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Today’s weather forecast for Rapid City was for clear skies, temperatures in the 90s (!), and a moderately strong W wind. To take advantage of the cooler part of the day,

I again started early, hitting the road around 7:00. I figured the Hills (and trees) would block the wind pretty well, and that turned out to be right. The first few miles were on a city bike path that followed a large stream, which was flowing strongly. At points it was over its banks, covering parts of the path.

Quickly I was leaving the city and climbing. I took Nemo Road rather than a larger one that ran parallel. I was a little worried that my route would be too winding, have bad pavement, or be overly steep. But yesterday, the two Davids said it was a good road, and they were right. It was wide, with smooth pavement, and reasonable grades. And it was only lightly traveled, another plus.

The scenery was as nice as the road. There were continuous vistas with lots of relief, rocky outcrops, and beautiful trees (which I haven’t seen a while). Just really gorgeous mountain scenery.

The road followed a large stream (I think the same as in Rapid City), which alternately carved steep sided gorges or ran through lush, broad meadows. With the bright sun and hot temperatures, I just had to stop at one point for a cooling dip. It was not icy, which surprised me a little, but still refreshing. The heavy flow must have come from the late spring rains that I had been told explained the greenness of the landscape in much of western South Dakota.
I stopped for a rest in the hamlet of Nemo, almost the midpoint of my day’s ride, but it was still not yet 10 o’clock. There are a lot of ATV riders and motorcyclists in this area. Seems to be what you do in the Black Hills.

Eventually, the Nemo road ended and I was back on the larger road I had bypassed. It was OK, just wider and busier, with a less intimate connection to the landscape.

I eventually climbed to about 6000’, and it was about 10 degrees cooler than in Rapid. And the mountains did block the headwind, so it was a great day. The forecast is for more of the same: sunny and hot.  Today was the kind of ride I had hoped for on this trip.

Oh yeah, I took a quick side trip to Mt Rushmore. Here’s a picture of me with Lincoln. (Unfortunately, the other presidents were out for cleaning.)

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I’m beginning a photo-log of some of the less damaged animals I find resting along the road.  Here’s the first one I took.  It was too pretty not to.

I’ve seen LOTS of birds (including a large owl), racoons (many), a beaver, squirrels, skunks, coyotes, turtles (snapping and box), rabbits, porcupines, snakes, frogs, salamanders, a house cat, and many indistinguishable splats.  Saw my first deer in South Dakota after seeing many live ones from Connecticut through Ontario (and coming a bike length from hitting one in Pennsylvania).

This snake looked like he might really be resting.  No obvious injury.

This snake I saw in the Black Hills had a curious termination to its tail.  (Yes it was clearly dead.)  I considered taking the rattle, but I thought that might be bad karma.

Many insects as well. Yes, you see things when biking that you don’t when riding other vehicles.

More snakes.

LOTS of birds, though most completely flattened.  I can see how the airflow around a truck doing 80 could easily suck in a bird. Pretty sure the duck’s head and neck were underneath, but I wasn’t about to check.

Wyoming should be called the Squashed Rabbit State.  I saw hundreds of them on I-90.

Considering how utilitarian Americans are, and how tasty rabbit is, I’m surprised our pioneer ancestors didn’t eat them more.  An anti-French thing?  Maybe if we renamed them “Freedom Chickens”?

Some days turn out better than you hope. This was one of those days.
Today’s trip from Wall to Rapid City seemed likely to be bad. The weather promised temperatures in the mid-90s and winds strong from the S. That’s not a headwind, but a strong wind from the side can be annoying. Worse still, the route was to be largely on Interstate 90, with road construction in progress. Yes, bikes are permitted on many interstates here in the west. The only other route was much longer, and would be significantly into a strong headwind. I didn’t have much choice.

