Hospitality, Trust, and Hiway 2

On Tuesday, I met a cyclist heading West. We shared the usual "where ya, goin? how many miles per day?, etc." I knew that I'd be going into oil boom country and so ask him for camping and lodging advice. He confirmed that space would be limited for the next 200 miles or so. He said he had camped in a bicyclist's backyard in Williston and he gave me her (Faye) phone number.

Yesterday I rode 130 miles and made it Williston. Even with the tailwind, I was exhausted. About half-way there I called Faye and asked if I could camp there. "No problem" was her response. I got there at about 7 p.m. and Faye said I could camp in the back yard, or since rain was expected, just sleep in her finished basement. That sounded great. She even offered the use of her shower.

I got some dinner at a local FF place and came back to her house. She offered me some rhubarb pie and freshly made brownies. I felt sort of guilty accepting her generosity, but enjoyed the treats nevertheless.

This morning I got up and joined Faye for breakfast. She had packaged the rest of the brownies, some banana bread, and some candy for me to take along. At just after 8, she said she had to go to work. I hadn't finished packing yet. "Help yourself to some more coffee and then leave when you are ready," she said; and off to work she went leaving me in her house alone.

As a complete stranger, I have never experienced such a level of trust and hospitality. It was quite amazing.

When I get to WI, I'm going to pick up a bicycle bell and some gloves and send them to her.

Faye also gave me some alternate directions to Minot, ND. She said the ACA map took me on a road with no shoulders and heavy truck traffic. Hiway 2 was the best choice.

For the first 10 miles, hiway 2 had 10 foot paved shoulders and though I was going into the wind, it was a relatively stress-free ride. Then the shoulder turned to packed sand... for the next 20 miles. My narrow tires and the previous night's rain dropped my speed to 7 mph. I didn't see how I could go another 40 miles in these conditions. Fortunately the paved shoulder reappeared just about the time I began wondering if I should ask someone for a ride.

Tomorrow I have a 60 mile ride to Minot. I hope to get a new back tire there. These Western roads have worn off nearly all the tread and while I might be able to get another 500 miles out of it, I figure it is better to buy a tire when you can. :)


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Location:Stanley, ND