Day 21: De Smet, SD to Tracy, MN
Distance: 100 Miles (vast majority on the bike)
Route: 14East
Lodging: Wilder Inn, $42.89, Cute family-run place with internet and laundry (score!), and an amazing sign that boasts 'New!' and "(very nice)"
Today's a big day. I get to stop in the Sioux River Bicycles and Fitness store in Brookings to have my bike checked out. I haven't stopped at a bike stop in about 1500 miles, since I went to Fitness Fanatics in Spokane. My back tire is almost worn through, so this little visit is definitely necessary. I have heard good things about the Sioux River Bike store since Midland, SD where they advised I go through Pierre without stopping at the Pedal and Paddle store there and wait until I hit Brookings, SD.
I left De Smet, SD around 8-8:30am, which seems to be protocol these days. As I've moved into different time zones, I haven't fully adjusted. I used to start around 6:30am back in the Pacific Time Zone, but now I'm starting around 8:30. Also, weather has been questionable the past few days, which has given me pause before I start.
I immediately hit construction as I left DeSmet. For the first time the entire trip, I was told that I shouldn't ride through. Instead, I tossed my bike in the back of the 'Pilot car' and got a ride the 1.5 miles through construction. The kid who drove me through was super nice - from Brookings, curious about my ride, just a really nice and friendly person.
I got out and continued my ride. I hit a few more spots of construction, but rode through on my own. I hit Arlington, 20 miles out, and had some coffee. 20 more miles and I would hit Brookings.
I got to Brookings around 12:15 and went right to the bike store on Main Street. I entered, introduced myself to the guy behind the counter, Robb and told him I wanted a tune up, a back tire, and anything else necessary. Robb, the owner, stepped up and started checking out my bike.
Robb started telling me about the bike store. He bought the place in 1977. His business, like many small businesses, is struggling. He revamped the store a few years ago and the loan payments are making it hard for him. For the record, the store is beautiful. It's large and has tons of bikes, bike parts, accessories, etc. This was great for me, because I had options on tires, chains, and anything else I wanted, but I was probably a pretty rare case.
I let it slip that I just got my MBA and Robb got out his files and business plan. A relative had been looking through his finances and I agreed to give it a look, too. The problem seems to be inventory and working capital - Robb likes to have the best, newest, most awesome bikes in stock, but the market he's in (Brookings, SD, college town, not many super serious bikers) doesn't really demand it. And worse, the Walmart and Dunham's sports have started cutting into his business. We talked about a couple of ideas and I asked Robb to send me the more detailed files.
The Sioux River Bicycle and Fitness store is a classic case of a small business started by someone who was passionate about something, in Robb's case, biking. Our country used to have tons of small businesses that made enough money to sustain the owners, and employ a few others. Most small businesses aren't looking to make millions and millions of dollars, they're looking to make a living. But with businesses that compete that ARE trying to make millions, their ability to get huge volume discounts, secure low interest loans, and carry more inventory have made it hard for small businesses to achieve their less lofty goals.
Robb's case, and many others, I hope to learn more about and help this fall on the Senate Committee.
Sorry for the rant. Back to the ride. Robb and I had been chatting so much that my bike repairs took longer than expected. There was a storm coming and I wanted to make it at least 30 more miles. Robb finished up with my tire, chain, and getting it tuned up and I got ready to hit the road again. Robb was awesome and gave me a great deal. I hope that things work out for Robb - his new ideas on selling to students, the grant that is supposed to be spent on bike lanes in Brookings, and hopefully a better interest loan.
I rode fast to the next town 30 miles away - Lake Benton, the first little town in Minnesota. Goodbye, South Dakota, it's been a lovely 4 days. I had researched a motel there, but couldn't find it and couldn't get cell service. This is getting to be common. I got a drink at the gas station in town and decided to just go the 9 more miles to Tyler.
I got to Tyler and saw my motel options. I wasn't impressed, but the storm had arrived and it was almost 6pm. While I was getting a coffee at the gas station, a kid I met back in Robb's bike store in Brookings came in. He had an awesome lime racing bike - we had both been checking out each others' bikes. He asked to take a picture of me. I agreed, then asked where he was going. He agreed to take me a few miles down the road to the next town so I didn't have to stay in Tyler.
Hunter, a 20 year old student and the University of SD, was pretty awesome. We talked about biking, graphic design (his major), and business. I appreciated the ride, the weather sucked, and so did Tyler, MN.
I got to my motel - the Wilder Inn in Tracy, MN and Hunter and I said our farewells. I checked into my motel, which was actually quite nice. I did laundry. It was awesome.
I planned my next day, hopefully, I would make it to Mankato, MN, depending on weather.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Biking, Day 20: August 5, 2009
Day 20: Highmore, SD to De Smet, SD
Distance: 100 miles
Route: 14East
Lodging: Cottage Inn, $40, lovely motel
Laura Ingalls Wilder. She wrote about her adult life living in De Smet, SD in the Little House on the Prairie books. I was never a big reader of these books, but De Smet present day is just lovely.. There is an adorable downtown area, gorgeous fields, and a ridiculous amount of references to Laura Ingalls Wilder and tours including any part of the town that may have been touched by her. According to my motel owner, 60,000 people pass though De Smet in the summer to tour all of the Little House on the Prairie memorabilia. Tourism is amazing.
I woke up this morning in Highmore, SD. I was tired. I got some coffee and breakfast and bummed around my motel room for a bit. I watched the news, and watched the story of the two news women who were held in North Korea and then rescued by President Clinton. I can't imagine something like that - the fear, uncertainty, being without my family. A similar story, about the three hikers that accidentally crossed the Iranian border, is a reminder that our government really isn't so bad.
I hit the road around 8:30am. The wind was a headwind again, which was making the ride slower than I wanted. I decided to take a lot of breaks during the day to make it easier. My first stop was Miller. I got coffee and remembered it was Beth's birthday (her last name is Miller). I forged on. It was getting hot, but the South Dakota scenery was gorgeous. A lot of people don't like farms and flat lands, but I do. South Dakota has a lot of corn and soybeans.
