Fargo, ND. 0 miles.
It's not uncommon that I am approached by locals that see my bike and want to learn more about my adventure. Occasionally, I'll be asked who is sponsoring me. If I'm wearing the "US Postal Service" jersey, then the question is posed with an underlying assumption that the answer is obvious. My response regardless is always, "My Wife". I'm taking a day off in Fargo to celebrate Victoria's birthday while my bike gets a 1,780 mile tune-up. HAPPY BIRTHDAY VICTORIA!
Walking my bike from my hotel down 4th Ave North to Broadway, I was surrounded by a bunch of great coffee bars, artists shops, and restaurants. I took a right and headed up Broadway in search of a bike shop.
Of the several bike shops in town, I was told that the best one was in the direction I was heading just before the train tracks. I found the tracks and what I thought was the train station, looked around confused, and wondered if I had been misguided. Then, upon closer inspection, I discovered that the "Great Northern Bicycle Company" occupies what is now the old train station- the entire thing.
Beautifully restored, the depot's several rooms now showcased shiny new bikes, apparel, accessories, and just about every other conceivable bicycle-related gadget.
The grand vaulted ceilings, chandeliers, marble floors, and spacious interior all added to an already-impressive assortment of goods for sale. I was in the Taj Mahal of bicycle shops. Appropriately located on the Eastern border of North Dakota, just a river-crossing away from Minnesota (which is known for being one of the most bike-friendly states in the Nation), the fact that this shop was located in an old train depot alongside the Eastbound tracks suggested that people were gearing up for some serious bike-riding as they traveled on, East into Minnesota. I was excited, and confident from my first-impressions that I would receive a good bike tune-up from this place.
Walking back down Broadway, I came to the corner at NP Ave. There are ornate historical markers all-around. This one was all about the Northern Pacific Railway.
The other side told the story of the Northern Pacific Railroad Company's creation by way of an Act of Congress on July 2nd, 1864, signed by Abraham Lincoln. The land on both sides of the Red River in the vicinity of what is now Fargo was acquired by the "NP" in 1871, and this site was announced as the bridge crossing of the route headed through the Dakota Territory. Early that Winter, as construction began on the bridge, a tent town for the railroad engineers and surveyors was being assembled on the West side of the river at what is now the intersection of Broadway and Front Streets in Fargo. Named, "Fargo on the Prairie", after William G. Fargo, a director and financier of the NP Railroad Company and partner in the "Wells-Fargo" Express Company, this tent town was the beginning of what is now the town of Fargo, N.D.
A product of the new revitalization of Broadway, and open for just a few weeks now, is an artisan shop I wandered into called the Red Silo. The shop showcased an assortment of local art, crafts, photography, etc. The owners were on-board to help me find a few special things for Victoria, and assisted me above-and-beyond what I was looking for in the shop by recommending local food, providing directions to a laundromat, and throwing in some great conversation. They were great!
The rest of my day was occupied by getting some supplies, doing some laundry, and focusing on my Wife!
What a great picture and testament to Victoria! Love it!
ReplyDeleteI also really like the old train stations. The one in Lake Geneva was not so grand as this one but they all had a similar shape. I'm so glad that some are preserved even though they serve a different purpose now.
I love you, babe. <3
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