To beat some of the heat, and because I get to bed early and am on Central (Eastern?) Time, I got up a little after 4. This is not as gruesome as it sounds; I just woke up then. After a convenience store breakfast (nothing else open then), I hit the road around 6:00. Still nice and cool. I-90 turned out to be amazingly nice. I have become used to large trucks whizzing by at 70 mph on many roads I have traveled. They are almost always considerate, and move over far to the left, but can only do so if there is no oncoming traffic. On I-90, they routinely got in the left lane leaving the right lane between them and me (on the margin). What’s more, because of the construction, the right lane was closed off for the first 10 miles, so it served as a “bike lane” for me. The highway ran down into the Cheyenne River Valley, which was quite beautiful.

After 19 miles, there was a parallel small road, also beautiful, and because of I-90, completely deserted. I expected it to continue only 10 miles, but it turned out to go all the way to Rapid City. Riding this road was fantastic. Pavement in good shape, lots of gentle descents and climbs, crystal clear air and only a few wisps of clouds; really wonderful biking. I could see the Black Hills in the distance, which was nice after so much flat landscape.

Arriving on the outskirts of Rapid City, I stopped for some rehydration and ran into two really nice guys, father and son, both named David. We talked for quite a while about my trip and the route ahead. They had great tips about the roads and even suggested a good motel. Thanks David and David!

Rapid City is not large (70,000 population), but it is the only city for many miles. The parts that I have seen are dominated by malls, which could be anywhere. Malls are especially painful to traverse on a bike. They feel dehumanizing.

I’ve spent a lot of time trying to figure out my route over the next week. There are few places to stay, and every choice influences what is possible the next day(s). Turns out to be quite a puzzle when there is often no plan B.  My tomorrow looks fun: winding roads through the Black Hills. I’ll be staying at a back country resort near the height of the land. Then there will be more mountain riding Monday, ending with a long gradual downhill to Sundance.

I left Pierre, crossing the Missouri and entering the Mountain Time Zone, two benchmarks.
I decided to change my route a little, and get the chance to stay at a bed and breakfast situated in a former Minuteman Missile control center (no joke). It did mean an 80 mile day, but it cut the day after to 40 miles. The road was pretty good, and like most around here, with relatively few vehicles. The landscape is really beautiful. As it is rolling now, and when you are at the top of a ridge the views go for MILES. It is also surprisingly lush, due to unusual rains, I was told later by my hosts.

This area is really empty. Leaving Pierre a sign announced no hope of support for 66 miles.

About 40 miles in, I was running out of water. I have water purification systems, but applying them to large puddles that cows are standing in is too much. As I entered the town of Hayes, I saw several small planes taking off and landing. Turns out it was a crop dusting company. I pulled in and asked for water. Two young guys showed me a source and a woman got me some bottled water. Once again, people have been very helpful. This is a picture of Rawson, one of the two guys. Thanks Rawson!

Besides the water glitch, things went well for the first 70 miles, as the wind was from the side, a theme here in South Dakota. Then I had to turn due south, and had the wind in my face. That was hard after so many miles on the road, and 12 miles to go. (I also did not find services even after 66 miles.)  Finally, I reached a ridge with huge water and communications towers, which I was pretty sure was just before my B&B. Then I noticed my GPS said 6 miles to go! NO! Yes. I said some words. I finally reached the turn off for the Missile Inn B&B. Dirt, but well packed. VERY happy to arrive. (Day total 87.5 miles)
Hosts George and Sandee Gittings took good care of me. The B&B is a funny mix of 1963 era military utilitarian architecture and the homey touches they have added. I was exhausted. I ate the food I had brought, expecting no dinner, and lay on my bed, thinking I might just drift off. I was awakened by a knock, and George invited me to join them for dinner. They had chicken pot pie (my last meal request when I am executed) they bought from Hutterites. Just wonderful. I also drank about 10 gallons of fluids.
Sandee brought out a fascinating report written when the centers were decommissioned in 1993. Everything from their design to the sociopolitical context to environmental concerns to summaries of public hearings. Crews of two workers spent 2 hours in a subterranean bunkers (of course) with their fingers on trigger buttons that would end the world as we know it. Luckily, two different centers both had to hit firing buttons to end the world… George told me EVERYTHING that was going on with the B&B and in the area. Next time you are in South Dakota, stay there.