Next, I stopped in Wessington. I love these small towns. I remember one sign: "Friendly town with room to grow". I got a drink and a snack in Wessington. The other thing that I love about these towns is that I don't lock my bike every time. Sometimes I lock my bike up, but when I feel safe, I just leave it. People leave their cars running when they go into convenience stores (C-Stores, in SD terminology).
Next, I went into Huron, SD, which was probably the biggest city I have hit in SD since Rapid City. I thought about stopping for the day. But, to be honest, Huron wasn't that great. Maybe I just hit the outside part and not the charming center city, but Huron, known for having the largest Pheasant, was not as alluring as I had hoped. I decided to push on 30 more miles to De Smet, of Little House on the Prairie fame.
I hit about 10 miles to De Smet and I was officially on the Laura Ingalls Wilder historic highway. The scenery around De Smet was beautiful. Finally, I pulled into De Smet. I went down into town to get some dinner before I checked into my motel - the Cottage Inn. I knew I was too tired to go out after I had checked in.
I got dinner and checked in to the Cottage inn, which advertises on its road sign - "Service with Style and a Smile" and welcomed Laura fans. I talked with the woman for a while. She told me about all of the places to see in SD - Watertown, the Laura Ingalls Wilder tour, and that SD has more natural lakes than any other state. We talked about the midwest, and she said she could tell I wasn't from the east coast because i actually talked to her. She gave me a room that she gives to her friend when her friend arrives, and only charged me $40, not the $50 her husband had quoted me on the phone. Pays to be nice, literally. She was wonderful.
I went to my room and planned the next day - weather could be an issue. I plan to stop in Brookings at the bike store there because I'm almost worn through my back tire, then I can go to Lake Benton, the first city in MN, Tyler, or Tracy, MN depending on the weather.
Distance: 100 miles
Route: 14East
Lodging: Cottage Inn, $40, lovely motel
Laura Ingalls Wilder. She wrote about her adult life living in De Smet, SD in the Little House on the Prairie books. I was never a big reader of these books, but De Smet present day is just lovely.. There is an adorable downtown area, gorgeous fields, and a ridiculous amount of references to Laura Ingalls Wilder and tours including any part of the town that may have been touched by her. According to my motel owner, 60,000 people pass though De Smet in the summer to tour all of the Little House on the Prairie memorabilia. Tourism is amazing.
I woke up this morning in Highmore, SD. I was tired. I got some coffee and breakfast and bummed around my motel room for a bit. I watched the news, and watched the story of the two news women who were held in North Korea and then rescued by President Clinton. I can't imagine something like that - the fear, uncertainty, being without my family. A similar story, about the three hikers that accidentally crossed the Iranian border, is a reminder that our government really isn't so bad.
I hit the road around 8:30am. The wind was a headwind again, which was making the ride slower than I wanted. I decided to take a lot of breaks during the day to make it easier. My first stop was Miller. I got coffee and remembered it was Beth's birthday (her last name is Miller). I forged on. It was getting hot, but the South Dakota scenery was gorgeous. A lot of people don't like farms and flat lands, but I do. South Dakota has a lot of corn and soybeans.
Next, I stopped in Wessington. I love these small towns. I remember one sign: "Friendly town with room to grow". I got a drink and a snack in Wessington. The other thing that I love about these towns is that I don't lock my bike every time. Sometimes I lock my bike up, but when I feel safe, I just leave it. People leave their cars running when they go into convenience stores (C-Stores, in SD terminology).
Next, I went into Huron, SD, which was probably the biggest city I have hit in SD since Rapid City. I thought about stopping for the day. But, to be honest, Huron wasn't that great. Maybe I just hit the outside part and not the charming center city, but Huron, known for having the largest Pheasant, was not as alluring as I had hoped. I decided to push on 30 more miles to De Smet, of Little House on the Prairie fame.
I hit about 10 miles to De Smet and I was officially on the Laura Ingalls Wilder historic highway. The scenery around De Smet was beautiful. Finally, I pulled into De Smet. I went down into town to get some dinner before I checked into my motel - the Cottage Inn. I knew I was too tired to go out after I had checked in.
I got dinner and checked in to the Cottage inn, which advertises on its road sign - "Service with Style and a Smile" and welcomed Laura fans. I talked with the woman for a while. She told me about all of the places to see in SD - Watertown, the Laura Ingalls Wilder tour, and that SD has more natural lakes than any other state. We talked about the midwest, and she said she could tell I wasn't from the east coast because i actually talked to her. She gave me a room that she gives to her friend when her friend arrives, and only charged me $40, not the $50 her husband had quoted me on the phone. Pays to be nice, literally. She was wonderful.
I went to my room and planned the next day - weather could be an issue. I plan to stop in Brookings at the bike store there because I'm almost worn through my back tire, then I can go to Lake Benton, the first city in MN, Tyler, or Tracy, MN depending on the weather.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Biking, Day 19: August 4, 2009
Day 19: Midland, SD to Highmore, SD
Distance: 112 miles
Route: 14E
Lodging: Prairie View Motel, $36
There is something that just doesn't get old - having a train conductor wave at you, waving back, and having him toot the horn. There's a sense of friendliness on the road in the West, and so far, the Midwest that reminds me that people are good intentioned and friendly. Truckers wave, motorcycle riders throw peace signs, people are just friendly. I forget that on the east coast a lot - people are not as friendly, and I think I've become that way. Taking an extra minute to wave, or to stop, or to engage someone is worth it.
I started today in Midland. My ride was long - 110-115 miles and I was losing an hour due to the time change. There wasn't much between Midland and the next big city - Pierre, the state capitol. And by not much, I mean nothing. Not a convenient store. Not a restaurant. Not a bathroom. 62 miles. Nothing.
The wind was in my face today. About 8-10MPH winds. They were slowing me down, which was annoying because I had so far to go. About 30 miles in, I hit construction. The road would be fine, then the pavement would go. All in all, it took me almost six hours to make it the 62 miles to Pierre. That's too long.
