Missouri River to Ethan, SD
This morning we headed over to our friendly RV neighbors where we were given blueberry pancakes, waffles, sausage, bacon, fruit and other breakfast goodies! It was a group of couple and friends who travel in their RVs each year, and they were very excited to hear about our trip and feed us. When we finally made it out with full stomachs, we managed to bike 15 miles to Platte on brand new chipseal WITHOUT breaking off any more derailleurs. In Platte we had some Subway and swung by the grocery store before making the 45 mile ride to Parkston with nothing in between. It was a slow and windy day (as in lots of wind, not winding roads - this road was absolutely as straight as it is possible to make roads). The weather to the east of the Missouri has been significantly more humid than anything we've encountered so far, and we sweated our way along, stopping for snacks on the burning roadside.
We made it to Parkston around 6 pm after our slow morning and bought our dinner there. We then decided to continue a few miles further to shorten the next day's ride.
We biked 11 more miles to Ethan, SD. On the last mile of the ride, the sky opened up and absolutely soaked us and our bikes. We pulled into the one tiny gas station in Ethan and cooked our pasta under a tiny awning on the pavement outside. Hundreds of toads hopped in and around the parking lot, driven out by the rain. While dinner was cooking, Lucia was kind enough to walk next door to look for a dryer place to sleep. She hooked us up with a farmer and his barn about a mile and a half down the road. It was after 9 pm when we got there, and we pitched our tents on the concrete where his tractor usually sleeps, eagerly awaiting our next night in Sioux Falls!
Ethan, SD to Sioux Falls
This morning we decided to do the ride separately, since Danielle and I (amie) were incredibly eager to get to Lucy's house, whereas our three friends wanted to take a leisurely ride. We were all up a little after six, and Dan and I bolted out of town. We took highway 42 all the way there, stopping once at a gas station and once to fix a flat tire on Danielle's bike. Her actual tire (as opposed to inner tube) was starting to fall apart, so we got to use the dollar-bill trick, and slid a bill inside the tire to keep it together for a few more miles. We hit town around 12 and found the Evans' house by 1. We were filthy and exhausted, both riding thrice-patched tubes that were the wrong size for our tires, my handlebar tape was unraveled, and my seat was loose. Thoroughly disheveled.
Our friends has a slower ride but were apparently chased by a pitbull along the way? Claire even unclipped and kicked at it! They made it by 3:30 or so.
The Evans' house is GORGEOUS and comfortable. We took showers while Liz Evans treated us like queens. She washed our clothes, fed us, gave us cold drinks and comfortable beds! We all dozed on a giant couch and watched the Tour de France on the big screen (apparently we still can't get enough cycling?)
That night we had burgers, corn and salad on the patio, toasted marshmallows around the fire pit, and slept like babies.
Rest day in Sioux Falls
Today we all slept in (Dan until after 12...impressive) and we watched the movie Amelie. In the afternoon we went shopping for some crucial bike components, sports bras, swimsuits, etc. Liz Evans even paid for our purchases :O She then took us all out to lunch by the pool!!
Afterwards we did some chores (tent and bike washing, repacking and organizing, post office, etc.) and then Liz took us to the health spa nearby, where we tried to steam and soak off the layers of bike grease all over our bodies. Tamara got to go for a swim and we all had showers.
We drove ourselves back to the house and walked into the smell of baking pizzas, which we ate IN FRONT OF THE TV. Oh my god. Possibly the best day in the history of days. We watched Thelma and Louise and ate chocolate cake for dessert. Completely unreal. THANK YOU LIZ EVANS.
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Saturday, July 24, 2010
Sorry so late! Here's the first bit of South Dakota
After our last post from the library in Sundance, Wyoming, we set off on a little 2-lane highway headed southeast, ready to cross into South Dakota, our fifth state. About 2 miles out of town, Dan snaps a spoke... a sign of too much weight on the bike. We cleaned out her bags and the group took a little of her weight off. The snapped spoke had been sprocket-side, meaning we couldn't replace it without pulling the sprocket off the back wheel, and you need a special tool to do that. Instead, I (amie) trued her bent wheel as straight as I could get it, and we decided to ride on and hope the wheel made it to Rapid City, where we could get the spoke fixed properly.
The rest of the ride was hot and quiet as we rolled up through long, mild hills into the Black Hills National Forest. We took a long, very late lunch in the shade and shortly afterward crossed into South Dakota. Immediately at the sign separating the two states the road became twice as shitty... signs of things to come? maybe.
That night we decided to stop about 8 miles out of Lead (pronounced like leed, not led) and stayed at Hanna Campground, since national forest campgrounds are our favorite! We ended up having to pay but had a pleasant stay, great weather, and a Dan cooked our favorite pasta dish so far!
