Grand time packing

Aug. 14-17, Grand Forks, N.D.—The good news is I'm riding my bike in North Dakota. The catch is this isn't my bike trip yet—that begins tomorrow. My symbolic arrival to the Dakotas happened at a rest stop in northern South Dakota overlooking ice-age Lake Agassiz (see photo album), where I put on a jacket for the first time since May. For a few days I'm staying in Grand Forks with my friend Amahia. Here summer is the way summer ought to be, 80 and unhumid. To give you an idea of winter, however, dormitories at the University of North Dakota connect to the central dining hall by tunnels.

Despite spending weeks back in Columbia carefully choosing items for my trip, actual packing took place in a rush at 6:30 on departure morning when I crammed everything into my bicycle panniers and put the overflow in a big grocery bag. Once here I solved an unexciting but crucial problem with my freewheel and worried about just how many pounds I'll be carrying. After failing to crowbar in everything, I'm cutting back to the absolutely essential essentials, though I may still hire a companion to carry the extras. My target weight is 45 pounds, with about 5 in a handlebar bag, 13 split evenly between two front panniers, 20 in two rear panniers, and my tent and sleeping bag bungeed down on my rear rack.

Grand Forks is a model city for bicycle paths and routes. I've easily managed to ride everywhere for errands, even to the mall on the outskirts. Greenspace is impressive, especially around the forks where the 1997 Red River flood opened the way for redevelopment and a new flood-control wall. I can't be too complimentary, though, since Grand Forks is home to North Dakota hockey, long enemy of my Wisconsin Badgers. UND's $100 million hockey arena is called "the Ralph" and has cherry seats upholstered with leather.

The plan is to drive to the International Peace Garden at the Canada border on Friday, then point my bike toward Texas and start riding.