Cenex Gas Station My Favorite Restaurant

Day 25, Saturday, Sept. 16th. Dickinson – New Salem, ND 79 miles, Total Miles 1,661. Ascent 1,877

My hotel room looks like a yard sale! I have all my gear spread out over the floor and draped over my bike, drying out my tent, fly, ground cloth, etc. from the morning dew the previous day camping.

Breakfast in the lobby, tried for an earlier start but still did not get off till 8:25am. Nice calm morning but the smoke has returned and a haze in the horizon. Not good for breathing.

36 miles in and stopped on side of road for snack/lunch. I am on old highway 10 and have seen like 4 cars in the past hour. I am watching the train go by. Going through these small towns of a couple hundred people like Richardson, Taylor, they are like ghost towns. Nothing is open and nobody is outside and this is the weekend.

Stopped for my official lunch in Glen Ullin and bought stuff in the small local grocery store and ate across the street in a park off of Main Street. Again, nobody is out. Weird.

Camping tonight in New Salem at the town campground. Just me and another RV. No showers just water and an outhouse. Road my bike up to Cenex Gas Station for a cheeseburger and a beer. They actually have a kitchen and cook to make food. It was tasty! After Bismarck tomorrow it gets pretty bare for towns. Bismarck is only 35 miles away so looks like I will go past and will be camping somewhere.

Got to make some hot coffee on these cool mornings.

That’s a huge cow looking down on my campsite!

Becoming a regular lunch and dinner patron at Cenex Gas Station. Beggars can’t be choosers! Food is actually good.

Day 26, Sunday, Sept. 17th, New Salem – Moffit, ND. Miles 66. Total Miles 1,727. Ascent 2,175

Broke camp this morning after I made myself some coffee and had a muffin.

Made it to Bismarck on rolling hills on quiet backroads. Watched some football games at Famous Dave’s. Heading south and East today and guess which way the wind is blowing? Yup! Right in my face and gusts up to 30mph. It plays with my mind, only thing I can think about!

After struggling with the wind today, I made it to Moffit. A town I guess, just a post office and a few homes, nothing else. I did not want to make the turn in the road and ride up to the next town, Hazelton, population 235, that would be riding directly into this crazy wind. But, they have a Cenex Gas Station and could get water and food there. Body and mind says don’t do it. I rode around town looking for a place to camp.

I found the perfect spot. Just outside of town and some trees to block the wind and offer some shade. The town cemetery. At least it should be quiet.

I went to the back of cemetery and blew up my air mattress and lied down to take a nap. Couldn’t sleep so started eating my snacks for dinner and some water left in my water bottle. I will have to ration it.

I am listening to music and I look up and there is a guy in his golf cart looking at me. It’s Chuck, he volunteers to mow the cemetery lawn. We chat for a bit and I ask if it’s okay that I am here and can I set up my tent and sleep here. He says sure! And, are you hungry? Ah yes. Said he just made some chicken and has some beans and carrots he will run home on his golf cart and be right back and with water too. Yes! Thank you my heavenly Angels for looking out for me. Tasted so good!

Thanks Chuck for my chicken meal!! You saved me tonight! I don’t have to go to sleep hungry and thirsty.

Chuck dropping off my meal. Grub hub delivery in golf cart😊

Did not sleep good. The wind really picked up in intensity. My tent felt like it was going to blow over with me in it! Finally died down at 3:30am. I heard a pack of coyotes howling. Lots of times it is the female calling her offspring and the young then call back in unison.

Day 27, Monday, Sept. 18th, Moffit – Gackle, ND. Miles 80, Total Miles 1,807. Ascent 2,467

The dreaded 13 miles south into the wind started this morning into the next town Hazelton. They have a Cenex. Again, only place open and it’s quickly becoming my favorite place to eat!! Off I go to Napoleon, bigger town of 792. They have a Main Street and a cafe for lunch and a good stopping point at 40 miles for a quick break. Hope to get to Gackle tonight. These rides have like nothing for 30 mile stretches, don’t see many trucks, cars, very quiet except for the constant wind. At least it is kind of to the side coming out of the South and Southeast.

Had a nice stretch in the road where instead of heading south and East I was going North for about 10 miles and had a tailwind!

I got into Gackle. I read from my map that there was a downstairs of a house that the family offered to cyclists to stay. I called and got a recording, that it’s first come first serve and door is open. No reservations taken. I headed over and was in luck! Stayed at the Honey Hub. A young couple with four kids that open up the basement to cyclists. No charge. How awesome is that. They were not even home. So made myself comfortable, had a washer/dryer for me, a shower and bed. So nice!!

Got cleaned up and road into town to Dani’s place for a fish sandwich. Heard from bartender and cook that this area is known for its walleye fishing and duck hunting. Ducks migrate through this area.

Downton Gackle. Dani’s Place for dinner. No Cenex here 😊

Day 28, Tuesday, Sept. 19th. Gackle – Enderlin, ND. Miles 77. Total Miles 1,884. Ascent 1,024

Blue skies again. I have been very fortunate with the weather. Just not the wind!

What a nice start to the day. Feel refreshed after my stay at the Honey Hub and all clean clothes!! Stopped in at the Co Op before riding out of town and got a microwaveable burrito and muffin.

Cruising east on Hwy 46 what a relaxing ride, I did not think it was possible in ND to have a calm not windy day! A newly paved road makes for a smooth ride and I see a car or commercial truck every 10-15 minutes if that! Don’t even mind not having a shoulder, roads are straight and drivers willingly move over. This is not like Washington State drivers!!

About 40 miles in I see another cyclist heading the other direction coming towards me. He comes across road to introduce himself. Joe, from Edina, MN. Started his ride in Bar Harbor, Maine. Has been on the road for like 80 days and stopping in Bismarck. We talked for a good 1/2 hour and found out we had a lot in common and worked at the same banks. We exchanged info and I will have a beer with him back home to discuss our trip.

Road to mile 45 and pulled off route for a mile into Litchville for lunch at my favorite place, Cenex. Again, only place. Had a great chicken salad and ice cream sandwich. Yummy!! Off to Enderlin another 25-30 miles away.

Man the bugs are out today. More ponds and water around this area. I see the bugs coming like 2 seconds away straight on and like a boxer I give them a head fake and try to miss them before they crash into my face. I have only swallowed like four bugs this whole trip. I try to keep my mouth shut, but some of those big climbs I am sucking for air and inevitably swallow a bug. The kind that stick in your chest and no matter how much water you drink can’t quite get it down. Like stuck in your chest! Good protein!!

Staying at the Enderlin Inn tonight. Should be back in Minnesota tomorrow. I am excited!! Suppose to have some serious rain the next three days. I am going to try for an earlier start and get some miles in before the rain begins.