning I met 2 boxers, my favorite dogs; one of them jumped up and put her paws on my shoulders, just like our summer dog, Luna, does to Noel every morning. Very sweet. We drove through the Black Hills and Custer State Park, which included a very long downhill, much loved by the riders. Some saw buffalo, but I just saw more antelope. We are staying in a dorm at South Dakota School of Mines and Tech, and wonder of wonders, IT'S AIR CONDITIONED!!! This is the first time I've felt a chill since Seattle. My walking distance has been increasing steadily, and today I walked 10,000 steps--I'll try for it again tomorrow. We will have dinner with Noel's cousin, Diane, tomorrow--we haven't seen her since Michael was about 13. I picked up about 30 mail home boxes for the riders today. Charlton is thrilled to be dropping some weight off the truck.
Happy Birthday MaryBeth!!
July 8 Newcastle to Rapid City 80 miles. Our 5th state, where helmets for motorcyclists and cyclists are optional, but recommended. I'm beginning to think I live in the best place possible. On my walk this morning I met 2 boxers, my favorite dogs; one of them jumped up and put her paws on my shoulders, just like our summer dog, Luna, does to Noel every morning. Very sweet. We drove through the Black Hills and Custer State Park, which included a very long downhill, much loved by the riders. Some saw buffalo, but I just saw more antelope. We are staying in a dorm at South Dakota School of Mines and Tech, and wonder of wonders, IT'S AIR CONDITIONED!!! This is the first time I've felt a chill since Seattle. My walking distance has been increasing steadily, and today I walked 10,000 steps--I'll try for it again tomorrow. We will have dinner with Noel's cousin, Diane, tomorrow--we haven't seen her since Michael was about 13. I picked up about 30 mail home boxes for the riders today. Charlton is thrilled to be dropping some weight off the truck.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Big Ride Across America 2011
Thurs, July 7--Happy birthday MaryBeth!!!
I don't know what happened to my last post, but I'll try to catch up.
July 4 was Hardin, a smallish town with no quilt shop, but there was a quilt show in the library--nice quilts, but nothing spectacular. I did stop at the Ben Franklin for elastic, since some of the riders are shrinking, and I managed to buy a few pieces for my trip quilt, and some batiks. We stayed at the KOA, which had a pool. We passed winter wheat, sugar beet, and behind the KOA was Coors and Budweiser barley. Lots of goldenrod. Tried to identify birds, but there are few places to pull off the road with Baby, so I was frustrated. Many of the riders went to the rodeo, a first for those from the East. We were again catered by Beyond Basil--another fantastic meal!
July 5 was Hardin to Sheridan, 87 miles. Another green day. When we crossed into Wyoming the roads changed from gray to red! I got an adapter for our fan so that we can run it on 12 volt. We've really needed it the last few days. Spectacular lightning storm at night, but no rain. Got to swim again at the KOA, and when I asked someone in the pool where they were from, they said, "Marysville WA". It was a whole family on their way to the grandpa's family reunion in Nebraska. I have seen so many greens on this trip that I have decided to do a small Trip Around the World quilt titled "Trip Around Montana". The greens continue to amaze me. I wrote "BF" in my notes, but I can't remember what it means. I guess I'd better use better abbreviations in the future.
July 6 Sheridan to Gillette WY, 112 miles! I left Sheridan so early that I didn't get to either of the quilt shops, but I did go to the Salvation Army and bought a tank top. I'm still looking for a lightweight skirt to replace the one I forgot, and for commemorative dish towels for my broken dishes quilt. The countryside is changing from lots of green to desert and green, still very beautiful with mountains in the background. The advantage of driving the back roads instead of I 90: In the teeny tiny town of Clearmont, pop 142, was The Best Kept Secret Quilt Shop, the only business in town. My first Kaffe Fassett since Odessa, lots of batiks, lots of half price remnants, $4 a yard fabrics, including Kaffe, $1 fat quarters, 3for$1 fat eighths, and a perfect RV fabric for the border of my journey quilt. She also had lots of felted wool, hand-dyed and others. I asked her why she wasn't in the quilters' travel book, and she said she was for about 5 or 6 years, and only one customer had found out about her from the book, so she saves $800 a year. She has a website: www.thebestkeptsecret.com, but she says she gets more in-store customers. Her prices are quite low. Everyone stopped at the Spotted Horse Cafe at mile 51, a tiny place with one woman running it. As we were leaving, I congratulated her on completing her marathon--it was the first time she smiled since we arrived. Passed our first coal strip mine--what a blight on the otherwise lovely countryside. We stayed at the high school, where we could have electricity. Ate at a restaurant. On restaurant nights each rider is given $12 for food. Noel, Dick and I have been buying our own dinners, which allows the group to buy beer--everybody loves us!
I don't know what happened to my last post, but I'll try to catch up.
July 4 was Hardin, a smallish town with no quilt shop, but there was a quilt show in the library--nice quilts, but nothing spectacular. I did stop at the Ben Franklin for elastic, since some of the riders are shrinking, and I managed to buy a few pieces for my trip quilt, and some batiks. We stayed at the KOA, which had a pool. We passed winter wheat, sugar beet, and behind the KOA was Coors and Budweiser barley. Lots of goldenrod. Tried to identify birds, but there are few places to pull off the road with Baby, so I was frustrated. Many of the riders went to the rodeo, a first for those from the East. We were again catered by Beyond Basil--another fantastic meal!
