Day 47

Corner Store Assessment- Sun River, MT

The crew enjoyed excellent riding conditions today biking from Geyser, MT to Sun River, MT (67 miles). The wind finally cooperated allowing us to arrive to town in plenty of time to enjoy the river and a couple games of spades without being exhausted. We're camped at the local fishing spot right on the river with a huge horse in a pasture being our only visible neighbor. Everyone in the group is looking forward to the three days off in Glacier.

Background: Sun River is located in central Montana and has a population of approximately 100-150. Most locals work in Great Rapids (20 miles away) and buy their groceries there as well. There is no local farmer's market, but the town of Vaughn (8 miles away) does sponsor one weekly. Activity levels appear normal.

Sun River Grocery(convenience/grocery hybrid) Highway 200

1. Healthy Cereals: Corn Flakes, Honey Bunches of Oats, Raisin Bran
2. Only 2% milk
3. No baked chips
4. 2 packages of wheat bread
5. 100% Juice: Orange, Vegetable
6. Fresh produce: onions (not locally grown)
7. Canned vegetables: peas, corn, tomatoes, kidney beans, red beans, chili beans, sweet potatoes
Canned fruits: sliced peaches

Day 46

Bikeability Assessment

The Cycle 20Ten crewed started the day from Judith Gap, MT with a lovely 22 mile ride that took a little over an hour. The pace slowed greatly throughout the rest of the day as we faced terrible headwinds coming out of the west at over 20 mph. Finishing the day with 66 miles, we set up camp in Geyser, MT. Our route today generally had a large amount of traffic, fair to good road conditions, adequately wide shoulders, and fair sightlines. The rolling foothills of Montana would not have been too bad had it not been for the winds we faced. The following is the bikeability assessment for the route along Montana Highway 3 from Judith Gap to Geyser.

Montana Highway 3 (1 mile North of Judith Gap, MT) 8:15 AM (Under Construction)

1. 2
2. 1
3. 1
4. 3
5. No shoulder/bike lane present

Montana Highway 3 (17 miles North of Judith Gap, MT) 9 AM

1. 4
2. 5
3. 5
4. 4
5. 8 foot shoulder present with rumble strips

Montana Highway 3 (intersection with Harvest Rd, 8 miles North of Eddie’s Corner, MT) 10:15 AM

1. 2
2. 3
3. 3
4. 3
5. 4 foot shoulder present with rumble strips

Montana Highway 3 (1 mile South of Windham, 42 miles north of Judith Gap) 11:30 AM
1. 4
2. 3
3. 5
4. 4
5. 8 foot shoulder present with rumble strips

Montana Highway 3 (intersection with Running Wolf Rd) 3:25 PM

1. 4
2. 4
3. 4
4. 3
5. 5 foot shoulder present with rumble strips

Montana Highway 3 (7 miles north of Stanford, MT) 4:25 PM
1. 4
2. 3
3. 3
4. 3
5. 4 foot wide shoulder present with rumble strips

3 days until Glacier!!

Day 45

Corner Store Assessment

Finally, the winds took it somewhat easy on us allowing us to bike approximately 65 miles from Lavina, MT to Judith Gap Montana. Taking only two breaks, my group of bikers arrived to town pleasantly early at the time of 2:45. We then walked around town to give me an opportunity to scope out the food access scene in Judith Gap.

Background: Judith Gap is described as a retired couple's town. With only 100-150 people, there were only a couple bars/cafes, one service station, and one grocery/convenience store. Given the small selection at this location, most locals travel to Lewistown (47 miles away). Also, there is no local farmer's market. Local's activity levels seem to be greatly hindered by the large amount of construction inside the town. It appears that well over half of the streets and sidewalks are closed with the rest being in very poor condition as a result of the dramatic increase in use. Construction has been occurring for a couple of months according to one local and appears to be in its middle stages at best.

Judith Gap Mercantile (convenience store/small grocery/cafe) 109 High Street



1. Healthy Cereals: Raisin Bran, Honey Bunches of Oats, Corn Flakes
2. No skim milk in stock (2% and 1% in stock)
3. No baked
4. Wheat (1), 7 Grains (2)
5. 100% Juice: Orange, Apple, Vegetable
6. Small selection of produce available. The freshness of the products was somewhat questionable. The produce included: oranges, apples, onions, lemons, cucumber, tomato, potato, bananas, and garlic.



7. Canned vegetables: mixed vegetables, pinto beans, kidney beans, corn, peas, green beans, and carrots.
Canned fruits: N/A-- all in heavy syrups

Day 44

Bikeability Assessment

The Cycle 20Ten Crew had a short trip today from Billings, MT to Lavina, MT. The 46 mile day was delayed for major bike maintenance issues such as tire replacements and chain cleaning. The roads were fairly good today with a shoulder typically being present and traffic slowly tapering as we distanced ourselves from Billings. The biggest complaint voiced by the bikers was the poor conditions of the road with some of the pavement consisting of loose gravel. Additionally, the wind was brutal for a 15 mile section of the trip.

North 27th Street (exiting Billings, MT) 1:15 PM

1. 2
2. 1
3. 2
4. 2 (large hill)
5. 3 foot shoulder present in poor condition with large amounts of debris

Montana Highway 3 (intersection with Alkali Creek Rd) 2 PM
1. 4
2. 3
3. 4
4. 4
5. 6 foot shoulder present with rumble strips

Montana Highway 3 (intersection with David Rd, 23 miles north of Billings, MT) 3:30 PM

1. 4
2. 2 (loose pavement surface)
3. 4
4. 5
5. 6 foot shoulder present with rumble strips

Montana Highway 3 (2 miles north of Broadview, MT) 5:45 PM

1. 4
2. 2 (loose pavement surface)
3. 4
4. 3
5. 10 foot shoulder present with rumble strips

We now have to average a very manageable 60 miles a day to arrive in East Glacier National Park in 5 days. There we will take a 3 day break to enjoy the beautiful scenery and rest up for the final 2 week stretch of our journey. Looking forward to it!

