It has been a somewhat agonizing couple of days trying to figure out what I should do about this trip in the face of the Delta Variant of the Coronavirus. Should I go? Should I not go? If I don’t go for the second straight year when I have my trip planned out will I ever go? I’ve spoken to several people to get their take on how risky it is going, whether I’m being too anxious about it, or if wanting to go means I’m being too naïve. Well, it wasn’t much help. The opinions I got were all over the board from “You gotta live your life. Go!” to “I don’t want to take a chance of losing a friend. Wait till next year."
About 10 days ago I had made a change to the itinerary, replacing stops in southern Utah at Richfield (hotel night en route) and St. George (ride to check Utah off my list)and southeastern Nevada (Henderson—near Las Vega to complete the 50 states) with Ogden in northern Utah and West Wendover just across the border in Nevada. The vaccination rates in that part of Utah and Nevada and the Covid infection rates looked a bit better that my original stops.
So if I was flexible one time, I could be flexible again. On Monday, 36 hours before I am supposed to leave, I decided to go. The first part of the trip is not too concerning (although more than one person advised against going to the ballgame in Minnesota), but as I head further west I always have the option of turning around and heading back. So I am going to leave here Wednesday morning with this itinerary planned.
Drive to Minneapolis (two nights en route and stopping to have lunch on Friday with an old Amtrak colleague and his wife in Winona, Minnesota. Prior to Winona, all food consumed will be takeout. Hotel rooms will be wiped with wipes from my two containers of Clorox wipes. A few hours after leaving Winona, I’ll arrive at my friends’ home in Eagan, outside of the Twin Cities. Saturday we’ll hang out and that night we’re going to see the Minnesota Twins (my team for the last 62 years since they were the Washington Senators) and their celebration of the 30th anniversary of their last World Series (which I remember like it was yesterday!).
Sunday morning I drive to Fargo, ND, and upon arrival will do a 15 mile ride through town and along the Red River and check off North Dakota. After checking into the hotel I’m going to see the Roger Maris museum, and then Monday it’s a six hour drive to Miles City, Montana. I’ll either do my ride basically throughout the town (I call it the Tour de Miles City) late Monday afternoon or first thing Tuesday morning. Then it’s down to Fort Collins, CO, a bit north of Denver. And here’s the first place where I will take stock of both the virus situation, and whether I-70 has reopened so that on Wednesday after going to the Colorado Rockies game I can get to Glenwood Springs. If I can’t I’ll go back to Fort Collins (unless I decide that changes in the virus situation warrant a return home--in which case I'll probably head east into Kansas.). Thursday I’ll do a Colorado bike ride in Fort Collins (I am really looking forward to riding at Glenwood Springs—I hope it works out) drive up through Wyoming to a night in Salt Lake City. If I am able to go to Glenwood I’ll leave there and head across Colorado after my ride, also to Salt Lake City. Friday morning a 1 ½ hour drive will take me to West Wendover, Nevada for a local ride to get my fourth state, leaving just Utah. If I have enough time I will drive around the Great Salt Lake and stop at Promontory Point, Utah at the Golden Spike museum (it’s a shame that as a former railroader I’ve never been there) before going to Ogden. Saturday there is a paved bike trail from Ogden down to Salt Lake City on a former railroad right of way. I’ll ride as far as I feel like, stop at one of the stations of the commuter rail system (Front Runner) and take the train back to Ogden with my bike onboard.
From there it will either be off to Texas for the Hotter n
Hell Hundred bike ride and then a Texas Rangers game, or I'll head stright back home.
Bottom line is I’m going. I assume I will get at least two of the five states I need (ND and MT) and maybe all five. I’ll get several ballparks, and if I don’t cut out the Texas leg, I’ll also get Kansas City on the way home and will have all but one that I need—San Francisco. That will be for 2022.
I’ll expect to be gone for somewhere between 1 ½ and either
2 ½ or 3 1/2 weeks. Yes, flexibility is
the rule of the day. Except there’s one
thing that I’m not flexible on. Except
in the car, on my bike and at my friends’ homes and in the hotel room, I will
wear a mask. And use Chlorox wipes and
hand sanitizer liberally. No flexibility on that.
There may be another post when I get to Minnesota, but if not there, definitely next Sunday night from Fargo, ND to report on (and have pictures) from my first state ride.
Thanks for reading. And stay safe!
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