Today was much shorter, but pretty dull. I rode to Wall (of drugstore fame). Along the way I visited Cottonwood, which has shrunk to a population of 12. (Is one state championship in some sport too much to ask?)

I was drawn in because of this amazing abandoned church.

Got to Wall and visited the famous Wall Drug.

Even more disappointing than expected. (And I am a sucker for Jackalopes.)

Wall is holding a mini festival.

Sadly subdued. Part of it is a rodeo going on, but I was chased out by mosquitoes (I was warned that I might be).

Not staying here:

But I am here:

Maybe my bike won’t get stolen.  Here’s one just sitting in someone’s yard.

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My ride today put me in Pierre, the capital of South Dakota (the nice one).  Be sure to say it PEER, not the Frenchy way (PEE-AIR).  I guess all the places in the US with French names that are now anglicized were founded by the French, and the names (but not pronunciations) were kept when the Brits took over.  I immediately think of Detroit, Des Moines, Baton Rouge, and Boise.  (Want a rough phonetic equivalent of their original pronunciations? DAY-TWAH, DAY-MWANZ, BAHTAHN ROOJ, and BWAHZ.  The last, my favorite.  The preceding feeble attempt is why they say you should NEVER try to write in dialect.)

I got past the rest of the road work pretty easily, but I was on SD 14 all day.  It’s a big road with big vehicles (lots of asphalt delivery trucks oddly).

Typical interesting farm architecture along the way.

I crossed the 100th Meridian today. Interesting historical note:

I post both sides in case one is easier to read.

Besides that, not much to report until I got to Peer (Pierre).  (BTW: This post’s title means I’m half way across SD.)  Here in Pierre, I bumped into fellow cycle tourist Ryan.

He’s from Missouri, and has been doing a big looping tour.  We both thought it odd how few other long distance touring cyclists we had met.

I also got my hair cut.  Leigh Ann at The Cutting Edge did the honors. Nice work Leigh Ann!

The haircut she gave me is something they call a mullet(?) around here.  I’ll post selfies later.

Dinner included something called Tin Tators.  It’s potatoes cooked with onion and spices in a jacket of aluminum foil.   The ones I got

My daughter Ellie gave me the sweetest Father’s Day gift.  She put on a dress, placed a flower in her hair, and did a performance.  She does a cup rhythm thing, and she made up new words for Father’s Day. Here they are.

“You’re going on a bike trip cross the country. It’s a dream that you will conquer!
But all of us friends and family, we will miss you so much when you’re gone.
When you’re gone. When you’re gone. We’re gonna miss you when you’re gone.
We’re gonna miss your funny jokes and that amazing personality,
We’re gonna miss you when you’re gone!”

I really hope she meant “while you’re gone”.

(CLICK ON ANY IMAGE FOR A LARGER VIEW)

I got an early start today, getting up at 5:00 and on the road shortly after 7.  Following yesterday’s short ride, today was back to full length (70 miles). The forecast was for light (5 – 10 mph) winds from the east, so at my back. Amazing what a help that is. I easily maintained a 15 mph pace for the day. Early on, I was on back roads with virtually no traffic and very nice scenery. When I got back on the main road (SD 14), it was still OK, as the tailwind made riding pleasant despite the occasional large truck. But then at about 45 miles, I ran into a little road work in the town of Miller. They are resurfacing and were grinding off the old road surface. Not a problem, until I turned the corner and saw a sign that said “Road Work Next 33 Miles”. NO! But yes. The surface was ground down into a cross hatched pattern that is murder on a bike, a continuous pounding vibration.

