RUGBY, NORTH DAKOTA

This morning's blog entry has special significance- it shall be transmitted to the world wide web from the geographical center of the North American continent. I don't know if that means it will reach our readers in the Yucatan and on the north slope of Alaska at the same time, but it's cool nonetheless.

Apparently, Rugby is also the galactical epicenter of extraordinary hospitality, courtesy of Rob and Michelle Bollinger and their 5 children. They invited us to crash in their basement for the night and make us dinner, in addition to contacting local news stations for us. I think Michelle is upstairs right now making us pancakes and eggs, and her pot roast should probably win her the Presidential Medal of Freedom. How they manage to take care of us while parenting 5 (very well behaved) kids and remodeling their awesome 1907 home is beyond me, but they've certainly earned a place in the Bike the US for MS Hall of Fame. Thanks Bollingers!



If most of you are like me, you probably haven't given much thought to the state of North Dakota, so I'll provide a brief synopsis. Some time during the last ice age, a giant glacial ice sheet carved a landscape with gently rolling hills and rich layers of topsoil ideal for grasses and agriculture. There isn't much here other than hay -fields and missile silos, but it doesn't feel barren or particularly isolated, and the riding conditions are great. The towns are full of friendly people and old deciduous trees, and the entire state gives off a generally wholesome vibe.

I'd also like to thank Kim and Jill at the Minot Daily News for doing a really good story on us, and especially for publishing that the highlight of Karl's trip was going to the mall. He bought some really cute hair clips and a Justin Timberlake poster, ate a giant pretzel, and spent his whole allowance, but he's been a new man ever since. We woke up on Sunday morning eager to read our article only to find that the printing press had broken- I have trouble thinking this was a coincidence, but my theories are a little far fetched.

Today we battle a head wind towards a place called Devil's Lake. Should be to Fargo and then into Minnesota by the end of the week. Stay tuned...

-Mason