Reflections

After almost 3,000 miles of riding, 114,000 feet of climbing and countless hours alone on my bike through some of the most awesome parts of this great country, I end my adventure with some reflections both simple and sublime.

-          The human body is an incredible machine.

-          Maybe 70 is the new 50.

-          From the point of view of efficiency and flexibility, a bicycle is as close to being a perfect transportation machine as we have today.

-          Going six weeks without news from the internet, TV, radio or a newspaper (other than the NYT Sunday edition 4X) was cathartic and surprisingly easy.

-          I do not regret missing both political conventions or the ongoing political brouhaha.

-          People who are serious cyclists are some of the most interesting, articulate and nice people in the world.

-          Take the time to slow down and look around and you will see some marvelous things.

-          The United States has an extraordinary divers landscape and populous.

-          Minnesota “Nice “is a fact”

-          I should have done this 25 years ago and should do another soon.

-          I have great gratitude for all who helped make this extended hiatus possible.  I owe you big time.

-          I am a very fortunate and blessed to have been able to do this and truly sorry that others may not be able to.

-          Life is very short and I want to make sure I wear out this body enjoying every second.

Terry and Me at the Mississippi River

Saturday, July 30 about 11:00 AM CDT

This is the last post.  Hope you enjoyed reading the blog and I hope you can someday experience such a wonderful adventure.

jack

50 more miles

Slept at the YMCA in Washington, IA, last night. The Fitness Center was air conditioned.

Leaving for the last leg of the tour in a few minutes.  If the phone holds out I will post more later.  

RAGBRAI. DAY 5

In Ottumwa today. Short day, low humidity and good roads.  Had a turkey brat for lunch.

A few bikes parked at the lunch stop. It is  amazing that I can find my bike among the thousands of others.

Ottumwa is the hometown of Radar O'Riely from the iconic TV show, M*A*S *H

Just two more days and the adventure will be over.  Looking forward to sleeping in a real bed and resting a tired body. 

Short and Sweet

Limited internet so not going to have a long post.

Had a great camp site last night and slept like a log and continue to eat like a horse.

First Day of RAGBRAI hot and short

No pictures today since my iPhone battery still has a flakey battery

Today's ride was just about 50 miles with many rolling hills and hot temps. A bit of rain cooled the evening and thanks to Dr. Bryant, we are sleeping inside dry and cool. 

Longer (75 mile) day tomorrow.  Hope it is dry and cooler.  Still having a blast. Will be hard to return to work 

Did weigh myself.  Now about 169 lbs.

New phase. Old Friends

Ready for the last phase of an awesome trip. Our first overnight accommodations.

M. 

Phase One Complete. On to Iowa

On my way to Iowa.

Hard to leave the Cycle America friends last night.

The adventure continues. Stay tuned for six more days of riding through Iowa

A new state, Same weather and some Lutefisk

Hot, windy and humid were the key words again today as we finally made our way out of South Dakota and into Minnesota. Terry and I agree that South Dakota should be about 140 miles narrower.

The landscape is a bit different but there was little that caught my attention for photographs other than a large plastic fish and a notice that I was in the Lutefisk capital of the world. I imagine this place is a must see for those living on Lake Wobegone but it really did not impress me.

The fish's name..."Lou The Fish"

Tomorrow will be our last day on the Cycle America portion of the ride.  After dinner with the group tomorrow Terry and I will head for Iowa. 

My plan is to continue this blog through RAGBRAI. 

South Dakota, hot, windy, and it seems to go on forever!

Just about all the way through this state. Can't say I will miss the wind and heat but the Black Hills were extraordinary.

Today's ride was the shortest so far.  At only 60 miles on flat roads, we were  done by 1 pm.  Good thing since the temp and the humidity were both in the 90s.

Not much to photograph today.  Did come across this old county church.

Right now most everyone is resting in the conditioned middle school gym. A nice respite from the heat outside. 

Two more days and we're off to Iowa.  Sure hope the heat and and humidity go away. 

iPhone seems to be behaving.  More soon. 

Back on line in DeSmet, SD

Well perhaps it was due to the afternoon temps or the hot gusty winds, my iPhone seems to have come back to life.  So the blog will continue.

Today we rode from Miller to DeSmet, a trip of about 80 miles.  Since I was unsure that my iPhone battery would stay charged I took only a few pictures. 

Today was the half way point for those riders doing the entire transcontinental ride. The point was memorialized with some street art. 

The rest of the day was spent riding through corn and soybean fields. Nothing I don't see around home. 

At Huron, our lunch stop, I did see the world's largest pheasant.  When the highlight of the day is an oversized game bird you know you are in eastern South Dakota 

The weather is predicted to be very warm tomorrow.  The route is short and flat so I hope we are off the road early. 

Soon we will be crossing over into Minnesota and Friday will be my last segment with my Cycle America friends. Terry and I plan to camp out at the Hutchinson Maytag Laundromat, Tanning Parlor, and Car Wash to get ready for RAGBRAI and wait to be picked up for the ride to Council Bluffs. 

Might be last post

All going well with the ride but no so well with my iPhone battery.  So until I figure out a fix, I will not be able to post to this blog.  Hope this is temporary.  

A New Time Zone / Day Off

Arrived in Pierre, SD yesterday afternoon after a 90 mile battle with the wind. Did not take many pictures as the landscape consisted mostly of miles and miles of wheat.

The wheat is ready for harvest and convoys of large trucks filled with the golden grain and large harvesters seemed to be everywhere. 