After a few miles I discovered that the margin, as terrible as it was (and discontinuous in places), was better than the main road. I spent the next 10 miles picking the least bad option (margin or road?) and wondering how I could survive the ride. To my utter joy, 12 miles later, in Ree Heights, the road was partially repaved.  A smoother coating of blacktop covered most of the scarified surface.  Though it was not the final smooth pavement. I didn’t care, it was so much better.

Because of the early start and tailwind, I arrived at my destination, Huron, around 1:00. I would have been very tempted to keep going, exploiting the tailwind, but the next motel was 48 miles farther in Pierre. I still might have tried, but at this point resting my tibialis tendon seems crucial for the long term. As it is, I am just 45 miles from the center of South Dakota, with neutral side winds predicted for tomorrow.

The day ended with an excellent dinner.  Food options are limited in Highmore, and I chose the D&K Outpost.  It’s a restaurant combined with a convenience store and gas station.  I didn’t expect much, but I was very wrong.

For an appetizer, I sampled chislic, a local specialty.  It’s spiced, deep-fried cubed meat.  Mine was tender, tasty, and perfectly spiced.

For a main course I had smothered chicken, along with cole slaw, hash browns, and toast.  All were perfect.  The cole slaw was fresh and with an ideal sweetness.  The hash browns were crispy and light.  The chicken was prepared perfectly with onion, mushrooms, and cheese.

Proprietor Darcy gave me the chislic recipe, and son John was the perfect host/server. I can’t wait for breakfast tomorrow.

Weather has been cool, which is nice.  It didn’t crack 70 today:

Today I also saw a cowboy church:

and interesting road art:

Yesterday (July 5th) was my hardest ride so far. The wind was strong (20 – 25 mph) from the south. Usually, this would not be a problem, as my route is nearly due west, and wind from the side is not an issue. Unfortunately, yesterday was one of the only days I was traveling SW rather than due W. Out here, the roads are on a grid, so you are heading either due E-W or due N-S. For the half of the time I was going south, it was directly into a fierce wind. I had to use mountain gearing to move forward on the level. It was also a longish day, over 70 miles, and it was NOT fun. Luckily the wind dropped with 20 miles left, so the final hour and a half was not bad. Here’s a village I saw near the end of the ride.

(And it was.)

As fate would have it, the wind shifted completely, so today (6th) it was strong from the N. That’s pretty much neutral, as I am riding due W again. The N wind would have been perfect yesterday. Today was a v short day (35 miles), so I got myself some rest. But it was a BORNG ride. Here’s the view for most of the trip.

Tomorrow, the wind is predicted to be at my back, though not strong. That will be nice.
I can’t complain about the weather. I watch the Weather Channel a lot, and I see extreme heat and severe storms many other places. I have had it cool (70s) and storms that always seem to come after I finish riding.

Seventy miles may not sound like a lot if you are used to driving. But on a bike, it is a big deal. For friends and family back in southern New England, 70 miles is similar to the distance from New Haven to Westerly, or Boston to Portsmouth NH, or Providence to Springfield.

As I get farther west, the scheduling options begin to be fewer in number. The distance between nearest motels is about a day’s bike ride. If I don’t make it, I have to hope there is a place to camp. Because I am still in farming country, that can be tricky. I need a site that is level, dry, inconspicuous, accessible, and preferably with a water source. Not many places like that around here. I was considering a campground yesterday, but the weather forecast overnight was for severe thunderstorms with 2” of rain and hail. Not ideal weather in a tent. I enjoyed watching it from my motel room.

This passes for a historic marker-worthy event in South Dakota.  Can you imagine Lawrence Welk and Clint Eastwood at the same event?

Even a dull road has some nice views.  I liked this one.

How can a village of 266 people field a football team, let alone win a state championship?  I think the B9 category means they play with 9, rather than 11 players on the field.  Still, it must be every boy in the school in the eligible age bracket.

In another, younger time I might have been tempted to do the 8 mile roundtrip to have seen Yale, South Dakota.