Days 42 and 43

Corner Store Assessment

Yesterday, we biked from Broadus, MT to Busby, MT (83 miles) on the Crow Indian Reservation. Unfortunately, there was no internet signal to provide a post. The following is the Corner Store Assessment for the small, Indian town of Busby.



Description: Busby has a fairly small population (approximately 600-700) of mostly Native Americans on the Crow Indian Reservation. There was only one convenience store in town that provided mostly food and beverage products. It did not supply gasoline. There is no farmer's market in town, however, there is one in Ashland, MT (approximately 37 miles away). Most citizens travel 17 miles to Lame Deer to purchase groceries. The town did not have much of a park or recreation area to promote physical activity.

D&D Trading Post (convenience store)

1. Healthy Cereal: Honey Bunches Oats, Corn Flakes, Cheerios
2. Only Whole milk and 2%
3. No baked potato chips available
4. 6 packages of wheat bread
5. 100% Juice: Apple, Orange, and Fruit Punch
6. None available
7. Canned vegetables: carrots, pinto beans, mixed vegetables, green beans, corn, peas, and potatoes.
Canned fruits: pineapple, pears, and mixed


We just finished biking 95 miles from Busby to Billings. It was a very long day of biking through the heat and hills of Montana. Some highlights for the day include touring Little Bighorn and being escorted into Billings by the local sheriff's office. Now, my time will be spent fixing up my bicycle (which has an enormous slash in the rear tire), washing clothes, and resting. Special thanks goes out to Zach Jansen's family of Billings for putting up with our crew for the evening.

Little Bighorn Memorial

Day 40

Bikeability Assessment

Yesterday, we biked from Newell, South Dakota to Alzada, Montana. We traveled approximately 66 miles through a total of three states (Wyoming being the third). The roads varied in terms of the level of bikeability, but no stretch was worse than the 20 mile ride through Wyoming. We went head-to-head with 20 mph headwinds that slowed us down to 7 mph downhill! I would like to apologize for the tardiness of this assessment due to no internet signal within the town we stayed. Additionally, we may be going through some pretty bare areas for a couple days so my posts may be delayed. Enjoy!

U.S. Highway 212 Westbound (2 miles west of Newell, SD) 7:30 AM

1. 3
2. 2
3. 1
4. 3
5. 2 foot shoulder present, but large rumble strips prevented bicyclists from riding upon it.
**Picture taken on bridge. Does not represent assessment results.

U.S. Highway 212 Westbound (11678 Highway 212, 17 miles west of Newell, SD) 8:30 AM


1. 2
2. 3
3. 1
4. 3
5. 2 foot shoulder present with rumble strips.

U.S. Highway 212 Westbound (4 miles west of Bella Fourche, SD) 9:45 AM

1. 2
2. 3
3. 4
4. 5
5. 8 foot wide shoulder present in fair condition (contains uneven stretches and some tire debris).

U.S. Highway 212 Westbound (Wyoming/South Dakota State Line, 17 miles west of Bella Fourche, SD) 11:15 AM
1. 4
2. 3
3. 5
4. 4
5. 10 foot wide shoulder present separated from road with rumble strips.

U.S. Highway 212 Westbound (13 miles west of Wyoming/South Dakota Border) 12:30 PM


1. 2
2. 4
3. 4
4. 4
5. 10 foot wide shoulder separated from road with rumble strips.

U.S. Highway 212 Westbound (1 mile west of Wyoming/Montana border) 1:45 PM

1. 3
2. 3
3. 4
4. 4
5. 6 foot shoulder present separated from road with rumble strips.

Day 39

Newell, SD Corner Store Assessment

We had an off-day in Newell, South Dakota today after an 8 day stretch of biking. Everyone enjoyed sleeping in and having a late breakfast after the midnight pranks played against Brian for his birthday. The crew then performed routine maintenance on their bikes and caravanned off to Newell Lake for a picnic courtesy of some of Brian’s friends visiting from Colorado. Later, I luckily had time to fit a corner store assessment into the schedule.

Background: Newell has a locally owned grocery store that is fairly well stocked. The only area where selection may not have been up to par was the fresh produce section. Hence, I automatically assumed that most locals purchase their groceries from this downtown store, however, one local stated otherwise. She thought that most Newell citizens purchase their groceries from Spearfish, Bella Fouche, or Sturgres (each approximately 25-30 miles away). The rationale for the traveling could be attributed to better prices and selection in these towns. Additionally, she stated that many locals had to travel to these towns daily for work, thus allowing routine grocery stops. It should be noted that locals do make infrequent purchases at the downtown grocery store and sorely missed it when it was out of business for a year as ownership passed between two different parties.

There are two neighboring convenience stores located on the outskirts of town adjacent to the major highway. Their food selection is discussed further below. Newell has no locally sponsored farmer’s market, yet many people do buy fresh fruits and vegetables from farms outside of town depending on the annual crop’s success. No atypical activity levels have been witnessed during our stay.


Sinclair Gas Station (traditional convenience store with take-out pizza parlor addition)

1. No cereals in stock
2. All types of milk available except skim
3. Single sized portions of baked Lays, larger sized portion of baked Lays and Ruffles
4. N/A
5. 100 % Juice: Orange, apple, and vegetable
6. N/A
7. N/A

Conoco Gas Station (traditional gas station with antique shop addition)

1. No low sugar/high fiber cereals
2. Only 2% and whole milk in stock
3. Single sized baked Lays in stock
4. 2 packages of Sara Lee Wheat Bread
5. 100% Juice: vegetable, orange, apple, and pineapple-orange
6. N/A
7. 1 can of whole kernel corn shelved

Hitting the road again tomorrow and traveling through three states: South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana!

