A scenic backway

So FJR texts me up on Wed am:

"You around? Want to go for a little ride this afternoon? Say 2 till 7?"

"Little? Define little." I text back.

There's what seems to be a significant pause in the rhythm of the texts, so I text: "Was it something i said?"

Then "Bathgate for a beer? That's short. Or Vang, nd just past Walhalla?" he says.

So "Yup. Meet here or at the Gretna water station?" I say.

"I can swing by," he says.

"So 2?" I say.

"Yeah, I think so. I may be a tad early."

"No prob. Let me know. Do you have american cash?"

"Yep, I can bring cash for 2."

"T'anks."

"Be there in a jiffy."

Then he emails me this link with the subject "scenic backway".

Of course at first I'm flattered. I've been complimented on certain assets before, but when I open the link I see he has something else in mind. A multi-surface road adventure in the colonies.

There are a few good reasons to ride in the States:

One, the pavement - I can't sort out why the pavement just 5 miles south of my place can be so abundant and remain in such awesome condition when I'm quite certain the winters in North Dakota look and feel a lot like ours.

Two, the drivers - North Dakotan drivers respect cyclists. They slow down when they pass, they give you a lot of room, they wave - if you've stopped, they'll stop to see if they can help. (I wonder if it's something about their perception of reality, which is that they live in the hinterland - right on the edge of things (not Alaska you know, but close) in northern North Dakota it's the equivalent of living in northern Canada - say Thompson or Flin Flon or Churchill - and people who live in places that are perceived by the mainstream to be "extreme" or "peripheral" are just plain more friendly - 'cause folks in northern Canada are pretty friendly and considerate and helpful too. Which doesn't quite explain why drivers on highways in southern Manitoba seem to have more of a "get out of my way you annoying pest you're cramping my style" attitude - except maybe that because we live in the south of Canada we think we're somehow closer to being the Americans that we mock and revile - not realizing that Americans aren't nearly all like that? I don't know. It's a puzzler though.)

Three, the bars - Every burg with a house and a church has one.

Four, the signs - Even the most god-forsaken back roads that no one on a bicycle should ride for fun are marked - albeit the "scenic backway" title elevates the route a little more than necessary (this, my friends, is foreshadowing ...).

Faith, faith is the victory (faith, faith is the victory) ... Are you singing it with me? In your heart? You have to have the courage of your convictions, and my friend FJR is such a one as that. We set out to ride from N-town, cross at Neche, ride to Walhalla to pick-up the Scenic Backway, follow it through the Pembina Gorge, double-back to Walhalla, follow the rest of the Backway to Cavalier, and ride as straight as possible for home. Along the way we would stop at a few establishments to refresh. By FJ's calculations that round trip would be 170ish kms - a solid century plus. We left all but one light at home (a mistake) and rode off from N-town at 2:10 pm. As I said before, faith.

The route

The road to Leroy

 

"Chizzy's" in Leroy - beer stop 1

Banked corner on the road to Walhalla

Above the Gorge and on the way in 

The church in Vang

The b&e

Jesus

Jesus

Jesus?

Even the basements of churches look like bars

Walhalla Country Club - beer stop 2

Drafting a sprayer

Above Walhalla, heading east

The auto-fryer in Jackson's in Walhalla - Americans know
what is the what with greasy bar food

Jackson's in Walhalla - beers 3 & 4

The dusty trail hell of the scenic backway south of Walhalla

Soft soft soft

So soft that the long grass won us over

Finally some gravel, heading to Cavalier

Sammy's in Walhalla - beer 5

The highway headin' north from Cavalier to Neche - there's
less light in the day than the camera would have you believe

Homefires and beer 6 after 9:30

Our guardian long-nose gnome

We prevailed. Belief and perseverance are their own reward - what deluded fellows we are prating about on this goodly earth. So much so that I suspect we'll reprise this journey. It'll be easier knowing what's ahead. We'll invite a few more folks to join us next time. Interested?