I got to Pierre and wasn't that impressed. The city had some pretty elements - the river, bridge, capitol building, etc, but also some not-so-pretty elements, like the rude people honking at me. I got a drink at a gas station and got into a conversation with the woman who worked there. Her husband's name is Corbin!!!
I forged on. The wind was less intense the rest of the ride. I hit Blunt, SD and took another break, then kept going.
Finally, I made it to Highmore. Highmore consists of two motels, two gas stations, and two convenience stores. God bless competition. Oh yes, and a Frosty Freez, where it was overpriced (no competition) and where I got my dinner. I have been desperate for a vegetable, any vegetable, so I ordered a taco salad, without meat. The pimple-faced boy laughed at me, but said he could make it without meat. He still charged me the $5.75 for what ended up being a bowl of shredded lettuce and a few tomatoes. Oh well. I also got tator tots and a blizzard. There, I said it.
As an aside, I haven't had a sip of alcohol in almost 4 weeks. That's a long time. I'm starting to miss people - like, human touch. sure, I meet lots of people, but it's surface conversations. My body is also hurting. Not horribly, but just tired. I can't seem to eat enough. I'm not losing a ton of weight or anything, I'm just having a hard time keeping fueled up. I should take a day off, but I keep thinking I will run into bad weather and then be forced to take a day off. It's hard to take a day off when it's gorgeous out.
Tomorrow the weather looks touch and go, so i will decide in the AM how far I want to go.
Distance: 112 miles
Route: 14E
Lodging: Prairie View Motel, $36
There is something that just doesn't get old - having a train conductor wave at you, waving back, and having him toot the horn. There's a sense of friendliness on the road in the West, and so far, the Midwest that reminds me that people are good intentioned and friendly. Truckers wave, motorcycle riders throw peace signs, people are just friendly. I forget that on the east coast a lot - people are not as friendly, and I think I've become that way. Taking an extra minute to wave, or to stop, or to engage someone is worth it.
I started today in Midland. My ride was long - 110-115 miles and I was losing an hour due to the time change. There wasn't much between Midland and the next big city - Pierre, the state capitol. And by not much, I mean nothing. Not a convenient store. Not a restaurant. Not a bathroom. 62 miles. Nothing.
The wind was in my face today. About 8-10MPH winds. They were slowing me down, which was annoying because I had so far to go. About 30 miles in, I hit construction. The road would be fine, then the pavement would go. All in all, it took me almost six hours to make it the 62 miles to Pierre. That's too long.
I got to Pierre and wasn't that impressed. The city had some pretty elements - the river, bridge, capitol building, etc, but also some not-so-pretty elements, like the rude people honking at me. I got a drink at a gas station and got into a conversation with the woman who worked there. Her husband's name is Corbin!!!
I forged on. The wind was less intense the rest of the ride. I hit Blunt, SD and took another break, then kept going.
Finally, I made it to Highmore. Highmore consists of two motels, two gas stations, and two convenience stores. God bless competition. Oh yes, and a Frosty Freez, where it was overpriced (no competition) and where I got my dinner. I have been desperate for a vegetable, any vegetable, so I ordered a taco salad, without meat. The pimple-faced boy laughed at me, but said he could make it without meat. He still charged me the $5.75 for what ended up being a bowl of shredded lettuce and a few tomatoes. Oh well. I also got tator tots and a blizzard. There, I said it.
As an aside, I haven't had a sip of alcohol in almost 4 weeks. That's a long time. I'm starting to miss people - like, human touch. sure, I meet lots of people, but it's surface conversations. My body is also hurting. Not horribly, but just tired. I can't seem to eat enough. I'm not losing a ton of weight or anything, I'm just having a hard time keeping fueled up. I should take a day off, but I keep thinking I will run into bad weather and then be forced to take a day off. It's hard to take a day off when it's gorgeous out.
Tomorrow the weather looks touch and go, so i will decide in the AM how far I want to go.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Biking, Day 18: August 3, 2009
Day 18: Wasta, SD to Midland, SD
Distance: 75 miles
Route: I-90E, exit at WALL DRUG, spend 2.5 hours being completely smitten and in awe at the kitch for sale while being fueled by 5 cent coffee, I-90E to Route 14E to Midland, SD
Lodging: Stroppel Inn, Midland, SD, $26, shared bathroom, use of 'spa' which was an interesting mineral bath thing. Basically, the Inn was a house, the owners were super nice.
I started the day by leaving the super crappy motel I was in in Wasta and hopping on I-90 for the 13 mile ride to Wall Drug. I was really excited to go to Wall Drug. I know this makes me a gullible fool affected by overzealous advertising. This may be true. However, additionally, Wall Drug has always been a mystery to me. My running coach in college, Mark Young, had a bumper sticker on his car that said 'Wall Drug'. Everyone on the team was always wondering WTF Wall Drug was, including me. So there's that. Plus, Wall Drug literally advertises hundreds of miles out. It preys entirely on tourists, but it has somehow worked. I mean, it's a fantastic case in Marketing. This tourist trap and roadside store managed to survive through the great depression.
The story is actually an interesting one. The founder started a drug store in Wall,SD, which was a small town. Business was slow. Finally, his wife suggested they offer 'free ice water'. They put up signs, and people traveling through the hot prairie stopped for the water.
So, I rode on I-90 and got off at Wall, SD. Wall Drug was hilarious. It looked and felt like Disney World – fake people, overpriced souveniers, photo booths, dinosaurs, and lots of kitch. I loved it. First, I wanted to score myself a cup of the 5 cent coffee that Wall Drug had been advertising on the highway. Scratch that, 6 cups. Lovely.
I basically just walked around Wall Drug trying to find gifts for friends and just taking it all in. I was inspired to buy spurs for my cowboy boots, a button down shirt with snaps, a big belt buckle, and stickers from different states. I did not buy any of it, though. I did buy a few things, which shall remain nameless.
I spent 2.5 hours at Wall Drug. I'm not sure exactly what I did. I drank a lot of coffee, I talked to a lot of bikers, I took a few pictures. I was awe-struck. There, I said it.
