Miller, SD.
Welcome to the other side of f'in nowhere. We know because we passed thru it yesterday!!! So far South Dakota sucks rocks!
After leaving Rapid City we rode thru the Badlands National Park, the day's ride was 103 miles and it was 114 degrees in the park, I have a picture of my cyclocomputer with the temp on it to prove it!!!!! The winds were light and variable and the hills seemed forever, you could see the water tower for Kadoka, SD. for over 10 miles, but it just wouldn't get any closer. When we did make it into town, it was about 1600 on Sunday afternoon, they roll up the side walks, close everything in sight and all leave town on Sundays. I rode around town for 15 min just trying to find a cold beer, I finally found a Conoco station out by I-90, and bought a 12 pack of Bud Light cans, yes, in a desperate situation I will drink whatever I can find!! I told the lady behind the counter I would drink urine if it was cold enough! She was somehow unimpressed by my blinding thirst. Went back to camp and proceeded to drink some ice cold, nectar of the gods, (never again will you hear me refer to anything Budweiser makes as coming from the almighty) and then spent several hours in and out of the community pool. Went to supper, had fried chicken and 2 huge baked potatoes. I didn't even set up my tent until after dark because it was so hot!!!
Yesterday we rode 95 miles into a 20-25 mph headwind into Pierre, SD. This was the hardest day mentally for me so far, I think it was the fact that it didn't blow directly into our face, but was a quartering headwind, that you couldn't draft off of anyone and get any relief. The day went on FOREVER..... It was the most time in the saddle of any days so far, even the century + days. It was hard for me to stay focused and upbeat, it felt like we weren't getting anywhere fast and sometime during that day we passed thru FREAKIN NOWHERE! So now you can figure out how we know where we are. Pierre was a nice town, down on the banks of the Missouri River, and we camped in the river side park there. We have now crossed into the Central Time Zone.
Today was a "short day", only 75 miles, and the wind had switched, it was now hitting us from the south east, from the other side of road, @ 20-30 mph, with gusts to 35. Several people think SD stands for "Sucks Richards", if ya know what I mean, and after today I ain't likely to dispute that. I am now out of familiar country, and from here on it is all new to me. I felt great today and pulled a pace line all day, felt as if I could do more mileage. When we, Justin and I, hit town we stopped @ the only bar in town, that was open and spent an hour enjoying cold beer and the proprietor's, Don, bad jokes and stories of life and times in Miller. We are set up in the High School, I am sleeping on the music room floor, (it is air conditioned!), my band geek kids would be proud of me.
The forecast is more headwind for days, but cooler temps, I will blog from Minnesota when I arrive.
After leaving Rapid City we rode thru the Badlands National Park, the day's ride was 103 miles and it was 114 degrees in the park, I have a picture of my cyclocomputer with the temp on it to prove it!!!!! The winds were light and variable and the hills seemed forever, you could see the water tower for Kadoka, SD. for over 10 miles, but it just wouldn't get any closer. When we did make it into town, it was about 1600 on Sunday afternoon, they roll up the side walks, close everything in sight and all leave town on Sundays. I rode around town for 15 min just trying to find a cold beer, I finally found a Conoco station out by I-90, and bought a 12 pack of Bud Light cans, yes, in a desperate situation I will drink whatever I can find!! I told the lady behind the counter I would drink urine if it was cold enough! She was somehow unimpressed by my blinding thirst. Went back to camp and proceeded to drink some ice cold, nectar of the gods, (never again will you hear me refer to anything Budweiser makes as coming from the almighty) and then spent several hours in and out of the community pool. Went to supper, had fried chicken and 2 huge baked potatoes. I didn't even set up my tent until after dark because it was so hot!!!
Yesterday we rode 95 miles into a 20-25 mph headwind into Pierre, SD. This was the hardest day mentally for me so far, I think it was the fact that it didn't blow directly into our face, but was a quartering headwind, that you couldn't draft off of anyone and get any relief. The day went on FOREVER..... It was the most time in the saddle of any days so far, even the century + days. It was hard for me to stay focused and upbeat, it felt like we weren't getting anywhere fast and sometime during that day we passed thru FREAKIN NOWHERE! So now you can figure out how we know where we are. Pierre was a nice town, down on the banks of the Missouri River, and we camped in the river side park there. We have now crossed into the Central Time Zone.
Today was a "short day", only 75 miles, and the wind had switched, it was now hitting us from the south east, from the other side of road, @ 20-30 mph, with gusts to 35. Several people think SD stands for "Sucks Richards", if ya know what I mean, and after today I ain't likely to dispute that. I am now out of familiar country, and from here on it is all new to me. I felt great today and pulled a pace line all day, felt as if I could do more mileage. When we, Justin and I, hit town we stopped @ the only bar in town, that was open and spent an hour enjoying cold beer and the proprietor's, Don, bad jokes and stories of life and times in Miller. We are set up in the High School, I am sleeping on the music room floor, (it is air conditioned!), my band geek kids would be proud of me.
The forecast is more headwind for days, but cooler temps, I will blog from Minnesota when I arrive.
posted by ltsullivan3 at 6:07 PM
2 Comments:
Sorry the past few days have sucked richard. Glad to see things looking up at the end of your post. Keep the faith, and ride safe out there with all those midwestern yahoos you're descending upon. I can't wait to see all the pictures. . .
Hang in there Larry! You are doing great, and I honestly can't think of anyone else who can do it, especially against the heat, and storms!
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