Bicyclists warned to stay away from NW North Dakota

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FargoFeej

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Cyclists warned to steer clear of ND's oil patch

BISMARCK, N.D. — Touring bicyclists wanting to retrace the journey of explorers Lewis and Clark or pedal through the northern tier of the U.S. are being warned to steer clear of northwest North Dakota because of heavy oil traffic.

The Adventure Cycling Association says it's re-mapping the popular bike routes due to "alarming reports" about risky riding conditions through North Dakota's booming oil patch.

Cartographer Jennifer Milyko says roads through North Dakota's oil patch are now among the most dangerous of the group's 40,000-mile route network in the U.S.

Milyko says new maps are due in May to reflect the change. She says it's the biggest such amendment to U.S. routes in the nonprofit's 39-year history.

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Too bad because it's the most interesting geography in the state. State and local police services have not been able to keep up with hiring officers; truck inspection officers can't keep up with

the increased number of vehicles, and they are finding many trucks failing inspection; and emergency services that were marginal before are now very inadequate and overworked.

A biker is better off than a bicyclist in some respects, but it will not be a relaxing ride with large trucks filling the roads up there. If you were looking at a ride on Hwy 2 or Hwy 200, it may be

better to take I-94 from Bismarck to well into Montana before finding a state highway to switch to.

 
This was brought up a couple of months ago when somebody was planning a ride route that went thru there. Like no motels or camping areas available for hunderds of miles. I can't remember who it was, hopefully they'll post a RR and we'll see first hand how it was.

 
I posted about this area once before, here: https://www.fjrforum....ndpost&p=924735, after someone asked about travelling through ND.

It has only gotten worse since then. While it has been great for our economy, the west side of the state has been in some ways devastated.

Others may have brought this up also, so I do not know if anyone actually did a ride to report back to us on.

 
I traveled across Mich. , Minn. , and North Dakota on Rt. 2 last summer ( 2011) . Lots of truck traffic, dirty roads, etc.

Then when it rained everything turned into a muddy mess.

Got hit in the hand with a marble size rock that came off a construction truck. Even with the gloves it hurt like heck.

It was kind of interesting to see all the oil wells and construction going on.

But I'd take a different route if I was going to go that way again.

 
I personally know several guys that are driving trucks up there. I agree with the article, I'd stay away from there :blink:

 
It was fine back in June of 2009 for CFR...but not so much anymore I guess.

Drill baby drill...I need that fuel for my feej! :clapping:

 
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