Day 15: Bismarck, Baggage, Bayfield, and Bud Light Lime

Early morning #5 billion. After a near miscommunication mishap with the Bismarck baggage agents, I successfully picked up (stole? it was so easy...) Jeff’s luggage before heading east to Fargo. We arrived within a few minutes of each other and booked it across the state of Minnesota in an attempt to arrive at the kayak shop by 4pm. 9 hours later, we arrived at Living Adventures Inc kayak rentals in time to pick up Pierre, the yellow Canadian Current Designs Storm. In Bayfield, we grocery shopped and discovered that Wisconsinites don't eat hummus or pitas (disaster!!!). Walking back to the car, we commented on the intense humidity to which neither of us is accustomed. We went for a 2 hour evening paddle, launching from the Apostle Islands Harbor and paddling south along the peninsula to Pikes Bay. The sandstone cliffs here are nearly vertical and bright red.

At Pikes Bay we found a breakwater constructed out of old train cars filled with boulders. Over time, they have filled in with sand, fostering a community of small birch trees. We floated in a small meadow of stiff green grasses before heading back to Bayfield. 

Breakwater made of old train cars filled with boulders

Back at the marina, we made a delicious spaghetti veggie dinner. I decided to pour half of my bowl on the parking lot... 5-second rule! Jeff enjoyed (?) his first Bud Light Lime. 

Cooking spaghetti and veggies at the Apostle Islands Marina

We’re currently camping in a yard in Washburn owned by my friend John’s cousins. They live in a beautiful house in the woods with a couple dogs and cats. We only chatted with Mike briefly since we arrived rather late, but it’s super nice here. If only I had fixed the marmot-hole in my tent, through-which mosquitos like to flock!

Date: August 2nd, 2014

Distance: 6 miles

Time: 2 hrs

Day 14: Floating the Missouri River and a Tour of Bismarck

Another early start. After a quick bagel breakfast with Devin and Ginny, during which Devin attempted to make espresso with a broken machine (no luck, resulting in another steamer), I hopped in the car and headed east: destination Bismarck. I only made a brief stop in the Badlands (Medora, ND), where the gas station attendants were amused by my inability to operate an old-fashioned gas pump. 

The Badlands, with bugs on the window

The confusing gas pump

My friend Ruthie, who I met in the Bay Area a few years ago, grew up in Bismarck and just moved back home a few weeks ago. Her family lives next to the Missouri River. I tried to find the house using Google maps, to no avail – there were a few forks in the dirt road that Google hasn't creepily figured out yet, so Ruthie kindly gave me good ol’fashioned directions. I set up my tent in the yard and chatted with her young nephew about Legos. 

Tent in the yard near the Airstream that Ruthie is renovating

Ruthie and I went for a short but beautiful paddle along the river, putting in next to the house and paddling upstream until the thunderclouds became more ominous. 

A side channel of the Missouri River that passes near Ruthie's house

Her brother shared some fresh pesto pasta with us before we headed into town to feed her friend’s cute dog. Just as we were preparing to pick Jeff up at the airport he texted, “I just landed… in Denver.” Apparently his flight was unable to pressurize the cabin air, resulting in an immediate return to Denver. Naturally, a flood of logistics unveiled in which he would be re-routed to Fargo the next morning. This would let me make more progress on the road-trip and allow us to pick up the rental kayak on time on Saturday. Jeff was later informed that while he could not be re-booked on the next flight to Bismarck (a couple hours later), his suitcase was on its way to Bismarck. Since this was apparently inflexible, he negotiated with the agents to let me pick up the bags in Bismarck.

In the mean time, Ruthie took me on a lovely tour of downtown Bismarck. We stopped for beers at the Laughing Sun Brewing Company, where I sipped a strawberry ale and she tried the brown ale. On the way home we stopped in at the old train station (bottom right photo), which was converted into a mexican restaurant when passenger trains stopped passing through Bismarck. We stopped into the local record store to say hi to Ruthie's friends before returning home.

Date: August 1st, 2014

Distance: 1.5 miles

Time: ~30 mins