Pre-Trip day

I headed west from Grand Forks about 12:30. My mood was extremely positive. I was so very happy to be leaving work, Jerry's web page, and computers behind. I don't think I've smiled so wide as I did leaving Grand Forks all summer. The cd player pounded out Matchbox Twenty and I sang loudly to the words that I could remember. I was overjoyed to say the least.

I arrived in Minot and stopped for gas. It was pouring rain and my mood took a distinct dive. But I reminded myself I was forty miles north of my destination and noticed the west was brightening up. With a full tank, I continued south.

I was planning to meet my friend, Jesse McCormack, in Fort Stevenson State Park - the starting point of the tour. As he had done in previous years, Jesse rode to the park from his home in Des Lacs, 40 miles to the northwest of the park. After a few minutes of driving through an intense downpour, the rain stopped and I saw Jesse pedaling on the shoulder. I pulled over and offered him a ride. He refused - the rain had stopped and there was no reason for him to accept a ride now. I continued on to the park.

A photograph of Jesse & I shortly after his arrival at the park:

I parked my truck near the registration tent, just behind Dave, Cheryl, and Dave's nephew - Mike, I believe. As they unloaded their bikes, we chatted briefly about my new job at a software company, Wal-Mart, and the prospects for a good week of riding. I worked for Dave in the Wal-Mart photo lab the previous summer and we both rode CANDISC last year. Actually, Dave has ridden in every CANDISC since it's beginning. This is my third ride, but I just feel like a rookie next to Dave.

At the registration table, the reunion continued. Mark Zimmerman, a Bismarck man I met on last year's ride, was volunteering. Mark is one of the first people on the road every morning. This man is on the road even before Jesse and I, and that's really saying something. I crave to photograph the sunrise and beat the afternoon wind, so I must be up early.

While I waited in line for tacos, Burt Shultz, a former co-worker of my father, said hi to me. He was right behind me in line. He rode along in an RV helping Rory, the bike mechanic for the tour.

I also saw Mark and Nathan Turner, also friends from previous tours. I wasn't sure they recognized me.

In 1997, the tour theme was "Cycle the flyway." During that tour, they had plastic geese atop the porta-potties, decorations that fit the theme of the tour. In 1999, they recycled the plastic geese, this time they were decked out as flamingoes. (painted pink, for example). They then became known as flamingeese. This year, 2000, they made another appearance. Since this is the "Back to the Badlands" tour, they were decorated as bison and titled "Buffaleese." To make sense of all this, click this photo button and it will all become clear:

The sun sets on camp as bikers turn in early: