Fargo, ND
Hi All—
It is 6:30 am and I am sitting in bed at the Scandia Hotel in Fargo eating breakfast—of sorts. I played the vending machine in the lobby poorly so ended up with two, small, rubber BBQ chicken buns instead of the pastry I wanted.
Yesterday began with heavy rain and ended with Bill and Rick colliding and Rick breaking his arm. (The Scandia is right across from the Meritcare Hospital ER.)
We have been battling rain and fierce, exhausting headwinds since entering SD, so when we turned onto Hwy 4 yesterday and had 14 miles with a tailwind, I took off and soon lost sight of the guys. Twice waited half and hour for them at intersections, and finally used a phone at a metal fabrication plant to call. (Getting my phone fixed or replaced today). Rick and Bill were at the Fargo Meritcare ER. Todd, the metal shop manager, insisted on taking me there, so loaded my bike and BOB into his pickup and drove me to the hospital—about 9 miles.
The guys were racing with the tailwind, too, when Rick pulled in front of Bill. Bill crashed into him at 25 mph. Rick broke his upper left arm; Bill got a lot of road rash on his right elbow, bruised his right shoulder, sprained a finger, but is in ride-able shape. Unfortunately, the ride is over for Rick. We took his bike to a bike shop last night and will see that his panniers get shipped today. He is flying out today.
Today will be busy for Bill and me as we have a lot to do. I will bring you up to date this evening with another e-mail.
Last night after we got Rick settled, Mike, the physician son of one of Bill’s friends, took Bill and me out to dinner. We ate in a pizza place close to the hotel. Excellent pizza and a couple of beers for us (Mike couldn’t have one as he was on call) helped us come down from a highly emotional day. Turned out that Mike and family were going “to the lake” today. Mike offered to let us stay at his house while he and his family were at the lake, but we turned him down, thinking that the hotel across from the ER a better, though costlier, option, particularly for Rick.
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| Mike, the physician son of one of Bill's college friends, takes us out to dinner the night of the accident; Bill's holding his sore arm and hand; before the ride was over I suspected that Bill had broken his collarbone but toughed it out. He would not let the ER people look at him saying that if his collarbone was broken there was nothing he or they could do about it |
Friday evening 10 July
Fargo, ND
Update:
Started for the bike shop with Rick's panniers about 9:15 am. Bill and I rode and pulled the panniers in our BOBs, and Rick walked. The bike shop didn’t open until 10, so we found a little cafe/bakery on Broadway nearby and had breakfast.
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| Rick and Bill and I ate breakfast at Josie's Corner Cafe & Bakery--next to the tavern |
The bike shop is in a wonderful old train station and has a little cafe and gelato stand in it. Mary, Wes ... are you listening?
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| Train station home of Island Park Cycles |
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Bill favoring his arm but enjoying downtown Fargo
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| Note the bike sign; this city is bicycle friendly |
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| Island Park Cycles to the left |
Rick walked back to the hotel after he arranged to have his panniers shipped, and Bill and I crossed the Red River into MN and a Scheels All Sports store. It was a small one and no longer carried camping equipment. BUT their large store in Fargo did. We got directions and rode about 7 miles in heavy traffic to the Fargo Scheels.
“Big” doesn't cover it. The store was enormous. Had a ferris wheel in the center and wax replicas of the early presidents here and there. A complete pontoon plane hung from the ceiling. Also had a restaurant, fudge kitchen, gelato shop, etc. I bought a new air mattress and a Thermarest pillow. Since by this time it was noon, we ate lunch in Scheels.
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| Scheels ferris wheel |
At Target we both downloaded the pix from our cameras to discs.
Next, we found a cell phone repair store where I heard happy news. It was the charger and not the cell phone that was broken. Thus I bought a new charger and can now feel secure again.
Back to the hotel for naps and then to the PO to mail home the old air mattress and the CDs of pix.
Bill and I ate dinner this evening in the hospital cafeteria and brought back a dinner for Rick. The food was surprisingly good and a good variety. I had a salad plate from the salad bar.
Now I must pack up my BOB bag and get ready for tomorrow’s ride. Bill and I will be pedaling from Fargo, ND, to Pelican Rapids, MN. Rick heads for the airport at 8 am. We will see him off and then leave.
UNBELIEVABLE I just realized that we were once again denied our rest day! Bill and I cycled at least 25 miles in and around the city today and at the small Scheels in MN. While this type of stop/go cycling is not as tough as a straight haul, it is cycling nonetheless, not resting our minds and bodies.
Right now I am hearing thunder and seeing dark clouds. Hope it gets the rain out of its system before tomorrow morn.
Next, we found a cell phone repair store where I heard happy news. It was the charger and not the cell phone that was broken. Thus I bought a new charger and can now feel secure again.
Back to the hotel for naps and then to the PO to mail home the old air mattress and the CDs of pix.
Bill and I ate dinner this evening in the hospital cafeteria and brought back a dinner for Rick. The food was surprisingly good and a good variety. I had a salad plate from the salad bar.
Now I must pack up my BOB bag and get ready for tomorrow’s ride. Bill and I will be pedaling from Fargo, ND, to Pelican Rapids, MN. Rick heads for the airport at 8 am. We will see him off and then leave.
UNBELIEVABLE I just realized that we were once again denied our rest day! Bill and I cycled at least 25 miles in and around the city today and at the small Scheels in MN. While this type of stop/go cycling is not as tough as a straight haul, it is cycling nonetheless, not resting our minds and bodies.
Right now I am hearing thunder and seeing dark clouds. Hope it gets the rain out of its system before tomorrow morn.