I decided to go to Midland, SD, a total of 75 miles instead of pushing it to Pierre, SD, which would have been 136. My time at Wall Drug would have made Pierre really hard to pull off. Plus, it was hot.
I took off and rode quickly on I-90 and then on 14E. I will be riding on Route 14 until I hit Madison,WI. It's a nice road – single lane, decent brim, minimal traffic.
I passed through some small towns, but there wasn't really much going on. Cottonwood, with a population of 12, for example. Finally, I hit Midland. Also quite small. I followed my directions to my motel – the Stroppel Inn and Spa.
The Stroppel Inn and Spa looks like a house. There are a few rooms and two spa baths. They have constant hot running water in an enclosed room. I have never been to a spa like this. I went in the spa, but It's like a big cement pit filled with really hot water. There's nothing like this on the east coast. I'm unclear of whether it is sanitary. I seem fine so far.
My room was like a room at my grandma's house. I used a bathroom in the hall. I had a TV. I had internet. I paid $26.
I planned my next day – I would ride through Pierre, the state capitol, to Highmore, SD.
Distance: 75 miles
Route: I-90E, exit at WALL DRUG, spend 2.5 hours being completely smitten and in awe at the kitch for sale while being fueled by 5 cent coffee, I-90E to Route 14E to Midland, SD
Lodging: Stroppel Inn, Midland, SD, $26, shared bathroom, use of 'spa' which was an interesting mineral bath thing. Basically, the Inn was a house, the owners were super nice.
I started the day by leaving the super crappy motel I was in in Wasta and hopping on I-90 for the 13 mile ride to Wall Drug. I was really excited to go to Wall Drug. I know this makes me a gullible fool affected by overzealous advertising. This may be true. However, additionally, Wall Drug has always been a mystery to me. My running coach in college, Mark Young, had a bumper sticker on his car that said 'Wall Drug'. Everyone on the team was always wondering WTF Wall Drug was, including me. So there's that. Plus, Wall Drug literally advertises hundreds of miles out. It preys entirely on tourists, but it has somehow worked. I mean, it's a fantastic case in Marketing. This tourist trap and roadside store managed to survive through the great depression.
The story is actually an interesting one. The founder started a drug store in Wall,SD, which was a small town. Business was slow. Finally, his wife suggested they offer 'free ice water'. They put up signs, and people traveling through the hot prairie stopped for the water.
So, I rode on I-90 and got off at Wall, SD. Wall Drug was hilarious. It looked and felt like Disney World – fake people, overpriced souveniers, photo booths, dinosaurs, and lots of kitch. I loved it. First, I wanted to score myself a cup of the 5 cent coffee that Wall Drug had been advertising on the highway. Scratch that, 6 cups. Lovely.
I basically just walked around Wall Drug trying to find gifts for friends and just taking it all in. I was inspired to buy spurs for my cowboy boots, a button down shirt with snaps, a big belt buckle, and stickers from different states. I did not buy any of it, though. I did buy a few things, which shall remain nameless.
I spent 2.5 hours at Wall Drug. I'm not sure exactly what I did. I drank a lot of coffee, I talked to a lot of bikers, I took a few pictures. I was awe-struck. There, I said it.
I decided to go to Midland, SD, a total of 75 miles instead of pushing it to Pierre, SD, which would have been 136. My time at Wall Drug would have made Pierre really hard to pull off. Plus, it was hot.
I took off and rode quickly on I-90 and then on 14E. I will be riding on Route 14 until I hit Madison,WI. It's a nice road – single lane, decent brim, minimal traffic.
I passed through some small towns, but there wasn't really much going on. Cottonwood, with a population of 12, for example. Finally, I hit Midland. Also quite small. I followed my directions to my motel – the Stroppel Inn and Spa.
The Stroppel Inn and Spa looks like a house. There are a few rooms and two spa baths. They have constant hot running water in an enclosed room. I have never been to a spa like this. I went in the spa, but It's like a big cement pit filled with really hot water. There's nothing like this on the east coast. I'm unclear of whether it is sanitary. I seem fine so far.
My room was like a room at my grandma's house. I used a bathroom in the hall. I had a TV. I had internet. I paid $26.
I planned my next day – I would ride through Pierre, the state capitol, to Highmore, SD.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Biking, Day 17: August 2, 2009
Day 17: Newcastle, WY to Wasta, SD
Distance: 130 miles
Route: 16East to I-90E to Old highway 1416 to the dead end of Old highway 1416 3 miles before Wasta to I-90 to exit 98 - Wasta, SD
Lodging: Red Motel, $98 total rip-off, preying on the bike rally
I woke up today knowing I had a long ride in front of me. The bike rally made it impossible to get lodging in any of the bigger cities - Rapid City, even New Underwood. So, I was booked at a total crappy motel in Wasta, SD for probably about three times what they normally charge.
I headed out on Route 16 out of Newcastle. It was a beautiful morning. The ride was slow for some reason. I knew my first big stop would be Custer, SD, about 40 miles. I just wasn't feeling very fast. I hit a lot of hills, too. I thought SD was going to be flat, but alas, I hit the Black Hills and it was, well, hilly. One of the first big hills I hit was too steep for my bike to climb, so I walked. I went in and out of the valleys of the Black Hills. A lot of bikers passed me, which made sense since they had totally taken over the region.
I finally came out of the Black Hills and hit a long downhill into Custer. Custer was filled with bikers from the Sturgis Bike Rally. I got a coffee and rested for a bit.
When I started up again, I saw that I had 20 miles to Rushmore and 40 miles to Rapid City. Riding out of Custer was all up-hill until I hit Crazy Horse. I decided not to go check out Crazy Horse since my ride was so long for the day. I forged on.
I got to the intersection for Rushmore and started the hilly ride to the monument. On the way, I was passed by *tons* of bikers. Like, a ton. A lot. So loud. After about 8 miles I pulled off where I saw about 100 motorcycle riders pulled off. You could see part of the monument. I took a picture of the monument, and the riders. They were taking pictures of me. hmph.
