Bismarck to Steele, ND
July 29, 2026
44 miles
Tour total: 1707 miles; Personal miles achieved: 1495 miles

A little bit of climbing to get out of Bismarck and then essentially flat and on one road all the way to the hotel.

Corn fields, wheat fields (or something light brown), and some beautiful sunflower fields as far as the eye could see. Fortunately, fairly light traffic on the surface road we were on that ran parallel to Interstate 94 and train tracks. Several westbound trains passed us by during the ride.

Hot and muggy topping out at 95 degrees F.

Steele to Jamestown, ND
July 30, 2026
93 miles
Tour total: 1800 miles; Personal miles achieved: 1588 miles

Another early morning start because of the long mileage day. Started with 27 miles on Interstate 94 and then a lovely ride through fields and past “prairie potholes”. Lots of aquatic birds, including white pelicans, a large white crane, which sadly flew away before I could take a picture.

Got caught in a small rainstorm before turning north onto the last leg of the day’s journey, but it was a warm rain and not too bad.

Got to the hotel around 1:30, then off to the pizza place next door for some lunch with a few of the riders.

Jamestown to Valley City, ND
July 31, 2026
39 miles
Tour total: 1839 miles; Personal miles achieved: 1627 miles

Battled headwinds for almost the entire ride. We all thought 40 miles would be an easy day’s ride after yesterday’s 93-mile day, but no!! I think today was harder.

Got into the hotel and took a nap for an hour and a half or so.

Awards dinner at a local pizza place. Ordered a yummy veggie pizza. Sang a song to the guides that another guest wrote. Sang the song that I wrote with September’s help.

90 miles tomorrow to finish the tour, so off to bed early.

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Thank you song for Cindi, Lily and Lauren
(To the tune for I’ve Been Workin’ on the Railroad)
Written by Linda Sue Sohn and September Gerety
=============================

We’ve been riding on our biiikes
All the live long day
We’ve been riding on our biiikes
Just to pass the time away
Can’t you hear the whistles blowing
From the trains that pass us by?
We’ve been riding on our biiikes
Heat and hills, oh my!

Lily, won’t you slow?
Lily, won’t you slow?
Lily, won’t you slow the van for us?
Cindi, won’t you slow?
Cindi, won’t you slow?
Cindi, won’t you slow the van?

Someone needs help with a flat tire!
Someone needs help with squeaky brakes!
Someone needs help with sticky gears!
Our guides do whatever it takes!

No one’s in the kitchen with Lauren
No one’s in the kitchen we knoooow
Lauren’s all alone in the trailer
Cooking food that makes us go!

Cindi runs the tour on Starbucks
Lily’s so calm she keeps us sane
Lauren knows who needs what
Please guide us all the way to Maine!

Fee-fi-fiddly-aye-o
Fee-fi-fiddly-aye-o
Fee-fi-fiddly-aye-o
Cindi, where’s your old banjo?

Valley City to Fargo, ND
August 1, 2026
90 miles
Tour total: 1929 miles; Personal miles achieved: 1717 miles

I did it!!

Fargo, ND to Boston, MA and home
August 2, 2026

Finally home! The same feelings as when I finished the Underground Railroad bike tour. It seems bizarre to realize that I biked so far and now I’m home and will transition back to my life with my family and friends and activities here.

The memories of many parts of the ride are still fresh in my mind. I have so much to reflect on … I’ve discovered new limits and accepted them (for now) and conquered old challenges, the biggest one of learning how to trust myself to go downhill and not be afraid. All those rolling hills (and mountains) presented me with lots of opportunities to practice.

Now, the “re-entry” begins. The act of unpacking will help get that going. For now, as I write this on the bus from Logan Airport to Framingham, a calm is setting in. I’m grateful to be going home. I’m grateful to know that tomorrow morning I won’t feel the pressure of getting ready for the next ride. But mostly I’m grateful to be with my family again.

I will miss my new biking friends, of course, but as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz discovered, “there’s no place like home.”