Day 38

Bikeability Assessment

Our group experienced some of its best biking conditions today as we biked from Faith, SD to Newell, SD. We covered approximately 75 miles in four and a half hours with a 15-20 mph tailwind! We most certainly enjoy the rare occasion of an east to west wind especially if it’s as strong as this one. Averaging close to 18 mph the entire trip, many of our riders bicycled without iPods to soak up the beautiful South Dakota landscape of prairies, rolling hills, and cows. With several ominous clouds hanging over us much of the day, most of the riders arrived to town with little more than a damp shirt and pannier covers; however, two of our less enthusiastic bikers for the day (Aidan and Rourke) were caught in the frenzy and resorted to Bear Grylls’ tactics of doing multiple pushups at the pinnacle of our hills to keep warm.

Most of our route was fairly similar all day as you can tell from the below rankings (please observe earlier posts from the trip if you are unaware of the rankings for the various listed numbers). We typically had a low amount of traffic, good road/shoulder conditions, poor proximity to vehicles, and great sightlines. The following photographs of our day on U.S. Highway 212 clearly exemplify the previous description.

U.S. Highway 212 Westbound (2 miles west of Faith, SD) 7:45 AM

1. 4
2. 4
3. 2
4. 5
5. 2 foot shoulder present

U.S. Highway 212 (17 miles west of Faith, SD) 8:45 AM


1. 5
2. 4
3. 2
4. 5
5. 2 foot wide shoulder present

U.S. Highway 212 (34 miles west of Faith, SD) 10:10 AM

1. 5
2. 4
3. 3
4. 4
5. 3 foot wide shoulder present

U.S. Highway 212 (50 miles west of Faith, SD) 11:15 AM

1. 5
2. 4
3. 3
4. 5
5. 3 foot wide shoulder present

U.S. Highway 212 (9 miles east of Newell, SD) 12:15 PM

1. 4
2. 3
3. 2
4. 5
5. 1 foot shoulder present

Day 37

Easy day of biking with only 42 miles under our belts. I was hoping to do a food availability analysis in our home for the evening (Faith, SD), but they have a well stocked grocery store right in the middle of town. Thus, the two convenience stores in town fail to operate as corner stores with the supermarket easily accessible with plenty of food options. There is little doubt that all the locals purchasing groceries within the area buy their groceries from the grocery store rather than any corner store given the close proximity of all of the establishments. In addition, another impetus for locals to purchase their groceries from the larger store would be attributed to the low supply of "grocery type food" in the convenience stores. I believe that the convenience store owners recognize the lack of potential economic gain by including such items in their stores.

I hope to conduct a bikeability assessment tomorrow while crossing the vast South Dakota prairie. Then, with a day off in Newell,I should be able to perform an additional food availability assessment in town.

A special happy birthday to two of my roommates in Chapel Hill, Mary and Ethan. They are both turning the big 21. Hope you guys both have an enjoyable and safe evening.

Day 36

Relaxing at Eagle Butte, SD on the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation. A nice 73 mile day took us across hot terrain and in contact with some very nice people. We are spending the night at the local Catholic Church where we are able to cook our own meals using the stove and oven for the first time in quite some time. Taking the day off from internship duties after a full previous week.

I would like to give the Hickory Daily Record a big thank you for the article they wrote up about the trip. I hope that the tour and my blog picked up a couple more supporters from this exposure. The article can be read at the following link:

Hickory Daily Record

I encourage all readers to go donate to the Lineberger Cancer Center in honor of the Cycle20Ten ride. Every donation counts and means so much to so many individuals.

Another thanks to all the hospitable people of South Dakota thus far. It has been tough riding, but these individuals have helped us through it.

Here is a picture of the beautiful overlook prior to the reservation.



Will blog again soon!

Day 35

Welcome to South Dakota!!



Today we biked a total of 105 miles from Doland to Gettysburg. The roads were in fair condition overall and traffic was non-existent. Bikers have to worry about very large farming machinery(tractors, etc) more than cars. One of my few complaints would be the relative close proximity of motor vehicles with their high speed. Typically, shoulder size was minimal if existent. Overall, it was a very enjoyable day.We crossed the halfway mark in our journey in miles and days today! Tomorrow we head into the Cheyenne Indian Reservation.

U.S. Highway 212 (intersection with 404th avenue) 4 miles outside of Doland, SD, 6 AM

1. 5
2. 4
3. 2
4. 4
5. Approximately 1-2 ft shoulder present

U.S. Highway 212 (intersection with 391st Avenue) 5 miles east of Redfield South Dakota, 7:15 AM
1. 5
2. 3
3. 3
4. 4
5. 3-4 ft wide shoulder present

U.S. Highway 281 (intersection with 167th St.) 7 miles north of Redfield, 9:20 AM

1. 4
2. 3
3. 5
4. 4
5. 8-10 ft wide shoulder present

Faulk County Road 10 (intersection with 373rd Avenue ) 11 AM

1. 4
2. 2
3. 2
4. 5
5. No shoulder present

Faulk County Road 10 (intersection with 362 Avenue) 12:15 AM
1. 4
2. 2
3. 2
4. 5
5. No shoulder present

U.S. Highway 212 Westbound (intersection with 347th Avenue) 7 miles west of Faulkton, 4:30 PM
1. 3
2. 3 (large drop off in shoulder)
3. 1
4. 4
5. No shoulder present

U.S. Highway 212 Westbound (intersection 333rd Avenue) Seneca, SD 5:45 PM

1. 5
2. 3
3. 3
4. 4
5. 2 foot wide shoulder in good condition, but with dramatic slope beside shoulder

U.S. Highway 212 (intersection with 316 Avenue) 6 miles outside of Gettysburg, SD, 7 PM

1. 4
2. 4
3. 2
4. 5
5. 2 foot shoulder present

Day 34

Doland, South Dakota Corner Store Assessment

Background: Doland is an approximately 300 person town in rural South Dakota. There is only one convenience store in town and one bar/restaurant. Older locals drive to closer cities including Clark and Redfield (smaller selections) to make grocery purchases whereas younger locals drive to larger, further cities including Aberdeen and Watertown to buy groceries. There aren’t any organized farmer’s markets, however, people from Doland do drive to surrounding area farms to purchase fresh produce on occasion.