Finally, I got to the front of Rushmore. It's amazing. I almost didnt come to see it, but I'm so glad I did. It's truly magnificent. I took a few pictures and headed out.
When I got to the bottom of the hill I was greeted by Keystone, SD. keystone is basically a city that survives on tourism brought in by Rushmore. There are fake 'western' little cities, lots of bars, fudge shops, etc. It is the epitome of a tourist trap. It's actually a little like the fake cities at Disney World. And today, it was filled with bikers, which isn't very Disney-like.
They were drinking, hanging out, and then getting on their motorcycles to ride in the 20 MPH cross winds next to me on the highway. Awesome!
I rode out of Keystone up a huge hill on 16A and connected with 16. The cross winds were pretty intense, but I was thankful they weren't headwinds. 20 miles in, I hit Rapid City.
I got a drink at Rapid City and sat outside. A woman came up and started asking me about my ride. She told me how awesome I was and asked me my name so she could watch for me on the news. Ha. she also offered to let me stay at her house, which was very nice. The people who I have met in the Western US have been super nice. I thanked her, but said I had a motel in Wasta.
I got back on 16 and my directions told me I had to get on I-90 briefly to switch off to old highway 1416, which would take me into Wasta. The ride on I-90 was more like 8 miles. An unpleasant 8 miles. Lots of motorcycles whizzing past (probably just a post-beer cruise), trucks, etc. I hit the exit and got on Old Highway 1416 which *was* the highway before the advent of interstates. It was a decent road, rolling hills, through farm country.
It was *hot*. I couldn't drink enough water. After about 20 miles I hit New Underwood. I stopped for a cold beverage. I sat outside and made small talk with the motorcycle riders. one was bitching about how hard it was to ride with headwind and cross wind. i demasculinized him by suggesting that maybe it was harder to pedal through the wind and actually use your muscles. he concurred.
I checked and saw I had about 20 more miles to go. It was about 530. I started riding. I rode down Old highway 1416 and was making good time. With about 5 miles left, I hit an intersection and there was a sign that said 'no outlet'. I rechecked my directions and they said I was supposed to take Old highway 1416 the entire way, so i continued.
The road was starting to get more rough - like almost gravel. About 2 miles in, 3 from the motel according to the directions, a motorcycle came up beside me. I took off my headphones and stopped. The guy told me that the road ended in about a mile. I told him where I wanted to go and he said I had to get on I-90. I was pissed. I thought I was almost done! The mental affects of setbacks like this are hard to describe. After a long day, I just want to get there. To make things worse, it was another 9 miles when I hit 90 because the Old Highway route that googlemaps had given me was more direct.
i backtracked to the intersection that warned me of the 'no outlet'. I turned toward I-90 and got on the highway.
I rode the 9 miles, which really weren't that bad because it was mostly downhill. Finally, I got to Wasta. I pulled off the highway and saw my super crappy motel. I decided to get some food before I checked in because I knew I would collapse upon entering my room.
I went to the only restaurant - Dixie something - and tried to order something. He informed me that they were *out of food*. Like, they sell food, but they RAN OUT. Who runs out of food? And it's not like this place was selling organic produce that goes bad. it was frozen stuff - chicken patties, burgers, etc. I pressed him on the 'running out of food' thing. He scrounged up 5 cheese sticks for me. Fine, that will do.
I took my five cheese sticks and checked into my super crappy motel. Outside was a couple, probably in their 60s, driving from Carmel, CA to VT. They refused to pay the rate the woman was charging. It was completely criminal what she was charging for her rooms, but as a newly-minted MBA I understand her opportunism. She has one week a year to completely rip people off and probably pay most of the year's mortgage. Wasta is totally off the beaten path, twelve miles from Wall, 38 to Rapid City. It had one restaurant which was known for its inability to property order food quantities and a gas station. I understood her blatant abuse of the bike rally.
I talked to the couple for a while - they were really into biking, their son works for Trek. Then I went to my motel room, showered, and got ready for bed and to wake up and go to Wall Drug. I have been seeing signs for Wall Drug for days now. And my running coach in college, Mark Young, had a Wall Drug sticker on his car. Clearly, I was excited. Plus, with 5 cent coffee, it was bound to be a good time.
Distance: 130 miles
Route: 16East to I-90E to Old highway 1416 to the dead end of Old highway 1416 3 miles before Wasta to I-90 to exit 98 - Wasta, SD
Lodging: Red Motel, $98 total rip-off, preying on the bike rally
I woke up today knowing I had a long ride in front of me. The bike rally made it impossible to get lodging in any of the bigger cities - Rapid City, even New Underwood. So, I was booked at a total crappy motel in Wasta, SD for probably about three times what they normally charge.
I headed out on Route 16 out of Newcastle. It was a beautiful morning. The ride was slow for some reason. I knew my first big stop would be Custer, SD, about 40 miles. I just wasn't feeling very fast. I hit a lot of hills, too. I thought SD was going to be flat, but alas, I hit the Black Hills and it was, well, hilly. One of the first big hills I hit was too steep for my bike to climb, so I walked. I went in and out of the valleys of the Black Hills. A lot of bikers passed me, which made sense since they had totally taken over the region.
I finally came out of the Black Hills and hit a long downhill into Custer. Custer was filled with bikers from the Sturgis Bike Rally. I got a coffee and rested for a bit.
When I started up again, I saw that I had 20 miles to Rushmore and 40 miles to Rapid City. Riding out of Custer was all up-hill until I hit Crazy Horse. I decided not to go check out Crazy Horse since my ride was so long for the day. I forged on.
I got to the intersection for Rushmore and started the hilly ride to the monument. On the way, I was passed by *tons* of bikers. Like, a ton. A lot. So loud. After about 8 miles I pulled off where I saw about 100 motorcycle riders pulled off. You could see part of the monument. I took a picture of the monument, and the riders. They were taking pictures of me. hmph.
Finally, I got to the front of Rushmore. It's amazing. I almost didnt come to see it, but I'm so glad I did. It's truly magnificent. I took a few pictures and headed out.
