61 miles

Today we rode about 26 miles to Fargo from Kindred, with a tailwind (a real tailwind!) pushing us north for the first time in ages. It was so nice to just let it fly along the flat stretches of county road, with a decent shoulder and very little traffic.

We made our way to Great Northern Bicycle Company. I dropped off my bike for service to the rear derailleur and a wheel truing, and we wandered the town. There were a few touristy shops, but we took an Uber to a local pizza place a couple miles from downtown. Danielle saw someone recommend it on Reddit, so without investigating it further, we found ourselves at Duane’s Pizza House. It was a very underwhelming spot in a strip mall, but it was funny to think about how people who live in Fargo probably don’t always go to the pricey touristy spots when they just want a basic, affordable pizza. As Danielle put it, we got to see Fargo with its wig off. I think she put it best. 

We bought some cookies and coffee beans and headed to the Plains Art Museum. It was nice to look at art, and read about artists. I found myself noticing how some of the title cards/artist statements focused on how the artist thinks or approaches the material, and some focused on achievement markers and career details. I was always more excited to read the statements that helped me contextualize the work, rather than the person.

At some point, we returned to get my bike from the service department. I was surprised to discover that they did a lot of things I didn’t ask for, which normally I might not mind, but one of their mechanics readjusted my headset, saying it had been over tightened. I tried to explain that it had been fixed with Loctite for a reason, all the way back in Idaho, because it kept loosening, and he did not seem to hear me, and proceeded to explain how a threaded headset works. I hope he somehow did something better than everyone else who has worked on it before now, because if it gets loose again in a couple hundred more miles, I’m going to be very upset. The Loctite solution—while not perfect—has been the only thing that held properly for over a thousand miles. I re-marked the top nut, so I can keep an eye on it. I was pleased with the shop and service otherwise, but I wished he had asked before performing work I didn’t authorize, and I wished he had listened to me when I explained my situation, instead of assuming I didn’t understand my equipment. If it comes loose again on this trip, I will be asking them to send me a 32 mm wrench so I can manage it myself.

 We went to Fargo Brewing Company for a beer, which we half- finished, because we wanted to meet up with a group of lady cyclists that were leaving the bike shop at 6:00 pm sharp for a group ride. We rode with the three of them all the way to Sabin, Minnesota, and it was kind of nice to have something else to focus on for those 13 miles or so. They were on super lightweight, fast road bikes with clipless pedals and spandex and jerseys, the whole kit. I felt like an oddly shaped duckling waddling behind them with my loaded panniers and my heavy steel touring frame. They rode FAST. I realized when we got to Sabin that I hadn’t looked up at the scenery even once, because I’d been so focused on keeping pace and not colliding with anyone. 

The last 16 miles to Barnesville were nice—the sun was at our backs, and the road was quiet, so Danielle and I were able to chat while we rode for the first time in a while. Our ride is ending soon, in a week, when we reach Minneapolis, and it feels like we are both at peace with that, which is a nice note to end on.