The next morning we awoke with a mission: make the 55 mile ride to Rapid City ASAP, get Dan's spoke fixed, and SEE A MOVIE. We were up and out early, pounded out a 5 mile climb to Lead, swung into a grocery store, and then blasted through the ups and downs of the Black Hills toward Rapid. Unfortunately, there was a Corvette rally taking place that weekend, and we were passed gracelessly by at least 50 middle-aged men with with wives in their passenger seats... Luckily we survived, and we made it to Rapid City around 2 pm. Rapid actually reminds me a lot of Bend, nestled into the hills at about the same elevation, a population of 70,000, and a very cute downtown! Once in town we were searching for Cranky Jeff's Bicycle shop, but on the way we stumbled across Acme Bicycles, which turned out to be a great find! Not only was Dan's spoke fixed, but we were given ice cold drinks and found a place to stay - the yard of one of their mechanics.
A poem for the morning:
Last night we saw beautiful stars.
This morning we see fancy cars.
It seems that people in the black hills,
have a lot of big bills.
As we ride we go up and down,
winding our way by stores and small towns.
The tall pine trees are very pretty,
but I can't wait to get to Rapid City.
Rolling once more, we bike on to Safeway to obtain our movie snacks. Our Ohio boys had left us with a list of 10 must-dos for the remainder of the trip, one of which, if you recall, was to consume an entire half-gallon of ice cream before it melted... We had originially intended to complete this during the movie, but unfortunately all of us but Tamara wimped out. We all grabbed pints of hagen daas or Ben and Jerry's, but Tamara went for the gold, grabbing a whole half gallon of Safeway brand Moose Tracks ice cream. Then we booked it to the theater downtown. We decided to see Robin Hood, and it only cost us 4 dollars per person! We even had most of the theater to ourselves.
Tamara is a hero, and actually finished her entire ice cream. The rest of us still have to live up to the challenge... Robin Hood, despite what the critics might have said, was probably the most enjoyable movie any of us have ever experienced.
Stepping back into the sunlight, we ran a few errands, ate some burritos for dinner, and then made our way to Kelly's house, our bike mechanic friend. He lives on top of a butte, and even drove us and all of our stuff up the giant hill! We got hot showers and couch/floor space! A real treat.
The next morning we had a later start, but survived the intense downhill out of Kelly's house and the busy streets of Rapid City. The scenery immediately became flat and rural. The first half of the ride was not particularly eventful. The entire day (and next 3) was spent battling grasshoppers, crushing them under our tires and being hit by them in the legs, face, throat...everywhere. We later discovered that South Dakota may be declared in a state of natural disaster, because the grasshopper population is SO out of control. Stepping off the side of the road into the grass would send HUNDREDS of grasshoppers scattering out of the way. Amazing and disgusting.
Halfway through the day, as we approached the Badland's National Park, we ate lunch in Scenic, SD. A desolate, tiny ghost town (though we found cold drinks and a picnic table!). 4 different cars stopped to ask us for directions... ignoring our fully loaded bikes?
The last 32 miles of the ride to Interior were the windiest we have ever experienced. We battled a fierce, perfect headwind the entire way, riding in a tight paceline with a quick turnover and breaking every ten miles or so. We entered the national park breifly, but ultimately we were a bit south of the main road that goes through the Badlands, though we could see the desolate, sandy rock formations off to our left for the rest of the ride. Laughing at the absurdities of the day, we FINALLY rolled into Interior after a grueling 80 miles. We cooked dinner at a gas station and then managed to stealth-camp at the local campground and get away without paying!
A poem for the afternoon:
I think we must have sinned,
Why else would we deserve this wind?
It's incredibly strong,
and it has been blowing all day long.
In this dry and desolate land
my feet feel like they're stuck in quicksand.
It's like biking into a wall,
When there's nothing there at all.
We're only going 10mph or so,
but it's as fast as we can go.
I accept it's challenge and lower my chin,
If we keep pedalling, the wind won't win.
Interior to White River
Today we're going on a long ride,
throught the countryside.
Clumps of grasshoppers expload in my face;
I wish they would give me some personal space.
I like watching the dragonflies zoom by,
until one turns and dive-bombs me in the eye.
We pass a lot of porcupine road kill;
The terrible smell makes me feel ill.
There are a few ponds covered in algea;
It's the only water that we see.
The sun's so bright it makes the colors fade;
Clouds provide the only occasional shade.
Along the road are endless meadows filled with hay,
and that's all there is to say.
