Day 2: August 6th, 2007

Distance: 44.3 mi.
Time in Motion: 2:59:15
Average: 14.9 mph
Max Speed: 21.3 mph
Miles of climbing: 12.9 mi
Miles of flat: 16.9 mi
Miles of descent: 14.4 mi
Feet climbed: 361 ft.

This morning I left Velva around six o’clock in cool, gloomy weather.  Fearing rain, everyone left early in hopes of beating the bad weather.

At first we headed east toward Karlsruhe in pleasant winds, but it soon got breezy and we fought a headwind from the SSE.  Then the rain came.  Thankfully, it was not so heavy that it was altogether unpleasant.

I stopped at a rest stop set up at a snowmobile trail warming hut and again at a CANDISC-sponsored stop.

I was grateful to finally turn north onto highway 14, toward our destination.  My body was getting a bit sore so I certainly didn’t mind the tailwind.

Once I arrived in Towner I set up my tent during a dry spell between scattered showers.  It’s been sunny and dry alternating with light rain.  Altogether it has been a comfortable day, though a little damp at times.

I laid out on the grass during a sunny spell and read some more of Military Life in Dakota, which I am enjoying a great deal.  At one point I fell asleep and took a nice, hour-long nap on the grass.  It was very nice.

Later on I met up with Justin, Nichole, and their young son Isaiah.  They are also riding on the tour, though I hadn’t seen much of them until this afternoon.  The three of us went to a local restaurant for supper.

Here are a few snapshots from Towner today:

• The Winger Cheese Factory
• Older buildings (including the Senior Citizen V.I.P. Club)
• Welcome to Towner
• A ridiculous picture of me in camp
• McHenry County Courthouse
• A Church steeple (I think in town, but I can't recall) is pictured above.
  

I love this time of year in North Dakota.  The smell of fresh-cut hay, ripe grain, and rain mingle to form a perfect soothing aroma that complements the scenery perfectly.