A One and a Two . . . Let's Polka!

August 18, 2013

Hazelton, North Dakota

Yesterday I noticed a sign that read "Mandan--Gateway to the West." If that is true, Bismarck must be the gateway to the east. The land is already noticeably flatter, the wheat fields are giving way to cornfields, and the aridity of the west has disappeared. As if by magic, today, my first day on the east side of the Missouri River, is the first humid I've had. According to the morning news, the humidity was at 98% when I left Bismarck.

Another new development here in the east is that I'm starting to see some vast fields of sunflowers. I think Kansas claims to be the "Sunflower State," but North Dakota has to be a close second.

A field of lovely sunflowers. I would estimate there are enough sunflower seeds in this photo to keep every citizen of North Dakota busy for an entire year, trying to get at the tiny kernel inside and spitting the shell out onto the streets.

This photo shows the gentler side of my personality. Me with a bunch of pretty flowers.

Personally, I would call North Dakota the "Haybale State." They're everywhere. Speaking of hay, two miles before Hazelton on Highway 83 (The Lawrence Welk Highway) I saw my first hay STACK. I'm not referring to a stack of hay bales, which are plentiful, but to a 10' high, 30' round, pile of loose hay. It made me want to just grab a pitchfork and start throwing the stuff around. Alas, the pile will probably be converted into three or four hay bales by tomorrow morning.

Speaking of Lawrence Welk, I once read an essay about the man in Ian Frazier's book The Great Plains. Welk had a surprisingly interesting life and he has a significant place in North Dakota history. If his hometown of Strasbourg wasn't 36 miles out of my way, I'd be oddly curious to check out his old stomping grounds.

I am camping at a little city park in Hazelton. I'm all alone here with a picnic shelter and some playground equipment and some horseshoe pits. All over the park are signs posted that say "No Alcoholic Beverages." I interpret such signs to mean "Please Be Discreet." I was.

I'm not a big fan of camping in city parks. After dinner, a couple of suspicious teenagers hung around the playground equipment well into the night.

HELP! A giant spider is attacking my campsite!

Today's ride: 47 miles (76 km)
Total: 1,454 miles (2,340 km)

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