All morning we bike through rolling hills filled with grasshoppers. Creating grasshopper road kill is unavoidable. Things get really gross when you have grasshoppper guts stuck to your front wheel. We decide to stop in a town called Ceder Butte for lunch, but it turns out that this "town" is actually a small dirt road that seems to lead nowhere. As we look for a shady place to stop to eat Amie gets a flat tire. As she fixes it we have a very late lunch in a small deserted farmyard with shady trees. After lunch Amie gets five flat tires in quick succession. We could not figure ut what was going on with her tire! Since everyone is low on water and we're only about 6 miles away from White River, Claire Dan and I (Tamara) go on a rescue mission to town to get water and hopefully find a place to stay. Lucia stays with Amie and they continue riding slowly into town. In town we encounter several drunken men from the nearby indian reservation, and become slightly concerned about finding a safe place to stay. Luckily, at the grocery store we meet the pastor of a local church, Linda. She generously offers to let us stay in her house, and loans us her car (it was so fun to drive!) so that we can deliver water to our thirsty friends. As we roll up, windows down and music blasting, Amie has just gotten another flat tire. Luckily, by this point they are right outside of town, and have discovered the problem that was causing the flats. At Linda's we play with her adorable cats Milky way and Patches, and we play Scrabble. Linda is a champion Scrabble player and beats us all. Thanks again Linda!
White River to the Missouri River
The morning is flat, and very similar to the day before. I decide that today, I feel like I am biking across America. In the distance, the road ends, and there is sky. We bike towards it, bumping and climping on the cracked road. As we crest the hill, miles of road are exposed, more rolling hills and fields. We're going East.
We take some great pictures on a stack of hay bales- yay South Dakota! We stop at a tiny town for water where we meet a huge family from Minnesota and a friendly bartender who fills up all our water bottles. Shortly afterwards we stop in Winner for lunch. Winner is a small town of car dealerships, gas stations and farm tools. In the afternoon we embark on 38 more miles of fields. The last part is a bit hilly, and we encounter a very angry truck driver who gets out of his truck to curse at us for no apparent reason. As we crest the last hill, the Missouri river is revealed, blue and sparkling. We cross the river and set up camp in a small RV part on the opposite side. As the sun sets, me and Dan go in for a swim. It's surprisingly warm! We finish the day with delicious burritos, muffins and cookies from our friendly RV neighbors.
The rest of the ride was hot and quiet as we rolled up through long, mild hills into the Black Hills National Forest. We took a long, very late lunch in the shade and shortly afterward crossed into South Dakota. Immediately at the sign separating the two states the road became twice as shitty... signs of things to come? maybe.
That night we decided to stop about 8 miles out of Lead (pronounced like leed, not led) and stayed at Hanna Campground, since national forest campgrounds are our favorite! We ended up having to pay but had a pleasant stay, great weather, and a Dan cooked our favorite pasta dish so far!
The next morning we awoke with a mission: make the 55 mile ride to Rapid City ASAP, get Dan's spoke fixed, and SEE A MOVIE. We were up and out early, pounded out a 5 mile climb to Lead, swung into a grocery store, and then blasted through the ups and downs of the Black Hills toward Rapid. Unfortunately, there was a Corvette rally taking place that weekend, and we were passed gracelessly by at least 50 middle-aged men with with wives in their passenger seats... Luckily we survived, and we made it to Rapid City around 2 pm. Rapid actually reminds me a lot of Bend, nestled into the hills at about the same elevation, a population of 70,000, and a very cute downtown! Once in town we were searching for Cranky Jeff's Bicycle shop, but on the way we stumbled across Acme Bicycles, which turned out to be a great find! Not only was Dan's spoke fixed, but we were given ice cold drinks and found a place to stay - the yard of one of their mechanics.
A poem for the morning:
Last night we saw beautiful stars.
This morning we see fancy cars.
It seems that people in the black hills,
have a lot of big bills.
As we ride we go up and down,
winding our way by stores and small towns.
The tall pine trees are very pretty,
but I can't wait to get to Rapid City.
Rolling once more, we bike on to Safeway to obtain our movie snacks. Our Ohio boys had left us with a list of 10 must-dos for the remainder of the trip, one of which, if you recall, was to consume an entire half-gallon of ice cream before it melted... We had originially intended to complete this during the movie, but unfortunately all of us but Tamara wimped out. We all grabbed pints of hagen daas or Ben and Jerry's, but Tamara went for the gold, grabbing a whole half gallon of Safeway brand Moose Tracks ice cream. Then we booked it to the theater downtown. We decided to see Robin Hood, and it only cost us 4 dollars per person! We even had most of the theater to ourselves.
Tamara is a hero, and actually finished her entire ice cream. The rest of us still have to live up to the challenge... Robin Hood, despite what the critics might have said, was probably the most enjoyable movie any of us have ever experienced.
