381: NoDak Northern Tier Adventure Preview

381: NoDak Northern Tier Adventure Preview

Author: Tim Mooney October 24, 2024 Duration: 21:38

I'm going to North Dakota and I am unreasonably excited about it! For years I have been stuck at 48 states visited (and for real, not just airport states) BUT the final two were ND and Alaska, and no disrespect to North Dakota but Alaska needs to be my 50th. But the opportunity to get there was shattered ten years ago when my original ride on the Northern Tier route was scuttled by a heat wave I wasn't interested in riding through. But now… I'm doing it. With a bike. And buffaloes.

 

The Adventure

 

Heavily car aided. Very heavily. Like, mostly.

Starting and ending in MSP (there for a work thing)

All camping

Brompton riding daily

Crossing the state TWICE

Urban camping in Fargo!

Theodore Roosevelt NP! Buffalo! Camping! Riding!

Finally getting wheels down on the Northern Tier bicycle route!

Rest stop car camping in the very friendly sleep-in rest stops of ND!

Did I mention the 49th state visit?

 

Itinerary 

 

Day 1 

Car rental 

Camping in Fargo and Lindenwood Campground

Biking into town for dinner and all the Fargo nightlife I can handle

 

Day 2

Pre dawn departure 

Gain an hour driving across the state into MT

Camping at TR NP at Cottonwood Campground

Buffalo herds nearby and sometimes they saunter into camp?

 

Day 3

Half day at TR NP to cycle a bit

Drive back across the state

Lose an hour coming back into CT

Rest area about halfway to MSP

 

Day 4

Pre dawn departure 

Get back to MSP and fly home

 

Gear

Rental car

Brompton

Camping gear that fits in a checked suitcase - going with basics and adding "luxuries" if I can since this is car camping

Stove a must - likely buying fuel in MN or ND

 

Weather

Not as cold as you'd think for fall

Hoping for dry, preparing for not

 

How much biking?

It really depends. The idea here is to get a sample, not make miles.

Seeing TR NP at the speed of bike

Experiencing Fargo and its… bike infrastructure?


There’s a particular kind of freedom that comes from traveling by bicycle, where the journey itself becomes the destination. The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures, hosted by Tim Mooney, delves into that experience through a mix of personal stories, practical advice, and wide-ranging conversations. Rather than just a how-to guide, this podcast feels like sitting down with a knowledgeable friend after a long day on the road. You’ll hear firsthand accounts from fellow bike tourists, each with their own unique tales from the pavement and gravel, alongside Tim’s own reflections and experiments in bicycle touring. The discussions naturally cover the logistical tips and tricks that make trips smoother, but they also explore the cultural and educational aspects of moving through the world at a human pace. It’s about more than gear and routes; it’s about the connections made and the perspectives gained when you embrace a slower, more engaged form of travel. This audio companion to Pedalshift.net aims to demystify bicycle adventure, making it feel accessible and deeply rewarding. By sharing these stories and ideas, the hope is to inspire your own two-wheeled explorations, proving that a bicycle can indeed shrink the world in the most wonderful way. Tune in for a thoughtful, grounded take on seeing the world from the saddle.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
Podcast Episodes
Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 6 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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A leisurely morning at South Beach State Park sets the stage for what should be the triumphant finale, but James's bike has one last surprise in store. Sometimes a cursed bike adventure is the best kind. But with tire sp…
Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 5 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:24
A well-rested morning in Lincoln City spawns what seems like a reasonable plan to salvage the cursed tour, but James's borrowed bike has other ideas entirely. But with tubleless tire disasters forcing yet another major p…
Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 4 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:51
The morning starts strong at Cape Lookout with perfect James and Tim weather, but what begins as a confident push toward Beverly Beach slowly unravels into mechanical mayhem and decision-making paralysis. But with the or…
Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:03
Mysterious James and I emerge from our three-night Cannon Beach odyssey to accidentally unlock our cycling superpowers, turning a modest Tillamook target into a shocking 52-mile triumph. It's the usual stuff: ice cream a…
Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:14
Day two and three of the Oregon Coast tour evolve into an epic quest for an elusive bicycle part. Is this a mere repair mission or a saga worthy of Greek mythology with adaptive problem-solving, multiple contingency plan…
Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:28
Day one of an Oregon coast adventure - what could possibly go wrong? As Mysterious James and I began our journey from Astoria after navigating July 4th rental car details, we encounter (because of course) the first of ma…
Mysterious Oregon Coast 2025 Preview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:14
We are so back.... on the Oregon Coast with the Mysterious James for another round of two-wheeled mayhem. Ten days, 360 miles, zero expectations, and maximum potential for randomness. The Safari's ready, MJ is in, and we…
Best of Pedalshift 321: East Coast Greenway [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:00
Despite living on the east coast, we spend a whole heck of a lot of attention on bicycle adventures on the west coast, right? Well, it's time we changed that! On this episode, we chat with Regina Yan about the East Coast…
Lake Ontario 2025 Takeaways [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:57
Six days, two countries, multiple ferries, and one very stubborn e-bike brake magnet later, the Lake Ontario circumnavigation attempt has wrapped up in ways both expected and completely unforeseen. What started as an amb…
Lake Ontario 2025 - Part 7 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:12
What was supposed to be a triumphant border crossing and final push from Niagara Falls back to the starting point became something entirely different when family health concerns required an immediate pivot. But sometimes…