I was in a foul mood when I got up this morning. My room was not non-smoking, and just the smell was depressing. My tibialis tendon felt no better, and I was facing what I imagined will be at least 7 hard days in South Dakota. The only real restaurant in town serving breakfast was closed for the 4th(!), so I had to get breakfast at Hardee’s. They have biscuits and gravy, worst ever.

There was another angle. In the last 10 miles the day before, I suddenly developed a sharp pain on the outside of my left leg at the knee. This was different, as it came and went and was quite sharp. It felt like something was getting out of alignment, and flexing my leg seemed to make it go away. When I got to the motel, I pulled my calf up under me all the way, I felt a click, and the pain vanished. Great, but would it return? Another worry.

Leaving town, roads were quiet (Saturday? the 4th?) and pretty, but there was a familiar thump every 20 ft. Farms here look prosperous. Why can’t the counties fix their roads?

Then I discovered something. Even though the joints run all the way across the road, there are not deep dips in the margin (between the white line and edge of the road).

I went back and forth many times to confirm this difference; always true. This must be because heavy vehicles don’t drive there, compressing the joints. The margin is only 24 inches wide, but that’s ok. I do have to watch out for gaps however.

I passed through the quiet village of Clarkfield.  It’s small size requires some doubling up in terms of services offered.

Lynner specialize in casket sofas, I think.

And then my mood just lightened. The wind shifted more in my favor, the weird left knee thing was not returning, and my tibialis tendon felt ok. In fact, I wasn’t even noticing it. Everything went well for another 25 miles, where I passed through Canby MN.  I did some shopping at the local market (may have to camp), had my first Creamsicle probably in decades (still delicious), and headed for South Dakota. Folks in Canby are either super friendly, or because it was Saturday or the 4th they were gregarious, but at least 10 different people asked my itinerary and then wanted to talk about it. Lots of fun.

I had lunch under a basswood tree that was larger than any I ever see in the east.  These behemoths develop beautiful, deeply furrowed bark.

As do cross continent cyclists.

But now the weird part (in a good way) . My tendon felt BETTER after 40 miles than when I started in the morning. I can’t explain it, but I accept this gift with open arms. I’m using Voltaren Gel among other strategies. Voltaren (prescription) is like Aspercreme on steroids, but specifically not on steroids (an NSAID for the cognoscente). But I think the improvement in my tendon mainly relates to my stopping use of pedal clips and allowing a neutral foot placement on the pedal (and ice, and massage, and stretching, and Voltaren).
*
I left Minnesota and entered South Dakota, which I expected to be an awful transition. There was no “Welcome to South Dakota” sign, but there were two fireworks stores, much better in my opinion. The little boy in me (with most of his fingers) almost dragged me off the road, but sadly there is nowhere on CC to carry bottle rockets and cherry bombs. Unexpectedly, the crossing was completely in South Dakota’s favor.For one thing, the quality of the pavement improves dramatically.  This is a view with Minnesota in the foreground and South Dakota in the background.

The road at the border point makes a right angle turn from E-W to N-S. That meant that the wind went from my side (OK) to directly behind me (amazing). Plus the land use went from row crops to pastures, and even a Nature Conservancy reserve called Seven Mile Fen, which is both beautiful and its name recalls the Red Sox Fenway. (The ball park is named after a wetland after all.) The road from there to Clear Lake (SD) was gorgeous and uphill (which I like). The only downside is that the one restaurant in Clear Lake closes on weekends. (Interesting business model I must examine.) So dinner may be from the local convenience store. Imagine the possibilities?! Here’s my 3 course meal.

Here’s my motel.  I suspect my advance reservation for 4 July was not entirely necessary.

I puzzled over signs like this, until I realized they are for snowmobilers.

There are amazing road designations that one might expect in more urban settings. One sees all sorts of high numbered streets and avenues, all dirt roads.

Lewis and Clark plan their route from Cockburn Island, Ontario, to Drummond Island, Michigan:

(Photo credit: Sacajawea)