Day 64 - 8/10/16 Custer, SD to Newcastle, WY

It wasn't hard to find a service road that led right into Black Hills National Forest.  It's funny how many campgrounds I passed in this area when it's no big secret that National Forests are fair game for free camping.  Sure, there's no modern amenities but, for me, it's all I need.  Back on the main road my ride started by going downhill quite a bit.  I hate to complain about going downhill but, so early in the morning it was like taking a cold shower.  It certainly woke me up.  

Another beautiful ride filled with long hills and lots of switchbacks through the outer edge of the Black Hills brought me into Wyoming.  This is the 9th state on my journey which is kind of nuts.  

If I were home, I would be having that end-of-summer anxiety where work starts to get busy again and the warm weather is starting to turn cold and thoughts of that dreaded "W" word start to brew in the ol' brain.  But I'm not home.  I feel like summer hasn't even started yet.  Summer for me will be when I get to warm, sunny California.

Day 63 - 8/9/16 Rapid City to Custer, SD

With less sleep than I had hoped for, I was not so excited to ride to Custer which, I was told, would be a pretty hilly ride.  It didn't take long foe the streetlights to turn into the tall trees that make up Black Hills National Forest.  Sure, the hills were in no short supply but, tobbe back in a forest was just incredible.  

I couldn't help but be reminded of areas in Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire.  South Dakota is just full of surprises I guess.  The 40 mile ride almost wasn't long enough, I wouldn't have minded another 10 miles on the bike path from Hill City to Custer.  

Back to the small towns.  Although, with all the motorcycle traffic, Custer actually feels like a bustling little place.  Now in the early evening, most bikers have cleares the area and the rumbling of thunder has replaced the steady sound of motorcycle engines.  

Afternoon thunderstorms seem to be a characteristic of the Midwest.  I'm hoping it pours soon just to get it over with.  I can't camp at the park I'm currently sitting in so once it gets a little later I'll ride out of town and camp somewhere in the National Forest which is always a free campground.  

I'll be leaving South Dakota tomorrow which means I just have 3 more states to ride through before getting to the Oregon coast.

Day 62 - 8/8/16 Badlands National Park to Rapid City, SD

The first 16 miles of today were a slow hell traversing the worst gravel road I've ever been on.  I could tell tractor wheels were the cause of all the evenly spaced indentations that made the ride feel like an electric shock was surging through every part of me.  

Once the curse of gravel was lifted and the blessing of smooth pavement took hold, the rest of the ride to Rapid City was great.  With about 68,000 residents this is the biggest city I've seen since Chicago and it certainly pales in comparison to the windy city.  I made my way over to the bike shop to talk saddles.  

I've been riding around with a couple different seats now.  One being too soft, so I bought a firmer one in Iowa which ended up being too hard – my poor bottom.  There was one kid working at the bike shop, a few years younger than me but, the way he spoke to customers made it seem like he invented the bicycle, he was very knowledgeable.  

After looking over some of the seats, looking for something in between the 2 I have now, he told me his honest opinion on what I should get to ride more comfortably on my tour but, his opinion had a hefty price tag on it.  A leather Brooks saddle.  He assured me the price is so high because people usually buy just one and it lasts them forever.  Still sitting on the fence, he then told me he had one of the beauties at home on one of his bikes that he doesn't ride and he's willing to let it go for half the price of the shop.  Very intrigued at that point I told him I'd meet him when he got out of work to go check it out.  In the process of killing time it started raining, and then it stopped.  Then after I met him and got to his house a mile up the road, it started pouring.  And then once we were inside, it started hailing – gumball-sized hail pelts his house, rattling the windows.  Once the beautiful new saddle was on my bike, the hail stopped and the sun came out.  Walking out of his house his lawn looked like someone dumped 100 bags of ice on it.  Setting out for the park I planned to sleep at, I pressed my butt against the $100 saddle and felt like I was riding on a cloud.  And he promised me it would break in even more and mold right to my sit bones.  Perfect.  Not long after I laid my head down in my tent, just as I was about to drift away, a bright flashlight lit up my tent.  A nice security guard was patiently waiting outside and kindly asked me to move along, not the greatest news when it's 10:30 at night and you have to break down camp, find somewhere else to go and set it right back up again.  But I did it.  Rolling along the bike path that cuts through the city I found a patch of grass behind some trees and crawled into my sleeping bag not much later than 11:30.  Upon waking up, breaking sown camp and riding to the closest gas station to use the bathroom, I saw the same security guard that asked me to leave the park.  We both juast sort of laughed as we acknowledged each other.  I'm just glad he didn't fond me again, I might've had to kill him...

