Day 24

Location - Pierre, South Dakota Miles/Total Miles - 117/1,763 Climb - 3,000

We're now in the capitol of South Dakota - Pierre. To get here we did another 100 plus mile day, (the sixth of our trip) doing the 100 miles in five hours and forty-five minutes which is pretty respectable, so I'm told. Then we went another 17 into town.
I couldn't imagine Kati and I living out on the prairie in a place like this one. We'd both go crazy in the first month.

I saw this old jailhouse in Cottonwood . . .

Day 23

Location - Wall, South Dakota Miles/Total Miles - 57/1,646 Climb - 1,550

What a great day to ride a bicycle . . . It was a short day today (57 miles) and so the staff didn't have us load luggage until 8:00 AM. By the time they pulled up the door on the back of the truck, everyone was waiting, ready since at least 7:00. We were treated to a tailwind that lasted all day; treating us to one of the fastest rides I have ever done. I averaged 19.3 mph over the 57 miles making this ride my best (speed wise) ever. We pulled into a Dairy Queen (getting to be a bad habit) before 11:00 AM and celebrated with a vanilla malt.

The town of Wall and Wall Drug itself turned out to be a bust . . . Just a bunch of shops selling T-Shirts and trinkets.
One redeeming value was the mounts displayed throughout the store. There were also old pictures that lined the walls which we interesting.

A barn and two outbuildings I saw on the way out of town this morning.

Day 22

Location - Rapid City, South Dakota Miles/Total Miles - 75/1,589 Climb - 5,100

On the road at 6:30 for what will be the toughest climbing we'll see until the east coast. We headed out through the town of Hot Springs into the countryside where we immediately ran into Buffalo, Prairie Dogs, Antelope and Deer. It's hard to believe there is so much beautiful open space left in this world.

The big stop today was Mt Rushmore . . . it's amazing . . . I sat there for quite a while just gazing at it and thinking of what it meant to me and to all of us. A tribute to the strength and for site of four of the greatest men in the history of this country. It's just a spectacle and the setting; columns of rock jutting out of the pine forrest, there is not a more dramatic place.

It was just a great day of animal sightings, Rushmore, and to my surprise, I was on the podium (so to speak), the first in to the hotel. The climbs are getting easier and I'm getting just as conditioned as everyone else.

We came in from the backside of the mountain where you could catch a glimpse of George Washington from the side.

Day 21

Location - Hot Springs, South Dakota Miles/Total Miles - 92/1,514 Climb - 2,880
On the road at 6:30, off and into South Dakota, the fouth state on this tour. The weather was perfect as we gained in altitude heading up and into the pines again. Ranches were the scenery of the day with herds of black angus grazing in green pastures unaware that they will be on someones plate sooner than they think.

Stunning vistas and rock formations such as this one are the normal on the climb up to Hot Springs.

Day 20

Location - Lusk, Wyoming Miles/Total Miles - 106/1,422 Climb - 2,550

In anticipation of a long day, we loaded our luggage and were off to breakfast at 5:45. Much to my surprise, my good friend John was up to see us off, I'll have to talk him into doing one of these rides next year.

The ride to Lusk was much more scenic than yesterday. Green fields everywhere with a hint of gold as the wheat begins to turn. We rode through the town of Douglas but nobody was quite up yet, they must all still be out feeding the chickens.

We saw so much of the prairie today and I wanted to post some greenery but this windmill just begged for me to take a picture.

We arrived in Lusk just before the Rawhide Days parade. Big doings this weekend at the fairgrounds with a rodeo, car show and carnival. The whole town of about 1,500 people (and 50 bike riders) turn out for the parade.

Day19

Location - Casper A Day Off

After eight days of riding through Idaho and into Wyoming we got a day off. Not much to say about Casper, It's not much for tourism, just a meat and potatoes, blue collar kind of town. I did get a surprise visit from old friends John and Nancy from Fort Collins. They drove four hours just to take me to dinner and what a dinner it was. I'll tell you, Casper has some fine restaurant and I left the s off on purpose. Nancy says it's the only fine restaurant. We had some great steaks and as John put it, this is the part of the country that you expect only great steaks. Thanks again you two for looking in on me, it made Casper a special stop on this tour.

We were talking about the fact that no one is losing weight on this trip. All we do is eat, ride, eat, sleep, eat and ride (get the idea?). Gene and I weighed in and both of us lost a few pounds (seven lbs to be exact for me).

Here's a picture of the Platte River just outside our hotel.

Sculptor looks a little different in this part of the country.

Day 18

Location - Casper, Wyoming Miles/Total Miles - 120/1,316 Climb - 2,660

Today was another day of days - 120 miles is my 4th century and my longest ride. We loaded luggage at 5:15 ate breakfast and were on the road at about 5:50. A crisp cold morning made the first hour a little uncomfortable in that regard but the biggest bust of the day was the wind. We had a 5 to 10 mph wind on the nose all day with gust to 15. It wouldn't have been all that bad except it blew for 120 long hard miles. I figured that I rotated the crank 400 time per mile which means I spun that crank 48,000 times today, give or take a few hundred. Do you think I'm a little tired out? Although the wind was harsh, I jumped onto a pace line and was one of the first people to finish the day.

Heading out of town I saw two mule deer feeding in a farmers field - they watched closely as I passed. I could almost hear one saying to the other "What the hell is that Ethel?" There were also tons of Antelope dotting the countryside. But mostly, it was down a long and lonesome road.

This hide was strung up to dry at a SAG stop. I guess they still hunt buffalo in these parts. Either that or somebody driving through this area got a rude awakening.

This canyon is known as "Hells Half Acre" were the Indian's used to run the buffalo off the edge during their hunts.