16th floor, please

In Bismarck I re-supplied and had a cobbler repair a pannier bag coming apart at the seams—exciting stuff. I visited the great North Dakota heritage center, next door to the state's only skyscraper, the capitol. From government, agriculture and energy (oil, coal, now wind), Bismarck's economy is enjoying a boomtime.

I can't help comparing the walkability and bikeability of Grand Forks and Bismarck in North Dakota (home to the state university and capital) to Columbia and Jefferson City in Missouri (also state university and capital). Grand Forks has more than 40 miles of trails, and Bismarck has extensive pedestrian and bike routes. It's really not close.