When I got to the bottom of the hill I was greeted by Keystone, SD. keystone is basically a city that survives on tourism brought in by Rushmore. There are fake 'western' little cities, lots of bars, fudge shops, etc. It is the epitome of a tourist trap. It's actually a little like the fake cities at Disney World. And today, it was filled with bikers, which isn't very Disney-like.
They were drinking, hanging out, and then getting on their motorcycles to ride in the 20 MPH cross winds next to me on the highway. Awesome!
I rode out of Keystone up a huge hill on 16A and connected with 16. The cross winds were pretty intense, but I was thankful they weren't headwinds. 20 miles in, I hit Rapid City.
I got a drink at Rapid City and sat outside. A woman came up and started asking me about my ride. She told me how awesome I was and asked me my name so she could watch for me on the news. Ha. she also offered to let me stay at her house, which was very nice. The people who I have met in the Western US have been super nice. I thanked her, but said I had a motel in Wasta.
I got back on 16 and my directions told me I had to get on I-90 briefly to switch off to old highway 1416, which would take me into Wasta. The ride on I-90 was more like 8 miles. An unpleasant 8 miles. Lots of motorcycles whizzing past (probably just a post-beer cruise), trucks, etc. I hit the exit and got on Old Highway 1416 which *was* the highway before the advent of interstates. It was a decent road, rolling hills, through farm country.
It was *hot*. I couldn't drink enough water. After about 20 miles I hit New Underwood. I stopped for a cold beverage. I sat outside and made small talk with the motorcycle riders. one was bitching about how hard it was to ride with headwind and cross wind. i demasculinized him by suggesting that maybe it was harder to pedal through the wind and actually use your muscles. he concurred.
I checked and saw I had about 20 more miles to go. It was about 530. I started riding. I rode down Old highway 1416 and was making good time. With about 5 miles left, I hit an intersection and there was a sign that said 'no outlet'. I rechecked my directions and they said I was supposed to take Old highway 1416 the entire way, so i continued.
The road was starting to get more rough - like almost gravel. About 2 miles in, 3 from the motel according to the directions, a motorcycle came up beside me. I took off my headphones and stopped. The guy told me that the road ended in about a mile. I told him where I wanted to go and he said I had to get on I-90. I was pissed. I thought I was almost done! The mental affects of setbacks like this are hard to describe. After a long day, I just want to get there. To make things worse, it was another 9 miles when I hit 90 because the Old Highway route that googlemaps had given me was more direct.
i backtracked to the intersection that warned me of the 'no outlet'. I turned toward I-90 and got on the highway.
I rode the 9 miles, which really weren't that bad because it was mostly downhill. Finally, I got to Wasta. I pulled off the highway and saw my super crappy motel. I decided to get some food before I checked in because I knew I would collapse upon entering my room.
I went to the only restaurant - Dixie something - and tried to order something. He informed me that they were *out of food*. Like, they sell food, but they RAN OUT. Who runs out of food? And it's not like this place was selling organic produce that goes bad. it was frozen stuff - chicken patties, burgers, etc. I pressed him on the 'running out of food' thing. He scrounged up 5 cheese sticks for me. Fine, that will do.
I took my five cheese sticks and checked into my super crappy motel. Outside was a couple, probably in their 60s, driving from Carmel, CA to VT. They refused to pay the rate the woman was charging. It was completely criminal what she was charging for her rooms, but as a newly-minted MBA I understand her opportunism. She has one week a year to completely rip people off and probably pay most of the year's mortgage. Wasta is totally off the beaten path, twelve miles from Wall, 38 to Rapid City. It had one restaurant which was known for its inability to property order food quantities and a gas station. I understood her blatant abuse of the bike rally.
I talked to the couple for a while - they were really into biking, their son works for Trek. Then I went to my motel room, showered, and got ready for bed and to wake up and go to Wall Drug. I have been seeing signs for Wall Drug for days now. And my running coach in college, Mark Young, had a Wall Drug sticker on his car. Clearly, I was excited. Plus, with 5 cent coffee, it was bound to be a good time.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Biking, Day 16: August 1, 2009
Day 16: Gillette, WY to Newcastle, WY
Distance: 77 miles
Route: 14/16E
Lodging: Roadside Motel, $36, and actually not too bad
I woke up around 730 or so and wasn't sure where I would head. I initially wanted to go to Custer, but everything was sold out there because of the Sturgis Bike Rally. I found a cheap motel in Newcastle and decided to book that.
The wind was behind me today and the ride was pretty uneventful. I rode at like 20-25MPH most of the time and got to my hotel around 230 after taking several breaks. It was a good ride - the road was right along I-90, and there were plenty of signs telling me how far I had to go and where I was going.
I stopped in Moorcroft for a coffee and snack and met a few bikers. They are starting to be everywhere now. Every city has signs that say 'Bikers Welcome',typically sponsored by a beer. The Sturgis Bike Rally starts on Monday in Sturgis and I'm not entirely sure what it entails, but bikers from across the country come. There are a lot of sponsors and vendors. I'm not sure if there's an actual rally.
Here's what the Sturgis Bike Rally means for me: for the past 4+ days there has been an exponential increase in the amount of motorcycles on the road. As I move into SD, hotels have become scarce and extremely expensive. I mentioned to one biker that they were making it hard for me to get hotels and he said oh yeah, if you didn't book anything yet, you're screwed. That has tended to be the mentality. People book a year in advance. And, call me lucky, but this is the 69th year of the rally. I got pretty lucky with my motel in Newcastle, considering all that I've learned about the rally. Sturgis is north of Newcastle, more near the top of the Black Hills. But the riders clear out hotels west, east, north, and south of the rally.
I will say that motorcycle riders are a friendly bunch and they always ask me 'how many miles you do a day?' When I say 100 they act impressed, which I like. They usually wave or throw a peace sign at me when they pass, as if I'm a brethren, two wheels and all. En masse, the engines are loud and jarring, but I enjoy chatting with them at gas stations. As I've gotten closer to the rally, there have been more interesting characters and costumes.
