NoDak Northern Tier Adventure Preview

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?