Today I went to a show
Well today SHOULD have been an easy day. Keyword should. I mean how hard can 38 miles be. Well... apparently hard. Montana was not going to just let us stroll out. The wind was in our faces and the heat was up. A little curve in the line is all that told us that we were moving across the state line. But boy was I excited to see that curve. Finally. finally we had a new state and a new goal. Montana was tough. Montana brought us some of our most difficult days of riding so far. Traffic along 200. Technicality coming down from the Rockies. Struggles in finding places to stay. So goodbye Montana. Perhaps I'll be back someday, but it'll be awhile. I know others in our group gave their own salutes to Montana on their way past.
Not long after the border things were looking up. We pulled into the town of Beech, ND and the mood was pleasant and the people were kind, and the local Buzzy Cafe was just what I needed to try and shake the dust off my feet. Had a breakfast hashbrown that was an omelette but without the eggs. And then we continued towards the badlands of ND. The scenery slowly became more badlandish. Super pretty and scenic. But that was tempered by the wind. It just didn't seem to want to stop. When you seemed to shift around a curve, the wind shifted with you.
Then 7 miles from town. 7 miles. We realized my tire was undergoing a pretty major failure. The tire was literally ripping apart at the seam around the rim of the tire. This tire was supposed to be my backup to get me to the next bike shop. It only had 150 miles on it, and it was suffering from major failure. COME ON! Can't I catch a break.
Well. I did have a break. I had a break in the expertise of Art and Alex who caught up to me and were able to quickly diagnose the problem and a potential solution. We were going to stick a tube in and hope for the best. Just had to make it town. We used a wrapper to try to provide additional support, and Alex was kind enough to take one of my bags.
Ever so carefully we rolled towards town. I took it easy. Go slow on the downhills and be patient on the uphills. We had a short stint on the interstate right before town and I could tell coming off the interstate that there was a bit of a thump thump feeling every time my tire came around. Nothing was rubbing, thankfully and one mile later I was safely at the campground. Bike was parked, and it was not moving until a solution was found.
Then came the fun part of the day. One of Jeff's sisters and her husband, Kathy and Duane, had driven down from Williston to come see us and show us around. It sure was nice to hop in an air conditioned vehicle. We toured through the Theodore Roosevelt National park seeing great landscape and a huge herd of bison munching in a glen of sweet clover. Many of the cows had calves too! What a sight.
Then came dinner and a show.
First: Dinner.
We went to the famous Cowboy Fondue for supper. Very simple but very effective. They take large chunks of steak and stick them on pitchforks before frying them up for you to take. It's an all you can eat buffet with all the bbq sides you could want. Beans, Coleslaw, Veggies, and more. Open seating with a ton of picnic tables and dessert as well. So good.
Second: Show
Right across the parking lot from the Cowboy Fondue and silhouetted against the burning hills of the North Dakota Badlands lies the Medora musical. This musical has been delighting audiences for over 50 years. As the groups resident theatre geek, I was so ready. Bring it on. I want Americauna. I want pageantry. I want a variety show. I want spectacle. I want the pomp, the cheese, and the touch of ridiculousness. Well. I got all of it.
The fun starts even before you get to your seats. The musical is tucked down into the valley. You have to literally take an escalator down there. An outdoor escalator!!! Once the show started it was all the fun. Now let's be honest. Is the Medora Musical some deep philosophical commentary on some great problem facing our world today? NO! It's silly family fun with a touch of drama. Give Teddy Roosevelt a bit of a god complex, and let us know that he drinks 40 cups of coffee a day via a very complicated, awfully Starbucks sounding, complicated drink.
The chorus was fantastic with great dancing and singing. They had a whole clogging number even! When the cowboy slicker choir robes showed up. I was sold. The big scene was a dRaMaTiC recreation of the charge on San Juan Hill. Supposedly inspired by the rough and tumble cowboys of Medora 125 years ago. Pyrotechnics, Fog, Haze, and a 21 electric guitar gun salute while Final Countdown blared in the background. Meanwhile members of the Medora Trail Riding Club stand overtop the hollywood like Medora sign spot lit from a far. The finale number was You Can't Stop the Beat from Hairspray. On the final note fireworks filled the sky. Spectacular. Chef's kiss. Mwah!
After the show we rolled back up the escalators, and said good night. Well. That was before we got a severe weather warning. So after a little hiding in the bathhouse, I really don't like being outside during storms, it was time for bed. Tomorrow is a rest day to get some stuff done and get my tire fixed. I can't leave town otherwise
'till next time
-Matt
Miles Ridden Today: 38.22
Total Miles Ridden: 1,500.93
Feet Climbed Today: 1,490
Total Feet Climbed: 53,970
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