Newcastle is a cute little town. Small, not much to it. There's a refinery. There are two competing grocery stores next to one another. There's a coffee shop. A few motels. I primarily prepped for the next day, made use of the *free* wifi, as advertised on the white board outside the Roadside Motel (creativity not their strong suit).
Tomorrow I go through Custer, Rushmore, Rapid City, and end in Wasta, which was the only place I could get a motel.
Distance: 77 miles
Route: 14/16E
Lodging: Roadside Motel, $36, and actually not too bad
I woke up around 730 or so and wasn't sure where I would head. I initially wanted to go to Custer, but everything was sold out there because of the Sturgis Bike Rally. I found a cheap motel in Newcastle and decided to book that.
The wind was behind me today and the ride was pretty uneventful. I rode at like 20-25MPH most of the time and got to my hotel around 230 after taking several breaks. It was a good ride - the road was right along I-90, and there were plenty of signs telling me how far I had to go and where I was going.
I stopped in Moorcroft for a coffee and snack and met a few bikers. They are starting to be everywhere now. Every city has signs that say 'Bikers Welcome',typically sponsored by a beer. The Sturgis Bike Rally starts on Monday in Sturgis and I'm not entirely sure what it entails, but bikers from across the country come. There are a lot of sponsors and vendors. I'm not sure if there's an actual rally.
Here's what the Sturgis Bike Rally means for me: for the past 4+ days there has been an exponential increase in the amount of motorcycles on the road. As I move into SD, hotels have become scarce and extremely expensive. I mentioned to one biker that they were making it hard for me to get hotels and he said oh yeah, if you didn't book anything yet, you're screwed. That has tended to be the mentality. People book a year in advance. And, call me lucky, but this is the 69th year of the rally. I got pretty lucky with my motel in Newcastle, considering all that I've learned about the rally. Sturgis is north of Newcastle, more near the top of the Black Hills. But the riders clear out hotels west, east, north, and south of the rally.
I will say that motorcycle riders are a friendly bunch and they always ask me 'how many miles you do a day?' When I say 100 they act impressed, which I like. They usually wave or throw a peace sign at me when they pass, as if I'm a brethren, two wheels and all. En masse, the engines are loud and jarring, but I enjoy chatting with them at gas stations. As I've gotten closer to the rally, there have been more interesting characters and costumes.
Newcastle is a cute little town. Small, not much to it. There's a refinery. There are two competing grocery stores next to one another. There's a coffee shop. A few motels. I primarily prepped for the next day, made use of the *free* wifi, as advertised on the white board outside the Roadside Motel (creativity not their strong suit).
Tomorrow I go through Custer, Rushmore, Rapid City, and end in Wasta, which was the only place I could get a motel.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Biking, Day 15: July 31, 2009
Day 15: Sheridan, WY to Gillette, WY
Distance: 110 miles
Route: 14E, which is 30 miles more than taking 90E and has no discernible hotels/motelss along the way
Lodging: Motel 6, Gillette, WY, $69
I woke up today and it was cloudy out. I looked at the weather and it looked like rain and very heavy winds, but that it would come later on in the day where I was biking to and the wind looked like it would be coming to my side, sometimes behind me, but at least not headwind. I had really bad cramps when I woke up, but decided to forge on to Gillette. I knew there wasn't much on route 14E to Gillette, except a town or two where I could hopefully stop if the weather got bad.
I got a few things from my 'free' breakfast and hit the road. It was sunny, but cool out. I rode right through the center of Sheridan. Sheridan is actually totally cute. Center of town has cute little restauurants, and lots of western themed places to buy clothing and have a beer. As I routed out of town, I stopped by Walmart to get some lady-products and to try to get some mace to appease my mother. Walmart had an abundance of lady-products, but nothing to keep said lady safe (except guns and large knives).
I rode on and started down 14E. There were clouds around me and the wind was kicking up, but it looked like I was biking away from the storm. Also, the wind seemed to be helping me a bit, which was nice. The wind was fierce, though, and I had to be careful that it didnt knock me over. It was 30 miles to the first city on the map and I figured I would stop there.
As I hit that 'city' of Ucross, there was nothing. Like, nothing. Sometimes I don't understand why they tell you the mileage to some location 50 miles out and then you get there and there's nothing. It's such a tease.
I started riding to the next 'city', which my mother researched and promised had something – even, gasp, a motel. It was ten miles away according to the road signage. About 2 miles in, the wind started really stepping up. I almost got blown into the road ditch. About 3 miles in, it started raining. The wind was so intense it was raining sideways onto me. It was pretty crappy. And cold. The only thing good was the fact that I was listening to Rachel Maddow on my Ipod.
I kept going and looking for some sort of shelter. My speed was slow, I was incredibly uncomfortable. There weren't even trees to take shelter under.
It took me about 30 minutes to do the 5 miles to the next town. The library was closed. The post office was closed. The gas station that advertised ten miles out as a 'travel center', was open. It was a small mini mart and one gas pump.
I went in and got coffee and waited. I had no cell service, but I did have intense cramps. The weather was up and down. I wanted to stay in thhe city, but the rumor of a motel was a farce. There was nothing. And apparently nothing until my initial destination, so I had to be careful about whether I wanted to forge on. I could probably ask someone for a ride, but there weren't any people I trusted coming in.
I called my mom on the gas station phone and we discussed options. She looked up motels, there weren't any. She looked up weather. It looked promising, but weather in WY, MT, etc is constantly changing.
Finally, after about an hour and a half at the gas station, I decided to go for it. I didn't have many options.
The ride wasn't horrible. The wind was intense, but it wasn't headwind. The crosswinds were a little hard to manage, but otherwise, it wasn't bad. I actually was moving very quickly. I went through Leiter, which was another 'town' that didn't have anything. Then, 30 miles into it, I hit Spotted Horse.
