Update #17 - Thursday, June 14, 2007
RUGBY, NORTH DAKOTA
6,418.60 miles (10,269.76 kms) since Jan 01st
5,577.84 miles (8,924.54 kms) since March 03

Tomorrow, I'll be finishing up the trip West. When I get to Minot, North Dakota, I'll be heading southwards and eastwards back to the Midwest. I'm planning not to go into Montana. It would have been a lot harder finding a good turning spot since I would have had to deal with the Badlands in SW South Dakota or head south into Wyoming before turning eastward in Nebraska. I feel that I've ridden enough western in North Dakota anyway. The last time that I was in Rugby was in late May of 1999.

I've even ridden more farther northward from where I've been in Maine back in April. When I spent the night in Langdon, North Dakota, I was just 17 miles south of the Canadian Border. I've ridden some long days during the last four days. Monday, June 11th, I cycled 105.78 miles (169.25 kms) between Thief River Falls, MN and Cavalier, ND. Yesterday, June 13th, I rode 118.42 miles (189.47 kms) between Langdon and Leeds, ND. These were my seventh and eighth days over 100 miles traveled this year. I've had three days over 100 miles this month. There were two other years that I had 8 days over 100 miles.

During the past couple of days, I've seen a lot of wildlife. Coming into North Dakota, I saw a herd of at least 30 buffalo in a barb-wired fenced-in meadow. About ten miles down the road, several bull elk crossed over the highway. Yesterday, I had a neat encounter with two young fox pups in front of their den hole. I got within twenty feet of them. I also witnessed a female deer leading her young fawn across an open field. A pheasant flew up into the air from some tall grass at the highway's edge. Four days ago while riding along the eastern edge of Lake Itasca in Minnesota, I had a pair of bald eagles fly nearby.

Here in North Dakota, I spent three nights in churches (two United Methodist and an Evengelical Lutheran). Tonight, I'm spending the night with a Warm Showers member. I hope to spend tomorrow night with an association member in Minot.

From Minot, I'll be heading south through Bismark, North Dakota to Pierre, South Dakota, to NE Nebraska, and get back in Iowa at Sioux City, Iowa. From South City, Iowa, I'll be riding across Iowa with a stop in Readlyn to Bettendorf, Iowa where I'll be heading south along the Mississippi River to Hannibol, MO and then on to Granite City, IL across from St. Louis, MO.

I'll try and post an update as often as I can if my plans change. The next update should be posted between June 21st and June 28th. Hopefully, I'll have more to write about by then.