Cenex Gas Station (convenience store with grill/deli attached)103 East Dakota Street

1. Healthy Cereals: Cheerios
2. No skim milk in stock
3. Single size baked Lays were available; no larger sizes
4. 1 package of wheat bread
5. 100% Juice: orange and apple
6. No fresh produce
7. Canned Vegetables: corn and green beans, no canned fruits

102 miles tomorrow so it is about time to hit the sack.

Day 33

Clara City, Minnesota Corner Store Assessment

Clara City is located in a rural section of western Minnesota about 50 miles from the South Dakota border. Having a relatively small population of approximately 2,000 people, Clara City has a surprisingly large food network within their town limits. It has several restaurants, a medium sized locally-owned grocery store, and one convenience store in the downtown area.

Rhodes Family Foods, the medium-sized grocery store, had all the items listed on the corner store assessment. However, it should be noted that a local believed that the store was struggling economically. She stated that most Clara City residents typically chose to drive 20 minutes to either Wilmer or Montevideo to purchase weekly groceries for pricing reasons. There was also a trucker stop located outside of town on Minnesota Highway 7 that I did not visit as it was fairly far away from the downtown area. There is no official farmer's market in town, yet fruit and vegetable stands do appear sporadically throughout the year. Activity levels in the town seem fairly high as many people were walking, biking, and skating around the park where we were camping.

Kwik-N-Ezy (traditional convenience store with deli inside) intersection of Minnesota 23 & Main St

Physical Description- the property looks exactly like a traditional convenience store. It is surrounded on two sides by two major roads into the town and by wooded areas on the other two sides. The store had two gas pumps located outside. Also, it advertises its deli on the outside of the store in solid, bold lettering.

1. Healthy Cereals: Special K, Cheerios
2. All types of milk
3. No baked chips
4. 4 packages of wheat bread
5. 100% Juice: Orange and Grape
6. No fresh produce
7. Canned Fruits: pineapple, mixed fruits (concentrate), pears (concentrate), peaches (concentrate)
Canned Vegetables: peas, corn, green beans, and mixed vegetables.

Day 32

Please check out my blogs from Days 29 and 30 to hear about my internship studies in the Twin Cities. Hope everyone had less wind blowing directly into your face than I did today.

Thank You

I would like to extend a very big thank you to the fine folks of the Twin Cities area during our 3 day stay.

The Rice Family (Dean, Carol, David, Olivia, and Jordan)- Our biking group thoroughly enjoyed your hospitality and kindness during the stay. All the vehicle trips, great food, and amazing sleep (especially on the couch in the basement) will not soon be forgotten. These acts of generosity will help to power us across to the Pacific regardless of the many obstacles in our way.

MNDOT- Special thanks to both Fay Cleaveland and Lisa Austin for giving their time to have an excellent discussion within the shadows of the Minnesota Capital Building. You two were very informative and engaging. It's no wonder Minnesota's biking is ranked so highly with people like you working in the Bicycling and Pedestrian Section!

Melissa Laska- Although we didn't get to meet in person, I really enjoyed our extended phone conversation. It was really interesting to see how dynamic corner store research is depending on the geographic area it is being conducted. I really appreciated your insight into the future of the field as well. I look forward to reading some of the publications when I get a chance!

I can't tell everyone enough how much your time and generosity has meant to me. It's people like you that make this internship not only feasible, but something really unique and special as well.

Day 31

Bikeability Assessment

We abruptly ended our stay at the Rice's home today as we biked from Andover, MN to Silver Lake, MN. Our 65 mile journey along state and county roads took over 8 hours and was packed with severe thunderstorms flashing up all around us. We luckily avoided adverse weather like the 3 tornadoes and fist sized hail that many Minnesotans witnessed all day. Below is the bikeability assessment for our route today:

Anoka County Road 14 (Downtown Anoka, intersection with 3rd Av.)7:30 AM

1. 2
2. 3
3. 2
4. 3
5. Small 1 foot shoulder present

Hampton County Road 101 Southbound (11150 Hampton County Road 101) 10:45 AM

1. 3
2. 3
3. 2
4. 4
5. No sizable shoulder present

Hennepin County Road 10 (4890 Hennepin County Road 10) 11:45 AM

1. 4
2. 2
3. 2
4. 4
5. No sizable shoulder present

Wright County Road 17 Westbound (5576 Wright County Road) 1:15 PM

1. 4
2. 5
3. 4
4. 3
5. 6 foot wide shoulder present

Carver County Road 27 (intersection with Penn Av.) 2:15 PM

1. 4
2. 5
3. 4
4. 4
5. 8 foot wide shoulder present

MN Highway 25 Westbound (5120 Highway 25)4 PM

1. 4
2. 3
3. 2
4. 3
5. 2 foot shoulder present

MN Highway 7 Westbound (intersection with McLeod County Road 9) 5 PM

1. 3
2. 4 (score would improve if rumble strips on flat ground were not present)
3. 5
4. 4
5. 8 foot wide shoulder present

Day 30

During my stay in the Twin Cities, I was fortunate enough to schedule a phone discussion with Dr. Melissa Nelson Laska, a faculty research associate for Healthy Eating Research (HER). Based in Minneapolis, HER is a national program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The program specializes in researching environmental policy issues relating to nutrition. The majority of my discussion with Dr. Laska focused upon corner stores as they are an important component of the work HER does and obviously very relevant to my internship studies.

