Day 41 – July 23, 2015 – New Salem ND to Bismarck ND – 34 miles

Day 41 – July 23, 2015 – New Salem ND to Bismarck ND – 34 miles

Bumble Bee – Audrey:

Yep you read right, only 34 miles. There are a few reasons for that. Those 34 were tough, up and down, and up and down with winds steady from the SE. That means we were pushing and only did about an average of 7 mph.

We intended on getting to Bismarck and traveling on to somewhere about 20-30 miles farther east. We didn’t know where that was and we couldn’t plan because waiting for us in Bismarck were the next set of maps that my good friend Oliver sent us. When we got to the central post office in Bismarck the package was there, and a warning from the postal worker that this evening they were expecting a “Prairie Pounder” local lingo for a severe storm. He asked were we were going and we said East….He suggested that we stay in “civilization” because there is nothing much as soon as we leave Bismarck.

Well we found lunch in a local joint, head a IPA and Gregg a wheat beer and we looked at the maps that Oliver sent us. Nope nothing for at least 50 miles. We weren’t going to do that. Not after a day of staying at a city park, no shower, and a city park campsite at the other end of the 50 we will do. It was 95 and about 75% humidity. It seems that as soon as we crossed the Missouri river today, the humidity hit. Gregg said it was my imagination. But, I know. I know humidity and I was not looking forward to it.

We came to a town named Mandan where there was a sign “Where the West Begins”. For us the West has ended. We even moved into Central Time zone and we didn’t even know it. The smartphones changed but Gregg’s watch said 1 hr earlier.

Bismarck? Civilization? Well, we found a little. We stayed in hotel right downtown. I asked the hotel reception about a “tapas” place that I had read about. She said sorry we don’t have that here only a Target. I didn’t want to laugh or correct her, I just walked away and smiled. We found Humpback Sally’s just around the corner. We entered into a “hipster” cocktail bar we are so familiar with back home. Yep, civilization.

Resting in our hotel room we watched TV which was interrupted every 10 mins but National Weather Sevices “Severe Weather Alert – and TORNADO alerts!!!” OMG. This is something that we are totally unfamiliar with. As Gregg said, “we have earthquakes but no warning before they hit” AHHHH. Sure enough sitting in Humpback Sally’s the winds picked up to about 40-50 mph gusts and the rain came down. Nope not a good time to be in our nice cozy tent. We have shelter, and a hot bath tonight.