Day 23 – Larimore, North Dakota (Sunday, May 24, 2015)
I think Coriolis stopped working. The weather men all say that it’s a high pressure system and shrug. Ya right! There are only two possibilities for an east wind three weeks straight:
(a) Someone did something to Mr. Coriolis
Or
(b) the world stopped spinning which doesn’t happen often.
Well the sun came up this morning thus my conclusion.
I got up reluctantly at 6:30am this morning, shook the due off my tent, packed up, and found a spot at a table at the corner store to eat my muffins. I didn’t feel much like eating, so I left some of the sugary cinnamon buns, and got going.
I had a late “second” breakfast at McDonald’s squeaking in just before they started serving lunch. I had two pancake meal thingys, an orange juice (more sugar) and a coffee. I had trouble eating it all but downed most of it.
For the record… I stopped in at Lakota for a beverage break and chatted with Ann before taking off to Niagara, my intended destination.
I arrived at Niagara and found a quaint little hamlet that was generally well maintained. I called a bed and breakfast and was told that they don’t open until June. The man, who was pleasant enough added “this is North Dakota.” like it was an irrefutable natural law. (It is as clearly understood as the one that prohibits voting for a black president although nothing is ever written. Someone should tell them that even the written natural laws are being revoked.)
While I was standing there with my bike wondering what to do a kindly old patriarch and his family drove by in a brand new four door pickup truck and asked me with a baritone voice if he could help. (He sounded like he could be a preacher.) I told him all I needed was somewhere to setup my tent. He generously offered – anywhere – I am not sure if he owned the town. And then I added “a public washroom would be nice.”. At that point he reneged on his offer and directed me the Larimore. “It’s just 10miles down the road. They have a rest area there.” Like he walked there everyday! I should be careful not to scoff. Perhaps he did. It’s still prairie farming country.
What was I to do?
So here I am at the rest stop on highway #2 at the exit for Larimore. I’ve set my tent and will be eating my camping meal. Although it’s not the most private place it’s pretty nice and so far it’s free. I am pretty sure it wasn’t intended for tenting. Who’s going to tell me to leave?