From her, I learned that corner stores may be defined according to certain criteria: the numbers of aisles, cash registers, sales, or employees. They can differ by city according to such definitions. HER initially conducted research on corner stores in the Twin Cities area by using such an identification system to determine and target appropriate establishments for study. Following this procedure, HER researchers performed observational work (similar to what I am doing for my internship) on healthy food options within these corner stores. Their results varied, with some stores having a multitude of healthy options for customers while others were severely lacking.

Laska stated that stores lacking healthier foods should not be judged too quickly. She stated that most corner store owners are members of the community themselves and want the community to benefit from their store. However, at the end of the day, the owners must follow an appropriate business model in order to stay in business/make a profit, and healthier foods are often associated with certain risks. Healthier options may need more storage/shelving space, may require special care (fresh produce), or may call for a wealthier customer base to afford such purchases.

Interestingly enough, WIC policy requires that stores carry a certain amount of healthy foods (specifically fruits and vegetables) in order to participate in the program. Minnesota’s HER focuses on training vendors at corner stores in a variety of ways, including awareness of existing food policy/regulations, as well as the possible economic benefits of offering healthy foods and the proper ways to handle certain healthy foods requiring special care.

Laska pointed out that many of the corner stores in the Twin Cities vary in the availability of healthy foods according to ownership. Locally owned stores are less likely to stock healthy options, whereas larger chain models are more prone to carry such foods. The difference can be attributed to better and greater infrastructure, capital, displays, and economies of scale for the chain stores. I found this topic interesting because it is congruent with my observations thus far on the trip. For example, our bicycling group was having a very tough time finding fruits at convenience stores until we arrived in northern Iowa and Minnesota where the Kwik Trips chain has stores. These convenience stores all stocked fruits and vegetables.

An interesting difference between the corner store research I’ve conducted thus far and that of HER in Minneapolis/St. Paul is how certain stores take on different roles according to their urban/rural setting. For example, HER does not identify discount stores like Family Dollar or Dollar General as legitimate corner stores. On the other hand, I’ve found many discount stores in rural areas that would clearly be classified as corner stores. It is intriguing how various businesses take on different roles according to their environment and how researchers employ different definitions on this basis.

Finally, Laska believes that most people are generally aware of basic food availability in corner stores. Communities have become increasingly conscious of corner stores within their towns, but citizens typically lack the resources to promote any major change. The general public certainly has little access to the rigorous research and scholarly publications concerning this issue. Additionally, individuals that hold decision-making power often do not realize or appreciate the significance of issues surrounding corner stores and the individuals and families they affect: racial/ethnic minorities, those with low socioeconomic status, and citizens living in rural areas. A vicious cycle ensues with these groups having higher obesity rates, worse health outcomes relating to nutrition, etc. More research is necessary in order to determine proper methods to effectively promote healthier, affordable food options in corner stores.

Laska also teaches at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Community Health. Her research interests include nutrition in adolescents, obesity prevention, and food access in underserved areas. Please read more about Dr. Laska and Healthy Eating Research at the links provided below:

Dr. Laska

Healthy Eating Research

Happy Birthday Mom!

I would like to take a moment to wish my mother a Happy Birthday. I know that she has been spending a lot of time thinking about me while I've been on this trip, but I hope that she able to take some time today to enjoy and think only about herself as it is her special day.

Happy Birthday Mom. I love you so much. Thanks for everything.

Day 29

Yesterday, I had a very informative meeting with some fine individuals from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT), Bicycle and Pedestrian Section. Both Fay Cleaveland and Lisa Austin were gracious enough to welcome me to the city by spending over an hour discussing their section and why it has led Minnesota to the forefront in most bicycling rankings.

One of the main reasons for their high ranking: the people of Minnesota. According to both Cleaveland and Austin, Minnesotans are well known for their love of the outdoors and the recreation it offers. They accordingly support such initiatives that allow them to get outside and be active. When the winter months end and enjoying the slopes, skating, or ice fishing are no longer viable options, Minnesotans typically hop on a bicycle or find the closest trail to take a walk. Our bike group’s host for the past couple days said that he thought the reason Minnesotans have such a love for biking is that they can only do it 4 months out of the year. “When the weather finally becomes warm, EVERYONE grabs their bicycles and takes advantage of the weather.” I believe it too. As we cycled into town for our multi-day respite, we must have passed at least 5 separate groups of cyclists,all of them cheering us on.

MNDOT has 9 separate districts that are responsible for the actual project planning and construction. The state’s central office, including the individuals that I met, is typically used to provide the policy framework and guidance necessary for the individual districts to perform their tasks. The central office, being one of the main resources of the districts, collaborates heavily with the districts especially when it comes to matters dealing with bicycling or pedestrian areas. Cleaveland and Austin both stated that this was necessary in that the smaller DOT districts do not have experts or personnel devoted totally to those sections (bike/ped). Boasting one of the nation’s largest sections of employees for bike/ped issues, MNDOT has 4 full-time and 4 part-time employees that collaborate with the individual districts with regard to bicycling and pedestrian matters across the state. Each of these employees brings something unique to the table whether it be through a formal education in urban planning or years of experience in the field.

