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.