Day 59 - 8/5/16 Wanblee to Interior, SD - Badlands National Park

Yesterday being such a good ride, I didn't even think today could be better but, it was.  Another early and chilly start to the day was shared with all the dogs that just wander and bark around Wanblee.  There were 3 or 4 dogs keep us company at the park while Derek and I got ready, taking note of the visibility of our breath. 

 

It was barely 30 miles to Interior and just beyond the halfway point the road turned to the North, we climbed a hill and from there we could see the otherworldly rock formations of Badlands in the distance.  I couldn't help but laugh with excitement going down the hills heading into town, I've never seen anything like this before.  Experiencing things like this is food for the mind.  

To bear witness to new landscapes and terrain and even dangera adds so much to the reservoir of thoughts, emotions and memories inside your head.  Never having traveled much in my 26 years on this planet, a simple experience like visiting Badlands National Park makes me wonder what else will blow my mind out there.  

I left Derek in Interior and rode a couple more miles to the campground on the Eastern side of the park.  I couldn't wait to explore more so once my tent was set up, I took the bags off my bike, filled up my water and took Ginger into the park. 

 

Riding and walking among these towers of rock was like visiting the ancient ruins of a cathedral crafted by the delicate yet forceful hands of nature.  After riding around for a bit I decided it was time to go back to the site for some food.  

It wasn't long before I went back out on a different road to find a spot to watch the sunset.  Morning and evening are the 2 most beautiful times of day for the softer light changes the colors of everything and gives it a soft glow.  

There's too much beauty here, it's a little overwhelming, kind of like my visit to the museum in Chicago.  You can't see everything in one visit – kind of like life but, see what you can and let it change you.

Day 58 - 8/4/16 White River to Wanblee, SD

It makes me real damn happy to be in the Mountain Time Zone.  It's like I get an extra hour of sleep tonight.  But mostly, it's another big milestone telling me I'm that much closer to seeing the Pacific Ocean.  My friends on the West coast are only an hour behind me instead of 3 and for some reason that's very comforting to me.  It was hot as Hell yesterday in White River.  Luckily the park had a nice pavilion so I stayed out of the sun but still got to enjoy the fierce breeze that seemed to be coming from all directions on top of the hill where that little town is located.  

While I was sitting in the shade the afternoon slowly became evening and at that point something I've yet to experience on this trip happened: another touring cyclist showed up.  Poor bastard, he did exactly exactly what I intentionally avoided yesterday which was riding 50 miles through the hottest and windiest day in weeks.  Derek went right for the spigot and soak his head under the water, I know that feeling.  

This dude is great he's been on the road for about 3 years now.  His trip is not as linear as mine, he does not have a point A and a point B.  Originally from British Columbia, he's ridden his big yellow bike, appropriately named, Blue through nearly every state in the U.S. and even down into Mexico.  Derek ultimately wants to end up in Argentina but he's got a lot more places he wants to ride to before he gets there.  

So maybe Argentina will be point Q by then or maybe he'll need to start inventing new letters to the alphabet.  So today we rode together from White River to Wanblee, the next closest town which was 50 miles away.  I'm glad he was on board with waking up at 4:30 to get on the road by 6.  After his ride through the heat yesterday, I didn't really have to twist his arm.  The ride was gorgeous, lots of hills but we got to them early enough so we weren't dripping with sweat on the climbs.  

