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
Best of Pedalshift 290: Beginner Mistakes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:28
I used to do a beginners series on the show (and hope to do another again) but never did a whole show on "don't make the same mistake I did." So, on this episode… mistakes to avoid as a beginner! Originally podcast July…
395: Florida Coast Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:11
There are few rules in bicycle adventures, but I am a firm believer in the one that says you do not taunt the bike touring gods. Day 1 was a breeze, I said! The bike gods respond with a breeze of their own. Would their w…
394: Florida Coast Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:27:44
The first day of the Florida Coast adventure starts from the cooler air of Jacksonville, carrying me south through a series of beach towns on the way to a state park outside of St. Augustine with two entrances… the short…
393: Florida Coast Preview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:28
My annual tradition of a winter ride in the sunshine state continues! Unlike past years, I'm shaking things up with the start and focusing on a coastal ride along the East Coast Greenway before turning inland. But the Fl…
Best of Pedalshift 292: Touring Bike Essentials [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:10
I ride three different bikes for touring, and each one has plusses and minuses depending on what kind of ride I'm looking for. But if you're new to bike touring or looking for another bike, what should you be thinking ab…
392: eBike Range Test Takeaways [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:46
So I successfully rode 75 miles on a single charge of my eBike battery (with a little bit of a top off!). What did I learn from the adventure and what does it mean for future trips with my ebike? eBike Range Test Takeawa…
391: eBike Range Test Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:52
On this episode we ride from my cabin to Cumberland, MD on the C&O towpath to see if we can squeeze 75 miles out of my eBike battery! With only one real opportunity to top off, this is a real test with fairly unfun conse…
390: eBike Range Test Preview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:26
On this episode we turn the page back to last fall when I did a secret mini tour with a big purpose… to test the range of my eBike battery on the C&O trail! Can I stretch one full charge enough to get a full day's ride i…
389: 2025 Bicycling Goals [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:37
On this edition of the pod, we kick off 2025 with the intent to make it a year of celebration in a time of loss for me. But celebration is more fun, so let's do that. 2014's trip was a shout out to my grandmother and 202…
Best of Pedalshift 270: Winter Fitness and Bike Maintenance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:34
With a bunch of snow and ice on the ground where I'm at, it's a good time to focus on things that will help bike tours coming after the thaw. On this episode, an update on my winter fitness goals, what I'm doing to keep…