Today, the section has quite a few projects on the agenda. Below is a summary of some of these initiatives or other programs taking place in the region:

1. The Bikeway Plan- MNDOT hopes to complete a plan that identifies and describes which roads throughout the state need to be constructed or reconstructed for bicycling or walking based upon vehicle/bicycling traffic, routes between cities, etc. The plan will also include an appropriate time table for these actions based upon the derived necessity. There was a similar plan in place a few decades ago that has little relevance in that it has grown outdated.

2. Share the Road Program- MNDOT began a huge public awareness marketing campaign nearly five years ago hoping to enlighten the public to the laws relating to bicycling in the state. Called Share the Road, this initiative attempts to educate both drivers and bikers with regard to such laws as who has the right-of-way in certain situations and that a vehicle must pass bikers with at least 3 feet of distance. MNDOT created large quantities of educational materials for the program and uses various venues including public events (Minnesota State Fair), bike tours, rest stops, libraries, police officers, and their website to distribute these items. The program has proven successful, as based on annual MNDOT marketing surveys.

3. Bike Map- MNDOT does have an outdated bike map of the state that they are hoping to make current over the coming months. They also hope to incorporate their map with technological advancements such as GPS devices into their map design. With the growing popularity of these devices, including them on bicycling and pedestrian maps will make the maps more familiar and user friendly.

4. Cyclopath.org- Although not exclusively attributed to MNDOT, this new website gives bicyclists in the area the ability to research the conditions and characteristics of certain routes in the Twin Cities area, based on the findings of other cyclists. It allows users to have a greater understanding of the routes they are thinking about riding.

5. Nice Ride Bike Share- This program in Minneapolis and St. Paul is sponsored and funded by a bicycling group called Nice Ride. Similar to the Zipcar, Nice Ride offers individuals the ability to rent their product from a certain area of town, ride the product around town, and leave the product at any Nice Ride station. The only difference is the product is a spray painted green bicycle. For only $60 annually, subscribers may use a Nice Ride bicycle anytime and anywhere in the city.

6. Mississippi River Trail-MNDOT recently completed their portion of the Mississippi River Trail (MRT). This 3,000 mile long trail runs alongside the “Great River” from Minnesota to Louisiana

The list above is certainly not all inclusive, but it gives one an idea of the multitude of projects that MNDOT’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Section works with. As a final observation, I am confident in asserting that the state’s willingness to allocate funds to biking and pedestrian projects has tremendous impact on Minnesota’s high bicycling/walking ranking. For example, Minnesota used monies from the Tobacco Settlement to establish programs to construct roads/sidewalks to encourage more active living among residents when other states simply dumped the funds into building more roads. Additionally, Minnesota consistently spends more of their transportation dollars on bike/ped projects. This willingness may come right back to what my contacts originally said as the reason for Minnesota’s high ranking in bikeability: its people and their love of the outdoors.

Please read more about the MNDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Section at the below link:

MNDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Section

Days 27/28

Finally arrived to our break destination in Andover, MN (a 30 minute drive outside of the Twin Cities). We made it just in time to catch the World Cup Final and smash tons of pizza and snacks. Naturally, naps and games of cards ensued.

Two days of relaxation and touring of Minneapolis/St. Paul are on the agenda for the group. Hopefully, I will be hooking up with some contacts (courtesy of Dr. Ammerman and Dr. Rodriguez) in the city to discuss Minnesota bike policy and corner store development plans. Additionally, a restocking of some biking/camping supplies is necessary as my mirror is broken (thanks Jonah), my sleeping pad has a "tumor", my camera is out of commission, etc.

Spirits are high as we know we have a couple days off and appear to be a day ahead of schedule. Our clothes and bodies actually lack the smell of BO. My "beard" is as bushy and patchy as ever as I have consented to continue growing it for at least a couple more days at the request of the younger riders. All is well.

I look forward to hopefully meeting up with the fine folks in Minneapolis and posting the results of the meetings over the coming days. Until then, I'm going to enjoy the relative "coolness" in comparison to the sauna like weather my friends and family are enjoying in good ole' North Carolina.

Day 26

Bikeability Assessment

We traveled a total of 60 miles today from La Crescent, MN to Wabasha, MN. Overall, my fellow riders and I felt that these were some of the best roads of the trip thus far. A quick summary of our route is as follows: a four-lane highway with moderate to high volume of traffic, good road conditions, and above adequate vehicle to rider spacing with approximately an 8-10 foot wide shoulder. It was really quite an enjoyable ride as bicyclists could ride two abreast with comfort and relax without checking our mirrors for approaching vehicles every 5 seconds. There was the occasional bit of debris (tires, animals, wood, etc), but the level of sight and size of the shoulder allowed ample time and space to adjust the bicycle’s path appropriately. Our route was so pleasant that some of us actually arrived to town prior to 1 PM. The only negative of the day, in my opinion, was that my camera took a little spill after taking a photograph of a bike path outside of La Crescent. Following the picture, I stowed my camera in my handlebar bag where it soon tumbled out from the force of a large bump. With no signs of life besides a report of a lens malfunction, I must repair/replace it when we arrive in Minneapolis in two days (sorry Alice!). Thus, pictures will be limited until this problem is addressed. On the brighter side, I am looking forward to the rest, relaxation, and meetings with Minnesota DOT personnel and hopefully some corner store experts in the Twin Cities.

Bike Path 1 mile outside of La Crescent, MN, 7:45 AM

1. 5 (no traffic)
2. 3 (bumps and overgrown vegetation on/near path)
3. 5
4. 3
5. 6 foot bike lane present

Highway 14 West/Highway 61 North (approximately 16 miles outside of La Crescent) 9 AM
1. 3
2. 3 (glass present)
3. 4
4. 3
5. 8-10 foot shoulder present

Highway 61 North (intersection with 44th Avenue, Goodview, MN) 10:45 AM
1. 3
2. 4
3. 5
4. 4
5. 10 foot shoulder present

Highway 61 North (intersection with Wabasha County Road 29) 11:45 AM
1. 4
2. 4
3. 5
4. 4
5. 10 foot shoulder present

Highway 61 North (3 miles south of Wabasha) 12:30 PM
1. 4
2. 4
3. 5
4. 4
5. 8-10 foot shoulder present

Day 25

Off Day in La Crescent, Minnesota.