Hills are a beautiful thing after hundreds of miles of flat corn fields where it feels like you're on a stationary bike because the scenery never changes. Hills, on the other hand, offer great surprises once you get to the crest and are given a brand new view of the landscape.  There are some interesting rock formations out here, I wish I could go out in the fields and touch them but they're just so far away from the main road that snakes through all this beauty.  There's also more trees out here than I've seen since Ohio, not that that's saying too much.  I really enjoy riding with another biker.  Derek and I both went at our own pace but we never got so far apart that we didn't meet back up when we took breaks.  It's nice talking to someone that's just been living on his bike for a few years now.  Just more evidence that a non-traditional lifestyle is completely possible if you're smart with your money, live simply, and are inspired enough to keep going and going.

Day 57 - 8/3/16 Witten to White River, SD

3rd day in a row waking up at 4:30am to be on the road by 6 so I don't have to ride through the heat.  Right now it's close to 100 degrees and it is the windiest day I've seen on this trip.  Even at 8:00am there were some strong gusts that pushed my bike one way or the other.  

If I even tried riding my bike now, I'm sure the wind would blow me right over.  This is also my 3rd day in a row camping at a city park.  It's nice because it's free and I can camp with a roof over my head so I don't have to set up my tent completely.  In these small towns, these parks are somewhat designed for people like me, just passing through for the night, only needing a bathroom and some running water.  

These towns don't feel much like civilization to me.  Am I just spoiled having grown up with all sorts of modern conveniences so close to me?  Or is it because the only form of entertainment out here is gambling and drinking?  I think people have a tendency to participate in what's around them if that's what most people are doing already.  If there's a bar, people will drink, if there's a casino, people will gamble.  

But how often do people in these small towns decide to pursue other things?  I just met a woman, drinking vodka with her brother at the park in the middle of the day.  She's never even left South Dakota before.  It's one thing to be happy with the place you grew up in.  It's another thing to be distracted by things like alcohol that could make anyone content anywhere under its effects.

Day 56 - 8/2/16 Burke to Witten, SD

I'm so excited to get to the Badlands.  Most people I meet tell me I'm going to love it.  I already know I am.  I'm just looking forward to seeing some other terrain besides big, open spaces.  I want some hills and mountains to break up the monotony of seeing the same thing for 50 miles.  

I'm sure I'll be regretting this wish in a couple weeks but, big hills are inevitable on this trip, especially in the Western half of the country.  I'm also excited for the Badlands because I know seeing some dramatic, beautiful nature is going to get my blood pumping.  There's not much excitement in these big green fields after a couple weeks of riding through them.  Change is good and it is just on the horizon.  

I really love ending each day in a new little town.  There aren't many streets in Witten and it doesn't look like any of them are paved.  I wonder if there are any kids in this town.  There's a slide and a swingset at the park and that's all there is.  I heard these towns have a downside to them too, even beyond the fact that there's not many forms of entertainment.  I met a cool dude named Casey last night before I went to bed.  

He loves living in Burke, hanging out with his dogs and girlfriend in his yard, gardening and just enjoying the sound of his sprinkler watering his vegetables.  But, they both said people in small towns know everything about you, both good and bad.  

Seems like there's the potential for some high tension and drama that you canmg escape just by going home.  I still think there's a lot of rewards for living so simply, I'd definitely like to try spending more than a night in one of these little towns.

Day 55 - 8/1/16 Pickstown to Burke, SD

I stayed in a hotel last night and left at 6:00am to beat the heat.  It was already warm and humid before the sun came out so I thought I was going to be in a sweaty situation once it got later but, the heat never came.  If anything, it just got cloudier and cooler as the morning went on.  

Since I got to South Dakota, I've been noticing sunflowers growing on the side of the road.  They look just like the ones we used to have at work back home.  Some are large but some are real small and dainty.  Most of the ones I've aeen haven't bloomed yet.  On my ride today I saw plenty of these little guys growing between the paved road and the great big fields of grass but then, almost out of nowhere, I came across an entire field of 6 foot tall sunflowers, all yellow in bloom.

