On Day 25 we reached a milestone -- we passed the halfway point for the tour. The first picture is of the mark painted on the road with chalk highlighting the achievement so far. All day we biked along the Missouri River from Pierre to Chamberlain. The river is flooding and both Pierre and Chamberlain are dealing with flood issues. In Pierre a golf course was covered with water and in Chamberlain the only thing visible for a campground along the river was a sign saying vacancy. All the rest was underwater. Riding along a county road, it was possible to see trees half covered with water. Even so, we had some beautiful views of the river and river valley. The second picture is a view of the river and the bluffs on the other side. I thought a lot about of Lewis and Clark’s trip up the river and the men whose job each day was to walk on the shore and putt the barge against the current. It made biking against the wind seem easy.
An aside, one of my favorite historical fiction writers is James Thom and he wrote a book about George Drouillard who was the scout and hunter for the group. Many thought he was white, but he was actually half French and half Shawnee and was a trapper and hunter on the frontier which at that time would have been in Indianna. He could communicate in sign language which allowed him (and Lewis and Clark) to communicate with all the tribes they met on the journey. The book is called “Sign Talker.”
Today would have been difficult by itself, but after yesterday, it was brutal as most everyone’s legs were dead. We biked 84 miles into a strong headwind, the only difference is it was hot, reaching the 90s when I reached Chamberlain.
I found myself thinking towards the end of the ride it is a good thing I am paying to do this, as there is no way anyone could pay me to do what I have done the last two days. I have to spend more time pondering this. Will have time tomorrow as it will again be hot and windy.
PS I am still torked about losing my hour yesterday. I want my hour back, I really need it.
I did something today that I have never done before and plan to never do again. I biked 117 miles into mostly a headwind and rain the whole day. The only good news is there were no t-storms and it was in the mid-60s. I was one of the riders who had full rain gear on. Most road in shorts and a light rain jacket. Even so, I was cold. Many riders sagged in; however, over half road the whole way including 2 who spent over 11 hours on their bikes. The last ten miles was the worst as the wind picked up. After a “rest” stop, my shoes got all gunked up and I could not clip in so had to keep stopping to clean my shoes. I started to bonk so I had to stop and eat, and finally hit some mud right before the hotel and wiped out. Both myself and the bike are fine.
No pictures, too wet.
Also, I am really torked because when we crossed the Missouri to enter Pierre at the end of the ride, we went to CST and I lost an hour. Normally this does not bother me, but I really need this hour back. I need all the rest I can get, and then someone steals an hour from me. I plan to file an official complaint when I have time.
Tomorrow will be different but the same. Again we will be biking into a headwind, but it will be a hot one with temps going into the 90s .
Day 23 was supposed to be an easier day, 57 miles from Rapid City to Wall Drug. The prevailing wind in western SD is southwest; however, we got a strong SE wind and it was a long day. Worse news, tomorrow we go 117 miles and it looks like the wind will again be in our faces and pretty strong at times. There is also a chance of t-storms. It will be a challenge.
I only took one picture -- it was next to a restaurant with a sign over a table outside saying “world’s smallest biker bar”. The terrain was range land which I normally enjoy as again I can imagine large herds of buffalo, antelope, deer and other animals which roamed the open prairie for thousands of years. We did drop into the edge of the Badlands but I will miss the main part tomorrow. I have read that when the frontiersmen and settlers first came through this area, they found dinosaur bones just laying on the ground in the Badlands. Hard to imagine this was tropical millions of years ago with dinosaurs roaming around. If I could get a dinosaur to walk very slowly in front of me tomorrow and block the wind, I would take that in a heartbeat.
We are staying in Wall, which is the home of the world famous Wall Drug. If you have not been here, it the ultimate tourist stop. Other riders have been surprised to see Wall Drug signs since eastern Wyoming. I said you can find them for miles in any direction. As I understand it, the family that started Wall Drug originally advertised “free ice cold” water to encourage travelers to stop and the rest is history.
I have never ridden 117 miles into the wind. 117 miles with the wind at my back last week wore me out. Tomorrow will be an interesting day.