Day 24

Harpers Ferry, Iowa Corner Store Assessment

Background: Harpers Ferry appears to be a summer home spot on the edge of the Iowa/Wisconsin/Minnesota borders. Most citizens travel approximately 30 minutes by car to either Wacon or Lansing to buy weekly groceries. There is a local Farmer’s Market that occurs every Friday in town where residents can purchase local fruits and vegetables. Harpers Ferry features two convenience stores discussed below.

Harpers Mini Mart (convenience store) 403 Chestnut Street


1. Healthy Cereals: Cheerios and Raisin Bran
2. Only 1% and 2% available
3. No baked chips
4. 8 packages of wheat bread
5. 100% Juice: grapefruit, apple, grape, orange
6. Fresh produce included bananas, apples, onions, and potatoes
7. Canned Vegetables: spinach, carrots, green beans, and corn
Canned Fruits: pineapple and mandarin oranges

J and L’s One Stop (convenience store/huting/fishing shop hybrid)125 Jefferson Avenue


1. Healthy Cereals: Cheerios, Raisin Bran, Honey Bunches of Oats
2. Only 1 2% jug available
3. Only 1 individual size baked Lays stocked
4. 3 packages of wheat bread
5. 100% juices: orange, apple, grapefruit
6. Fresh produce: onions and potatoes
7. Canned Vegetables: peas, green beans, corn, and mixed vegetables
Canned Fruits: peaches, pineapple, mandarin oranges, and pears

Sleeping in a restroom tonight because of storms, but Minnesota tomorrow!

Day 23

Bikeability Assessment

We ventured 65 miles northward in Iowa today from Bennett to Dyersville. Unfortunately, the roads were not up to par on which we traveled. Most could be summarized as the following: a narrow, two-lane highway with moderate amounts of traffic, constant bumps, and a sand/gravel shoulder on which bikes cannot operate. Below is the bikeability assessment for the route.

Highway Y14 (2.25 miles outside of Bennett, IA, 7:45 AM)
1. 4
2. 2
3. 2
4. 3
5. Unpaved, sand shoulder (4 ft)

Highway Y24 Herbert Hoover Highway (intersection with 140th Street, 9:15 AM)

1. 4
2. 3
3. 1
4. 4
5. Unpaved, sand shoulder (4 ft)

County Road X75 (6684 County Road X75, 10:45 AM)
1. 2
2. 3
3. 1
4. 3
5. Unpaved, sand shoulder (4 ft)

Highway 136 (19394 Highway 136, 11:45 AM)
1. 4
2. 2
3. 2
4. 3
5. Unpaved, sand/gravel shoulder

Highway 136 (7741 Highway 136 Northbound, 2 PM)
1. 3
2. 2 (numerous bumps/drop offs in road)
3. 1
4. 3
5. Unpaved, sand shoulder (4 ft)



The above picture for Herbert Hoover Highway accurately portrays most of the roads traveled today.
Example of sand/gravel shoulder--


We are now enjoying the local pool in Dyersville. I might even try to stop by and see the Field of Dreams before we leave town!

Day 22

Bennett, Iowa Food Availability Assessment

Background: Bennett has a total population of approximately 400 and is located in eastern Iowa. Most citizens get their groceries from another city called Tipton (11 miles away). This is also the location of the closest official Farmer's Market; however, during certain portions of the year, local families will open fruits and vegetable stands (mostly sweet corn) along major roads leading into Bennett. Additionally, there is one restaurant/bar and one convenience store.

Schrod's Corner Stop (Cenex Convenience Store) 2000 Highway 130


1. Healthy Cereals: Cheerios
2. Only 2% and Vitamin D Milk in stock.
3. No baked chips available (regardless of size)
4. Wheat Bread (4)
5. Individual sizes of orange juice and grape juice available.
6. No fresh produce
7. Canned vegetables: peas, green beans, and corn
Canned Fruits: pineapple

**Given that there is only one other restaurant in town, Schrod's has adapted into a hybrid store that offers not only convenience items, but also larger prepared meals such as sandwiches, pizzas, etc. Such purchases seemed to be as common as ordinary soft drink or snack purchases.

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We have now crossed the Mississippi into Iowa. The winds and ominous clouds were somewhat of a pain, but arriving into town at 11 AM courtesy of a short cut can always brighten my day. Relaxing and exploring Bennett should be nice.

Day 21

Off day from internship duties. Hope everyone had a better Fourth than we did. First, the wind was not cooperative and blew directly in our face the majority of the day. Second, the town we are crashing in this evening celebrated the "4th of July" on the 3rd. Hmmmmm?

Well, we are crossing the old Mississippi River tomorrow into Iowa. Perhaps the winds will be more favorable. Look forward to blogging then!

Day 19

Bikeability Assessment

Our travels through yesterday’s cornfields took us from Ashkum, IL to Henry, IL. It was a long, hot day as we traveled over 90 miles to reach our destination. Now that I think about it, hot may be an understatement. The tar from the pavement actually melted from the heat and stuck to our tires as we pedaled. Most of the roads were fairly flat and lined with corn (again). The one section of our route that sticks out in my mind in my mind was a 2-3 miles stretch of gravel road in the countryside of Illinois. Below is a bikeability assessment I conducted for this stretch of the route.