 

 I wanted so badly to just float up over them and just be cradled on their yellow petals.  They stretched into the hazy distance just like all the corn fields I've seen but, sunflowers are just incomparably beautiful next to corn and soy.  As I kept riding, a kind woman pulled over in her pickup truck, offering me a ride to the next town.  I could see the sign just over her truck saying Burke was just 7 miles away.  

She was trying to help me avoid getting caught in the rain but, in the back of my mind a little rain sounded pretty good.  I waved as she drove past me and sure enough, the rain came.  I doubt I'll shower tonight so I welcomed the 7 miles of rain like someone performing a rain dance.  

Taking cover in the only coffee shop in this 700 person town, I am amazed and curious as to what it would be like to live in a place like this.

Day 53 - 7/30/16 Irene to Wagner, SD

Unless I wanted to turn off Rt. 46 and ride a few miles down another road there were no towns to stop at between Irene and Wagner.  60 miles was no problem.  I started early and carried some extra water with me so I knew I would make it without having to knock on someone's door for water.  It looks like the corn fields are slowly fading out now that I'm in South Dakota.  I see these massive rolls of hay sitting on golden hills spotted with cows in place of all the corn.  

I've been meaning to wash my sleeping bag and I found a laundry mat in Wagner when I got here.  I started talking to the woman in charge (who was nice enough to stay a little late so I could finish drying my sleeping bag) and she had the same thing to say about the area as a lot of people I've talked to in Iowa and South Dakota: be careful of the Indian Reservations.  Call me ignorant or naïve but, I don't understand what these reservations are or why they're dangerous.  

I've been told there's some gang activity within the reservation areas and some of them have been responsible for vandalism in the public parks of Wagner.  The woman at the laundry mat also mentioned the issues within Wagner's public schools.  She said 80% of students are of Native American descent and unfortunately, these are the students that drop out first, around 8th or 9th grade.  She said she's not prejudiced but after seeing all the facilities and opportunities given to the natives on these reservations over 40 years of being in Wagner, she doesn't know how else to feel.  

I don't know what to say about all this, it's something I've never heard of or experienced, like a whole other world of perceived differences between people.  All I know is this is certainly a situation where I have to keep an open mind and take everything I hear with a grain of salt.

Day 52 - 7/29/16 Sioux Center, IA to Irene, SD

No need to stealth camp tonight because there are no cops in this town.  I learned about the city park from the bartender, Linda at the only bar in Irene.  She used to work for the city council, specifically for the parks and she said there's no one that will bother me here.  I'm sitting under the pavilion, I have outlets to charge my electronics and there is a fully functioning bathroom with running water and toilet paper right next to me.  

I am in paradise. It's great to meet new people and stay with them but, sometimes a night to myself is exactly what I need.  Well, today I got the best of both worlds.  Riding down the steep hill into town, I came upon the Irene Bar and Grill.  The place was completely empty except for Linda who was taking care of Belinda and David.  They're an incredibly nice couple just passing through Irene to go to their camper for the weekend.  

The 3 of them had so many questions about my trip and for anyone wondering if I get tired of answering the same questions all the time, I do not.  If I can inspire one person to go out and do something out of the ordinary, all my efforts on this trip will have been worth it.  Anyway, David and Belinda decided to pay for my lunch before they headed out – yet another act of kindness I hope to pay forwars one of these days.  Shortly after they left, the bar started to fill up with locals.  

Boy, they could practically smell that I wasn't from the area, they could just tell something was different.  All really warm, friendly people just trying to pass the time on a Friday afternoon.  I knew if I didn't leave soon, I would've speent all night there or I would've gotten in the van with Big Earl and Matt, a couple other outsiders (not as outside as me) headed a couple towns over to play some music at another bar.  So, here I am at the park around the corner, my wet clothes hanging on my makeshift clothesline and the rest of my stuff spread out on the picnic tablea in the pavilion, just trying to get caught up with documenting this ridiculous trip.