Day 7 - Saturday 8-12-06

Day 7 - Washburn to Garrison - 39 miles

My stats:
Miles: 44.8
Time in the saddle: 3 hours 39 minutes
Average mph: 12.2
Maximum mph: 25.7
Calories burned: 1689

The morning was bright at first, but quickly clouded over as a front was moving through the middle of the state, bringing along some fog. I rode with Sheila and Deb most of the way to Garrison.

The stormiest part of the front naturally came through just as we were crossing between the two lakes on Highway 83 as the wind came up very quickly and a few drops hit us hard in the face for just a few minutes. Felt much better as we made the turn off the highway and west towards Garrison and the sun came out. I got into town around 10 am.

At the finish line park I bought a bright yellow wind shirt and ate the traditional lunch of buffalo burgers (yuk - always too dry). Sheila, Deb and I found Archie and got our pics taken at the finish line. We then walked uptown and browsed the gift shops. I even found a little pink flying pig for my collection and I wasn't even looking too hard for anything.

I then decided to ride back out to Ft. Stevenson and get back home, suddenly feeling homesick for my Sam & Rowdy. I expected them to be right behind me, but at the luggage truck I decided to get their bags together and leave a note of thanks for their company. I was getting more and more anxious to get home. It is always strange on the drive home after a bike tour, hard to stop looking at all roads as if I am going to pedal on them. The 60 or so miles is like a gradual time machine back to the real world, and by the time I get to the traffic and activity of Bismarck, I know the bike tour is over and I'm back to the daily grind again. But the reward is getting a wet face from the dogs when I get home and the soft bed to sink into. And of course there is the sense of accomplishment - I did it!