Illinois Highway 116 Westbound (1.5 miles outside of Ashkum, IL, 6:30 AM)
1. 3
2. 2
3. 2 (close proximity to vehicles given the fast speed limit)
4. 4
5. 1.5 foot shoulder present, but isn’t capable to ride upon due to eroding areas.

Road 2700 North (0.1 miles from intersection with 700 East, 7:15 AM)
1. 5
2. 1 (gravel road)
3. 3
4. 5
5. No shoulder/bike lane present


Road 3700 North (0.2 miles from intersection with 1700 East, 8 AM)
1. 4
2. 4
3. 2
4. 5
5. No shoulder/bike lane present

Road 2400 North (intersection with 3000 East, 9:30 AM)
1. 5
2. 3
3. 3
4. 5
5. No shoulder/bike lane present

Highway 23 Westbound (intersection with Fitzsimmons Road, 11:45 AM)
1. 3
2. 2
3. 3
4. 5
5. 3.5 foot shoulder present, but dangerous to bike in due to sudden divots and large drop off.



Road 2900 North (intersection with 400 East, 1:30 PM)
1. 5
2. 3
3. 4
4. 5
5. No shoulder/bike lane present


Road 800 North (intersection with Century Road, 5:30 PM)
1. 3
2. 3
3. 2
4. 4
5. No shoulder/bike lane present

Day 18 Part 2

Ashkum, Illinois Corner Store Assessment

Background: Ashkum is an approximately 700 person populated town on the Illinois/Indiana border. With no local grocery store, locals typically travel to Kankake, IL (approximately 15 miles away) to purchase weekly groceries. For single items or small purchases, citizens may visit the only local convenience store (discussed below). There used to be a small supermarket located in downtown, but it recently closed due to a lack of business according to a local resident. The closest Farmer’s Market is also in Kankake and it occurs every weekend. Although the distance to buy groceries may seem somewhat extreme, a local believes the effects are minimized by the fact that many Ashkum residents work in the Kankake area and are able to make purchases before/after work. There does not appear to be any extraordinary amounts of pedestrians or bicyclists.

MKM Oil Inc “Fast and Fresh” Shell Station (Convenience Store) 410 North Front Street (adjacent to main highway through town)


1. Healthy Cereals: Cheerios
2. All types of milk were in stock.
3. No baked chips were available for purchase in the convenience store; however, there were single sizes for purchase in the conjoined Subway.
4. Wheat Bread (2), no tortillas
5. 100% Juice: Orange and Naked Juice blends
6. No fresh produce
7. Canned Fruits: none
Canned Vegetables: Peas, Corn, and Beans

***This store has a Subway located inside the store that happens to be only one of two restaurants in the town. Therefore, the store definitely sees a large amount of traffic.

Day 18 Part 1

Below is my first individual food assessment. I will post the group assessment when all the below parties agree to partake. While I understand the attraction to restaurants, I would think that a free meal would be too great a temptation to pass up. Then again, 8 bikers may find a prepared, hot meal hard to resist. Hopefully they will consent sooner rather than later.

Individual Food Assessment, June 30
Dinner at L & L & J Bonnells Gas and Grocery (Convenience Store)
Royal Center, IN

A.J. 3 hot dogs (ketchup, mustard, onions)
44 oz. Mello Yellow (cal 649, fat 0, sod 181.5 mg)
Cost—4.80
Satisfaction—2
B.B. Ham Salad Sandwich 6 inch
Pasta Salad .5 lb
Jello .5 lb
32 oz Mtn Dew (cal 605, fat 0, sod. 220 mg)
Cost—8.67
Satisfaction—5
J.D. BBQ Pork Sandwich 6 inch
Pasta Salad .5 lb
2 32 oz Gatorades (Serving Size 8 oz, Total 4, Calories 50, Fat 0, Sodium 110 mg, No sig. vitamins)
Cost—10.54
Satisfaction—3.5
M.R. Bologna/Cheese Sandwich 6 inch
Orange Jello .25 lb
44 oz Pepsi (cal 550, fat 0, sod. 110)
Cost—6.09
Satisfaction—2.5
Z.J. Roast Beef 6 inch
Hot Dog (ketchup)
Watermelon .25 lb
Mini can of Pringles (1 can, cal 230, fat 15 g/sat 4 g, sod 240 mg, Vit c 6% DV)
Cost—6.46
Satisfaction—3
J.K. Turkey/Cheese Sandwich 6 inch
Sour Cream and Onion Chips (Serving Sz 1 oz, Total 2.5, Cal 400/fr fat 220, Fat 24 g/sat. 3 g, Sodium 520 mg, Vit C 25% DV)
MnM’s (Serving Sz. Package, Cal 45, Fat 5 g/sat. 3 g, Sod. 150 mg)
20 oz Lemonade (Serving sz 8 oz, Total 2.5, Cal 90, fat 0, sod. 70 mg, Vit C 10 % DV)
Cost—6.76
Satisfaction—4
R.B. 2 hot dogs (ketchup)
6 Donut Cremesticks (Serving sz 1 donut, 6 total, cal 300, fat 16 g/sat 8 g, sod 270 mg, 0 vit)
Cost—5.42
Satisfaction—4
B.S. Chicken Salad Sandwich
Pasta Salad .5 lb
2 packages of Rolos (Serving sz. Package, Cal 228/cal fr fat 90, Fat 10 g/sat 7 g, Sod 90 mg, Vit A 1 %, Vit C 1 %)
44 oz Dr. Pepper (550 cals, 0 fat, sod. 192.5 mg)
Cost—9.16
Satisfaction—3.5



Totals Cost—$57.90
Avg Satisfaction-3.44
Waste-




***See above for some nutritional information on food/beverage consumed. Note: some items did not have nutritional labels, but will be evaluated at the conclusion of the trip.