Day 53, July 12, Enderlin, ND to Gackle, ND.  I was up early mainly because it was very warm last night and I could not cool down.  I used my stove for the first time since the GAP and made some coffee and oatmeal.  I got on the road before 7 and headed west.  The wind in North Dakota is as bad as advertised.  The wind was out of the SW and gusting to 10-15 mph.  I stayed steady and the route was gently rolling.  It is like climbing a hill constantly.  I was making 9-10 mph.  I stopped at a Convenience Store that was also a diner and had a second breakfast.  My first town stop was at 38 miles in Marion, a mile of route, where I got lots of water and had a light lunch.  I then made a decision to get to Gackle to get back on my plan.  Jay Cink, in Marion, told me it was 41.5 miles to Gackle and the road was flat.  Jay was half right.  The wind seemed to have decreased somewhat early in the afternoon but it was very hot again today.  After about 10 miles the route became quite hilly, unexpected for North Dakota.  At about 20 miles, my legs were toast.  The rest of the ride was in 1, 2, and 3 mile increments as I struggled to push the bike up hills and into the wind which seemed to get worse in the late afternoon.  I had to stop at a farm house and ask for water as the ride got longer and longer.  Near Gackle the hills got steeper and longer.  I finally reached Gackle.  I was stopped by a woman, who said she and her husband had just signed up for the “Warm Showers” program and would I like to be their first guest.  Jason and Jenny Miller and sons Oliver and Max are just wonderful.  The Millers live in California during the winter and North Dakota during the summer because Jason manages a honey bee operation in the summer.  Miller Honey Farms have over 14,000 bee hives all over North Dakota, collect and sell bulk honey to a company that processes and sells it in stores.  The bee hives are taken to California in the winter to pollinate fruit and vegetable farms.  It was quite a surprise ending to a very rough day and very welcome.  Mileage for the day was 82.00.