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Day 22 was a grind. Though hard to believe with all the mountain passes we have climbed so far, today was the second most climbing of the tour. The first climb was a steady climb of 36 miles to the view of Crazy Horse. After a downhill we climbed to Mt. Rushmore and then after a decline into Keystone another climb out of there. The last two climbs had grades of 10% or better.
The Black Hills are unique and beautiful. Formed millions of years ago, they seem to almost rise up out of plains as a garden of beautiful forests and lush fields along with spectacular rock formations. They were considered to be sacred territory to the Sioux tribes which lived and hunted in the area and were related to the wars that took place between the tribes and the settlers and US Army. Now they are alive with tourism led by the Hills, Custer State Park, Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse. Kim and I took the kids here a number of years ago for a week and Morgan I biked part of the Mickelson Trail after his sophomore year in high school. The Mickelson Trail is a limestone bike trail that runs 100 miles one way from Deadwood through Custer State Park. The first picture is of Crazy Horse. The second of Mt. Rushmore and the third looking into the valley from Mt. Rushmore.
I had my normal low fat chocolate milk and two meals when I got in. Even though I am eating a lot, the reality is I am never really hungry and nothing looks good to me. Though we are eating at a lot of different places, I am pretty sure all the food comes one from big vat in the back of the kitchen with different faucets. Turn one faucet and there is scrambled eggs, another has muffins, another sub sandwiches, another has pasta salad and one has snack bars with the paper wrapper on it. When I get done with this, unless I am traveling, it will be hard to get me into a restaurant for a long time.
Tomorrow, we go to Wall Drug. It was supposed to be an easy day, but we will be battling a headwind and again a chance of t-storms so will be more difficult.
Day 21 was 91 miles, from Lusk to Hot Springs, SD. Though we had a crosswind most of the time, we did pick up a tailwind part of the time which really helped. I averaged 16.4 mph which was pretty good given the climbing and winds. The ride out of Lusk was very scenic with a climb to a ridgeline with views of valleys on both sides. The first two pictures give you some idea of the views. I had one interesting moment coming down from the first ridge in the mid 30s mph, I saw three male deer with antlers near the highway. I watched them very carefully as we have had two riders already almost hit deer who jumped on the road almost coming out of nowhere. I was pretty comfortable as I could see them all the way. Two went into the valley but one jumped onto to the road and then scampered off. I could hear the rider behind me yelling deer. (One of the riders who almost hit a deer was actually in more danger because after missing her, it was hit by a truck going the other way and she was afraid it was going to be knocked back into her. She was still shaking at the next rest stop).
The next picture is me at the South Dakota border followed by the climb into the Black Hills. A four mile climb that was pretty tough. There is also a picture of Anne and Leslie as they went by me.
This is not a race but a tour and all riders are just trying to get through each day and get ready to ride the next. I would classify riders into three groups -- fast, in the middle, and strongest. I am somewhere in the middle, sometimes closer to the top, sometimes closer to the bottom, some riders who are very fast, like Anders and Jan from the Netherlands take a lot pictures so they may past me 10-15 times in one day. For me the strongest are the riders who are out there the longest. Some of the strongest may be on the road for 1-4 hours longer than the fast riders. That is strong to me, both physically and mentally. They enjoy the moment and are ready to go the next day.
I was hungry when I got in today, but two bottles of low fat chocolate milk (recovery drink), a chocolate extreme blizzard, and a buffet supper has left me very full.
Tomorrow will be both difficult and scenic as we ride through the Black Hills from Hot Springs to Rapid City. Scenic as we will ride though the Hills by both Crazy Horse and Mt Rushmore monuments. Difficult as there will be a lot of climbs. Also, the forecast is for scattered T-storms so hopefully we will dodge them.
PS The last picture is of Kim and me on our anniversary dinner. I forgot to include yesterday.
Day 20 was a breeze, literally. As the first picture shows we had a great tailwind. We went from Casper to Lusk which is 106 miles, but with a tailwind, I averaged 18.2 mph, a personal record for me in a century. I am sure the stronger riders were all in the low 20s for average speed. If that wind had been in our face, I would still be out there. Biking 106 miles is never easy, but a tailwind sure makes it go faster and a lot less difficult.
