Day 30/24 : August 7, 2011

Culbertson, MT to Williston, North Dakota

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Late night.

Late start.

It was hot and noon.

The ride was nothing new.

Brown.

Hot.

I was in a similar funk as yesterday.

and I was trying so hard to not let it get to me.

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We entered state #4

North Dakota

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We were in Williston around 4PM.

I was unaware of time.

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At the park we found, we ran into a local.

Who talked with us for nearly an hour.

Williston is a huge black gold town (oil).

A city ratio of 1 woman : 12 men.

He said the town had grown by 3,000 to 4,000

in a few years.

He told us about the culture.

About where he has been and why he is where he is now.

He has a large scar on his face.

He was a mountaineer.

While out climbing, a climber above warned of loose rock falling.

He looked up.

And woke in a hospital.

Rock had pulled the skin off his scalp.

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He warned that us cyclist need to be careful on the road.

A lot of drunks.

and

A lot of inexperienced drivers in big rigs.

and

A lot of inexperienced drunk drivers in big rigs.

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We heard that from multiple people we ran into, whether in the library or in the community center or grocery store.

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The guy in there says,

"You two on bikes? You shouldn't be able to be on the roads.

You guys cause accidents.

You get young kids coming out here to make money.  They're drinking and driving.

Then, you guys are riding on the roads and these kids don't know what to do.

They shouldn't allow you on the roads.  You're causing accidents."

*

I had previously been feeling an urge to get away from the reminders that the plains

where taking me to.

I wasn't enjoying my bike trip.  I was not wanting to get on my bike each morning.  I wanted it to be done.

After hearing the unwelcoming greetings of the area, I didn't want to be on the road.

And having pedalled beside train tracks mile after mile,

and having never taken a train,

and there being an amtrak...

I wanted to take a ride on the tracks.

I asked Greg if he would be okay with taking the amtrak out of this area.

We booked 2 seats to Fargo.

Departure: Tomorrow evening.