Today is my first day on this tour being cooped up in the tent all day due to thunderstorms and lightning. I’m kind of enjoying the novelty of it but I know I will have itchy feet and be eager to get back on the road as soon as the rain lets up.
Later that night, a flash flood warning is issued for my part of North Dakota. I survey the area around my tent site and try to assess what kind of drainage I can expect. Am I going to be climbing on top of this picnic table in the middle of the night to escape rising water?
Shortly after I drift off to sleep, I’m startled awake by a loud snap. Strong gusts of wind are rattling the tent which is now slightly mis-shaped and lopsided. I eventually track down the problem to a snapped tent pole.
To be fair, this Big Agnes tent has been great and I will probably replace it with the same one once it wears out. I had accidentally cracked the end of the pole a few days earlier when I assembled the tent and didn’t notice that it wasn’t fully seated in the base. The tent comes with a little emergency repair sleeve which is holding things together for now.
In the morning, I set off in a heavy drizzle. Or maybe it’s a light rain? Sixteen miles later, I get to Enderlin and call it a day. The clerk at the gas station who makes me a pizza tells me that 15 miles from where I was last night, someone reported getting 8 inches of rain in last night’s storm. I suspect he’s pulling my leg but he seems committed to his tale.
I’m now one month into trip and going strong. No major issues with the bike. No health complaints. I’m getting up every morning before dawn, ready for more.
The Food of my People, Part 3: Tortillas with peanut butter. Add honey for a “dessert” variant. I’ve heard of touring cyclists who eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I wouldn’t go that far.
SOLAR ebike 