A Jewel Found in the Head Winds

We have been incredibly blessed by the prevailing winds on this trip. Day after day, we've had the winds to our back, and have taken credit for very fast finishes, as if our legs of steal were carrying us along. Yesterday and today, mother nature humbled us with winds moving in the opposite direction...and not just little winds...heavy winds right in our faces. Yesterday for me was the hardest day of the trip...63 miles of heavy (oil rig trucks) traffic, bad roads and wind blowing right at us. By the end of the day we were both so fatigued and actually ended the ride 20 miles earlier than we had planned. We simply could not go any further.

But during our ride yesterday morning, I found a jewell in the wind. Her name is Ayako Ishizuka, a 72 year old cyclist from New York, New York. She was part of a group of maybe 15 riders who had started in St. Louis and were following the Lewis and Clark Trail to Oregon. They were with an organization called Historical Trails. I tracked down Ayako after the organizer of the ride told us about her. I stopped her in the middle of the road and ask if I could take her picture. I also asked her why she was doing the ride, and she said, "Because if gives meaning to my life."

I thought a lot about what she said as we pounded on against the wind. I wasn't sure if this was adding meaning to my life or taking away years. But bicycle travel is certainly a different and wonderful way to see the country. Today we rode by some of the most beautiful yellow fields--maybe safflower--(actually not sure), but what I am sure of is that they were incredibly beautiful. And then after fighting with very difficult cross-winds most of the day, we finally ride into Stanton, North Dakota and find a camping ground next to the Knife River. Joe and I got here before the RV and so we took off our shirts and shoes and jumped in the river, swam to the other side and back, and said something like, "It doesn't get any better than this!"