We got to Pierre (pronounced by the locals as PEER ) and crossed the Missouri River (again) and into Central Time  

For the next day we are staying at the Indian Learning Center, a spartan but comfortable place for some downtime. 

One more week on the Cycle America portion of the tour. Next Saturday we will link up with our RAGBRAI team. 

This morning I am doing laundry. The machines here at the Learning Center are  like something out of Star Wars. 

Last evening at dinner we met the Mayor of Pierre, Laurie Gill. She and her husband were eating at the same restraunt and she came over to our table and welcomed to her city.

George, my friend from the UK was impressed that the "Lady Mayor" would be seen with us common folk so he struck a respectful" pose.

The Badlands and Beyond

Today was an early start. Mother Nature provided some rain and pyrotechnics with and early morning storm. But the rain stopped just as it was time to get up and going and the sunrise over the Badlands was extraordinary.

Once packed up, we rode a short  distance into the National Park and breakfast. 

The Badlands are truly unique and provide color and a sense of desolation.

The entire morning was spent riding through the park.

Tomorrow we are off to Pierre, the South Dakota State Capitol and a rest day. We cross the Missouri River and enter the Central Tome Zone.  It does't seem possible that we will begin the final week on the tour.

Easy Day

The trip from Rapid City to Interior , a burg of less than 100 people, was some 80 miles but with a tail wind the day was a delight.  Interior, SD, is right on the doorsteps of the Badlands, an area that is most certainly appropriately named.  The place resembles a moonscape.

One highlight was our lunch stop.  The "town" of Scenic, SD, is at best a Ghost town. The buildings look like they were lifted from Hollywood movie set.

Just like Aladdin, Wy, the town, the whole town, is for sale. 

If you look very closely,  you can read some of the vintage signs. 

The wind at our backs allowed an average speed of more than 18 mph.  A personal best. 

Our group will more than double the population this evening.  The weather continues to treat us well with temps in the mid 90s but humidity at 10%.  I will want to remember this when I return to the Midwest in a few weeks.

Can't wait to see what the stars look like in this land devoid of light pollution. 

Tomorrow into the heart of the Badlands. 

A ride through paradise

Today's ride in the Black Hills from Custer to Rapid City had to be one of the most beautiful days of the entire trip.  We began by climbing 12 miles to the Needles Highway.  The highway took us through cool forests and rock formations.  It crossed corkscrew bridges and tunnels.  

The 5,500 ft of climb was worth all the effort as we were presented with one awesome view after another.  The pics below hardly capture the beauty and tranquility of the place.

From one vantage point I think you could see more than 100 miles to the east.

Coming into Rapid City I was day dreaming and missed my turn causing me to add 5 miles of hills to my 69 mile day. 

It doesn't seem possible that I have only 9 days of riding until we break off and pick up RAGBRAI. 

On paper ... an easy day

On paper today's ride from Lead to Custer looked like a cake walk.  In reality it was a very long day

The day began with a long climb out of town but the first real test came about 17 miles in when we began a 10 mile stretch of gravel and hills.  

For those who may know little about road bikes, the thin hard tires are not built to ride on gravel. The climbs were hard but the downhills even harder.  Not a fun morning.  Below is a good example of the road.

The day did have some great views and we passed some very vintage establishments.  Perhaps not as cool as Aladdin, but very  cool .

In mid afternoon we passed the Crazy Horse Memorial.  If you look closely you can make out the Chief's head. 

There must be something in the South Dakota water causing the residents to carve heads out of stone. 

We are off to Rapid City tomorrow.  Hope the fantastic weather holds.  It doesn't seem possible that we have been riding for 25 days, mostly in sunshine.  Have seem some awesome parts of America and there is much more to see just over the next hill. 

We learned today that Thompson Pass, a route we rode early in the tour was closed yesterday due to snow.  Timing is everything.

Word for the day is WIND

To Begin our 4th week we left Devil's Tower bright and early an headed east.  It is a good thing we did as there was a 25 mph wind out of the west making the morning section of the ride awesome.  I was moving most of the morning at more than 20 mph with little effort.

The road was smooth and the hills very easy. 

We went through the town of Aladdin and stopped the coolest general store.

The whole town Is for sale for a cool 1.5 million. maybe a new retirement job for Judy and me.

About mid morning we left Wyoming and chalked up a new state, South Dakota

We had a great lunch but then had to turn into the  wind.  The same wind that made our morning so easy made the first ten miles of the afternoon pure pain.  I was on the lowest gear and could barely make 5 mph.  Until we got to Spearfish, a ten mile distance, the wind that we blessed in the morning was copiously cursed in the afternoon.  

Once in Spearfish and a cold ice tea we entered Spearfish Canyon.  The wind calmed some and we began a 20 mile 4% climb.  The canyon was very green with steep cliffs on both sides of the roads. Very cool log homes hidden deep in green meadows.

The day ended with a 2.5 mile 7% climb to the town of Lead.  We we got there the temps we in the 60s and predicted to get in the 40s tonight.  Just yesterday at Devil's Tower we had temps in the upper 90s.

The wind is still gusting at about 25 mph but is predicted to calm on Tuesday.  I hope that is the case as we head to Custer and deeper into the Black Hills. 

Reflections on Week Thee

Very hard week but also very beautiful and satisfying. Was able to ride longer than I ever thought I could.  Made climbs I could have never done before.

The terrain went from mountains to open range and now back to hills and high rangeland

Today resting at the base of Devil's Tower and enjoying a day off the road. 

Now this week we are off to the Black Hills.  Weather predicted to get cooler but no rain  

The ride continues to be a once in a lifetime adventure.