Stepping back into the sunlight, we ran a few errands, ate some burritos for dinner, and then made our way to Kelly's house, our bike mechanic friend. He lives on top of a butte, and even drove us and all of our stuff up the giant hill! We got hot showers and couch/floor space! A real treat.
The next morning we had a later start, but survived the intense downhill out of Kelly's house and the busy streets of Rapid City. The scenery immediately became flat and rural. The first half of the ride was not particularly eventful. The entire day (and next 3) was spent battling grasshoppers, crushing them under our tires and being hit by them in the legs, face, throat...everywhere. We later discovered that South Dakota may be declared in a state of natural disaster, because the grasshopper population is SO out of control. Stepping off the side of the road into the grass would send HUNDREDS of grasshoppers scattering out of the way. Amazing and disgusting.
Halfway through the day, as we approached the Badland's National Park, we ate lunch in Scenic, SD. A desolate, tiny ghost town (though we found cold drinks and a picnic table!). 4 different cars stopped to ask us for directions... ignoring our fully loaded bikes?
The last 32 miles of the ride to Interior were the windiest we have ever experienced. We battled a fierce, perfect headwind the entire way, riding in a tight paceline with a quick turnover and breaking every ten miles or so. We entered the national park breifly, but ultimately we were a bit south of the main road that goes through the Badlands, though we could see the desolate, sandy rock formations off to our left for the rest of the ride. Laughing at the absurdities of the day, we FINALLY rolled into Interior after a grueling 80 miles. We cooked dinner at a gas station and then managed to stealth-camp at the local campground and get away without paying!
A poem for the afternoon:
I think we must have sinned,
Why else would we deserve this wind?
It's incredibly strong,
and it has been blowing all day long.
In this dry and desolate land
my feet feel like they're stuck in quicksand.
It's like biking into a wall,
When there's nothing there at all.
We're only going 10mph or so,
but it's as fast as we can go.
I accept it's challenge and lower my chin,
If we keep pedalling, the wind won't win.
Interior to White River
Today we're going on a long ride,
throught the countryside.
Clumps of grasshoppers expload in my face;
I wish they would give me some personal space.
I like watching the dragonflies zoom by,
until one turns and dive-bombs me in the eye.
We pass a lot of porcupine road kill;
The terrible smell makes me feel ill.
There are a few ponds covered in algea;
It's the only water that we see.
The sun's so bright it makes the colors fade;
Clouds provide the only occasional shade.
Along the road are endless meadows filled with hay,
and that's all there is to say.
All morning we bike through rolling hills filled with grasshoppers. Creating grasshopper road kill is unavoidable. Things get really gross when you have grasshoppper guts stuck to your front wheel. We decide to stop in a town called Ceder Butte for lunch, but it turns out that this "town" is actually a small dirt road that seems to lead nowhere. As we look for a shady place to stop to eat Amie gets a flat tire. As she fixes it we have a very late lunch in a small deserted farmyard with shady trees. After lunch Amie gets five flat tires in quick succession. We could not figure ut what was going on with her tire! Since everyone is low on water and we're only about 6 miles away from White River, Claire Dan and I (Tamara) go on a rescue mission to town to get water and hopefully find a place to stay. Lucia stays with Amie and they continue riding slowly into town. In town we encounter several drunken men from the nearby indian reservation, and become slightly concerned about finding a safe place to stay. Luckily, at the grocery store we meet the pastor of a local church, Linda. She generously offers to let us stay in her house, and loans us her car (it was so fun to drive!) so that we can deliver water to our thirsty friends. As we roll up, windows down and music blasting, Amie has just gotten another flat tire. Luckily, by this point they are right outside of town, and have discovered the problem that was causing the flats. At Linda's we play with her adorable cats Milky way and Patches, and we play Scrabble. Linda is a champion Scrabble player and beats us all. Thanks again Linda!
White River to the Missouri River
The morning is flat, and very similar to the day before. I decide that today, I feel like I am biking across America. In the distance, the road ends, and there is sky. We bike towards it, bumping and climping on the cracked road. As we crest the hill, miles of road are exposed, more rolling hills and fields. We're going East.
We take some great pictures on a stack of hay bales- yay South Dakota! We stop at a tiny town for water where we meet a huge family from Minnesota and a friendly bartender who fills up all our water bottles. Shortly afterwards we stop in Winner for lunch. Winner is a small town of car dealerships, gas stations and farm tools. In the afternoon we embark on 38 more miles of fields. The last part is a bit hilly, and we encounter a very angry truck driver who gets out of his truck to curse at us for no apparent reason. As we crest the last hill, the Missouri river is revealed, blue and sparkling. We cross the river and set up camp in a small RV part on the opposite side. As the sun sets, me and Dan go in for a swim. It's surprisingly warm! We finish the day with delicious burritos, muffins and cookies from our friendly RV neighbors.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
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