Spotted Horse, WY has a populatinon of 2, as indicated on the sign when you enter the town. The town consists of a bar. Apparently the bar opens and closes randomly. It was open. Sitting outside were two guys with bikes. I went over and talked to them. They were also biking across the country! Starting in Cincinnati, they were ending in Seattle. They were camping along the way and looked very crunchy – dreads, lots of facial hair, etc. But they were cute – and brothers! I stopped and talked with them, then the bartender came out and said 'another crazy person!'. I ordered a diet coke and called my parents from the bar phone to alleviate their concerns about me.
I hung out there for a bit. A few motorcycle riders came through, too. They were going to the Sturgis Bike Rally – one of the biggest bike rallies in the country, located in Sturgis, SD and starting August 2. I just started feeling the effects of this rally – jacked up motel prices, sold out hotels, bikers passing me on the road non-stop. Figured that they were totally on my timeline.
Finally, after hanging out enough I rode off. My biker friends stayed – they had the wind as headwind and were frustrated by it. The one wanted to hitch hike, the other refused to 'cheat'. So they continued to sit at the Best. Bar. Ever. Seriously, the Standard in Spotted Horse, WY is awesome. It has everything. From really crass signs, make your own nachos (you push the button and the cheez comes out), to fried food, to cheap drinks, to pool. Amazing.
I made great time riding the 38 miles to Gillette. The wind was in my favor. I did the 38 miles in a little over 2 hours.
I checked into my motel 6 and ordered chinese food. I was tired. Exhausted. I tried to map out my ride for the next day, which was difficult with horrible internet and the Sturgis Bike Rally in my way.
Distance: 110 miles
Route: 14E, which is 30 miles more than taking 90E and has no discernible hotels/motelss along the way
Lodging: Motel 6, Gillette, WY, $69
I woke up today and it was cloudy out. I looked at the weather and it looked like rain and very heavy winds, but that it would come later on in the day where I was biking to and the wind looked like it would be coming to my side, sometimes behind me, but at least not headwind. I had really bad cramps when I woke up, but decided to forge on to Gillette. I knew there wasn't much on route 14E to Gillette, except a town or two where I could hopefully stop if the weather got bad.
I got a few things from my 'free' breakfast and hit the road. It was sunny, but cool out. I rode right through the center of Sheridan. Sheridan is actually totally cute. Center of town has cute little restauurants, and lots of western themed places to buy clothing and have a beer. As I routed out of town, I stopped by Walmart to get some lady-products and to try to get some mace to appease my mother. Walmart had an abundance of lady-products, but nothing to keep said lady safe (except guns and large knives).
I rode on and started down 14E. There were clouds around me and the wind was kicking up, but it looked like I was biking away from the storm. Also, the wind seemed to be helping me a bit, which was nice. The wind was fierce, though, and I had to be careful that it didnt knock me over. It was 30 miles to the first city on the map and I figured I would stop there.
As I hit that 'city' of Ucross, there was nothing. Like, nothing. Sometimes I don't understand why they tell you the mileage to some location 50 miles out and then you get there and there's nothing. It's such a tease.
I started riding to the next 'city', which my mother researched and promised had something – even, gasp, a motel. It was ten miles away according to the road signage. About 2 miles in, the wind started really stepping up. I almost got blown into the road ditch. About 3 miles in, it started raining. The wind was so intense it was raining sideways onto me. It was pretty crappy. And cold. The only thing good was the fact that I was listening to Rachel Maddow on my Ipod.
I kept going and looking for some sort of shelter. My speed was slow, I was incredibly uncomfortable. There weren't even trees to take shelter under.
It took me about 30 minutes to do the 5 miles to the next town. The library was closed. The post office was closed. The gas station that advertised ten miles out as a 'travel center', was open. It was a small mini mart and one gas pump.
I went in and got coffee and waited. I had no cell service, but I did have intense cramps. The weather was up and down. I wanted to stay in thhe city, but the rumor of a motel was a farce. There was nothing. And apparently nothing until my initial destination, so I had to be careful about whether I wanted to forge on. I could probably ask someone for a ride, but there weren't any people I trusted coming in.
I called my mom on the gas station phone and we discussed options. She looked up motels, there weren't any. She looked up weather. It looked promising, but weather in WY, MT, etc is constantly changing.
Finally, after about an hour and a half at the gas station, I decided to go for it. I didn't have many options.
The ride wasn't horrible. The wind was intense, but it wasn't headwind. The crosswinds were a little hard to manage, but otherwise, it wasn't bad. I actually was moving very quickly. I went through Leiter, which was another 'town' that didn't have anything. Then, 30 miles into it, I hit Spotted Horse.
Spotted Horse, WY has a populatinon of 2, as indicated on the sign when you enter the town. The town consists of a bar. Apparently the bar opens and closes randomly. It was open. Sitting outside were two guys with bikes. I went over and talked to them. They were also biking across the country! Starting in Cincinnati, they were ending in Seattle. They were camping along the way and looked very crunchy – dreads, lots of facial hair, etc. But they were cute – and brothers! I stopped and talked with them, then the bartender came out and said 'another crazy person!'. I ordered a diet coke and called my parents from the bar phone to alleviate their concerns about me.
I hung out there for a bit. A few motorcycle riders came through, too. They were going to the Sturgis Bike Rally – one of the biggest bike rallies in the country, located in Sturgis, SD and starting August 2. I just started feeling the effects of this rally – jacked up motel prices, sold out hotels, bikers passing me on the road non-stop. Figured that they were totally on my timeline.
Finally, after hanging out enough I rode off. My biker friends stayed – they had the wind as headwind and were frustrated by it. The one wanted to hitch hike, the other refused to 'cheat'. So they continued to sit at the Best. Bar. Ever. Seriously, the Standard in Spotted Horse, WY is awesome. It has everything. From really crass signs, make your own nachos (you push the button and the cheez comes out), to fried food, to cheap drinks, to pool. Amazing.
I made great time riding the 38 miles to Gillette. The wind was in my favor. I did the 38 miles in a little over 2 hours.
I checked into my motel 6 and ordered chinese food. I was tired. Exhausted. I tried to map out my ride for the next day, which was difficult with horrible internet and the Sturgis Bike Rally in my way.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