July 5 was Hardin to Sheridan, 87 miles. Another green day. When we crossed into Wyoming the roads changed from gray to red! I got an adapter for our fan so that we can run it on 12 volt. We've really needed it the last few days. Spectacular lightning storm at night, but no rain. Got to swim again at the KOA, and when I asked someone in the pool where they were from, they said, "Marysville WA". It was a whole family on their way to the grandpa's family reunion in Nebraska. I have seen so many greens on this trip that I have decided to do a small Trip Around the World quilt titled "Trip Around Montana". The greens continue to amaze me. I wrote "BF" in my notes, but I can't remember what it means. I guess I'd better use better abbreviations in the future.
July 6 Sheridan to Gillette WY, 112 miles! I left Sheridan so early that I didn't get to either of the quilt shops, but I did go to the Salvation Army and bought a tank top. I'm still looking for a lightweight skirt to replace the one I forgot, and for commemorative dish towels for my broken dishes quilt. The countryside is changing from lots of green to desert and green, still very beautiful with mountains in the background. The advantage of driving the back roads instead of I 90: In the teeny tiny town of Clearmont, pop 142, was The Best Kept Secret Quilt Shop, the only business in town. My first Kaffe Fassett since Odessa, lots of batiks, lots of half price remnants, $4 a yard fabrics, including Kaffe, $1 fat quarters, 3for$1 fat eighths, and a perfect RV fabric for the border of my journey quilt. She also had lots of felted wool, hand-dyed and others. I asked her why she wasn't in the quilters' travel book, and she said she was for about 5 or 6 years, and only one customer had found out about her from the book, so she saves $800 a year. She has a website: www.thebestkeptsecret.com, but she says she gets more in-store customers. Her prices are quite low. Everyone stopped at the Spotted Horse Cafe at mile 51, a tiny place with one woman running it. As we were leaving, I congratulated her on completing her marathon--it was the first time she smiled since we arrived. Passed our first coal strip mine--what a blight on the otherwise lovely countryside. We stayed at the high school, where we could have electricity. Ate at a restaurant. On restaurant nights each rider is given $12 for food. Noel, Dick and I have been buying our own dinners, which allows the group to buy beer--everybody loves us!
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Big Ride Across America 2011
Sunday, July 3,2011
We're in Billings, where it was 98 degrees today. We just had a little squall that cooled it down a bit. Today was a rest day, so Noel, Dick and I went to Mass where we heard the best sermon ever, and we sang a song to the tune of the Finnish national anthem instead of our own unsingable one. We went out to brunch at a wonderful place called Stella's, then I went to the Art Museum while the guys went to the bike shop. The best exhibit was the Hungarian early 20th century retrospective--I bought the catalogue. I also found out that I had missed the Archie Bray foundation in Helena, so I didn't get to see the pottery. It would have been much better than the quilt shop.
I did find a good quilt shop in Haverton on the 1st. I spent a lot of time in there talking to the owner--I think she's lonely. I managed to find some fabric my friend, Linda Shea was looking for, so it was a successful visit. I also got some 4th of July and some barbed wire fabric for my journey quilt. I had lunch at the cafe in Ryegate, home of the testicle festival (really!) They had Rocky Mountain Oysters on the menu, but I had eggs. Dinner last night was catered by Beyond Basil, and it was fantastic! They will follow us the 55 miles to Hardin tomorrow, because in the caterers words, "Hardin doesn't have shit."
We've seen lots of wildflowers in Montana, and the scenery is still very green, with lots of rolling hills. One of the other Northwesterners and I commented that everyone in Montana has a view, while we are blocked in by trees. I'm really enjoying the open spaces, but I'm not ready for 9 months of winter.
We're in Billings, where it was 98 degrees today. We just had a little squall that cooled it down a bit. Today was a rest day, so Noel, Dick and I went to Mass where we heard the best sermon ever, and we sang a song to the tune of the Finnish national anthem instead of our own unsingable one. We went out to brunch at a wonderful place called Stella's, then I went to the Art Museum while the guys went to the bike shop. The best exhibit was the Hungarian early 20th century retrospective--I bought the catalogue. I also found out that I had missed the Archie Bray foundation in Helena, so I didn't get to see the pottery. It would have been much better than the quilt shop.
I did find a good quilt shop in Haverton on the 1st. I spent a lot of time in there talking to the owner--I think she's lonely. I managed to find some fabric my friend, Linda Shea was looking for, so it was a successful visit. I also got some 4th of July and some barbed wire fabric for my journey quilt. I had lunch at the cafe in Ryegate, home of the testicle festival (really!) They had Rocky Mountain Oysters on the menu, but I had eggs. Dinner last night was catered by Beyond Basil, and it was fantastic! They will follow us the 55 miles to Hardin tomorrow, because in the caterers words, "Hardin doesn't have shit."
We've seen lots of wildflowers in Montana, and the scenery is still very green, with lots of rolling hills. One of the other Northwesterners and I commented that everyone in Montana has a view, while we are blocked in by trees. I'm really enjoying the open spaces, but I'm not ready for 9 months of winter.
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