The countryside was similar the whole way, Wyoming range land. The next picture is looking back to Casper and the foothills there. Though some may have found the view tiresome, for me it was interesting. There is so much history here with the conflict between first the frontiersmen and then setters. We have been following the North Platte for some time which is a famous boundary and source of abundant game. We were in Shoshone and Arapaho territory and now we are moving into historical Sioux hunting grounds.
The last picture is of Mary running after the ride. In my estimation Mary is the best athlete here as she has done several marathons and is now training for the Portland Marathon this fall and ultimately a full triathlon next summer in Cour d’Alene, ID. Three to four times a week she runs after biking. I walked a block to get a Subway and was pretty proud of myself.
Today is Kim’s and my wedding anniversary. She left this morning to go back to our condo in Big Sky. We have been happily married for 34 years and have two amazing kids. We have been truly blessed. Though like any marriage we have had our challenges. For me, being married to a perennial Miss (now Mrs.) Congeniality is very difficult. I told my friends on the tour once they met Kim they would like her better. They all said that would not happen, but after spending time with her the past few days, they all said I was right, they like her better. They all agreed she is pretty amazing. I do maintain she would not be as popular if I was more fun. It’s just by comparison, she shines.
Tomorrow we leave Wyoming and enter South Dakota.
Day 19 is our second rest day and I needed it. I now look at rest days with a whole new meaning. I think most of the rest of the riders would agree. This also completes the second leg of the tour. One rider left and two riders joined us, one who will do the third leg ending in Sioux Falls and the other who will ride all the way to Portsmouth, NH. A few comments from the second leg.
The staff said the two days from Idaho Falls to Jackson and then Jackson to Dubois are the two most difficult days of the tour. Most riders would agree. Followed by the detour leading to 97 total miles two days ago and 120 miles yesterday, I have ridden 395 miles the last four days, something I have never done before. For me, the two most difficult back to back days were the 116 and 81 in Oregon but the past four days were also very difficult. As I mentioned in a previous post, there is a part of bicycling that reminds me of Skinnarian psychology which I studied in college relating to behavior reinforcement. The theory is that someone keeps hitting his thumb with a hammer because it feels so good to feel the pain go away. Finishing each of the last four days was very rewarding. A few comments.
Scenery: Though the scenery has been breathtaking riding through the mountains and valleys, especially Teton National Park, for me the ride through Oregon was more scenic. Maybe in part because I was not expecting it. We are leaving the mountains and their own unique beauty and I will miss having snow covered peaks on the horizon.
Weight: Though by today’s standards I am probably not overweight, on the tour I suspect I came in with one of the highest percentages of body fat. My excuse is I have my mother’s thighs, but the reality is that like many Americans I weigh what I choose to. My doctor has been encouraging me to lose weight the past few years, and I need to use more personal discipline when I am done with the tour. I suspect I have lost some weight, but with the daily mileage it is important to eat a lot and regularly. If I keep eating at this pace when I am done, I will soon look like the Goodyear blimp.
Traffic and accidents: We are primarily biking on state and US highways that often have paved shoulders but can have a lot of traffic. Mike, the leader of the tour teaches bike safety classes and he says that of all bicycle accidents, only 17% are car/bike and only 3% of those are a car hitting a cyclist from behind. Bicycles are legal vehicles on all highways in all states unless specifically prohibited. For any cyclist, riding with the traffic on a quiet rode or a road with a paved shoulder is the safest place to be. Never ride against the traffic and actually riding on the sidewalk can be very dangerous. I always try to be aware of my surroundings and ride defensively, just like I do when I drive my car. Also, most motorists including truckers are very careful with bicyclists and many wave or smile as they go buy. There is a small percentage which do not want us on the road. I subscribe to the jerk theory. Most people are good people and want safety for themselves and others. There are a percentage that are jerks, I have heard it ranges from 5% to 20%. The person who said 5% said jerks get around a lot so it seems like more. I think less than 10% are jerks and at least half of them do not want to hit anyone. Not that they care -- they just do not want to deal with the paperwork afterwards. It's that last few percent who are scary in all realms of life.
It has been great having Kim visit for a few days. She goes back to Big Sky tomorrow as I begin a new leg through the rest of Wyoming ending in Sioux Falls, SD.
