Day 26 Missouri River to the Corn Palace

Today's ride starts at the Missouri River at Chamberlain, SD and ends at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD.  Turned out to be a bummer of a ride because they rode into the wind all day.  Also, there was rain off and on all day.  So, now that we've had rain, I can tell you that every other day has been bright, sunny and clear.  Afraid that if I said it before this I'd jinx us into rain.

Missouri River

Leaving the rural route and climbing up to I-90

Corn Palace, Mitchell, SD

Day 25 Cima Coppi of the Full Distance is a Doosy

From the one-horse town of Kadoka (which we learned is Lakota for "hole in the wall") to the teaming metropolis of Chamberlain, SD.

The guys already reached the real Cima Coppi (highest altitude) for the trip but the actually 1/2-way point will occur today.

Yesterday's forecast was for heavy headwinds but this morning's forecast is much more favorable.  It's 115 miles today.

Visited the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and the Dignity Statue, in a rest stop off I-90.

Day 24 Video of Ride Through The Bad Lands, SD

Day 23 Rapid City, SD to Wall, SD

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Rest Day Mount Rushmore and Custer State Park

Crazy Horse Memorial in the Black Hills of SD

A day of sight seeing.

Mount Rushmore

Angkor Wat in the U.S.

Day 21 Up Close and Personal Bison Encounter

Hot Springs, SD to Rapid City SD.  Actual ride is modified but I'm not skilled enough to churn out a new map while on the road.  The guys will travel a more direct route to Rapid City.  They will still go through Custer National Park but they won't go by Mount Rushmore.  Saving Rushmore for tomorrow when we can all do it together.

Life without gps truly is not good.  Yesterday our rooms weren't ready at check in.  So, we decided to go to Wind Cave National Park.  My phone hasn't received a signal strong enough for data in the past 48 hours.  We went armed with a good old fashioned map and directions from the hotel.  We went in exactly the opposite direction.  Today, we got to Rapid City which was closed tighter than a drum.  The guys called and strongly suggested we visit Wind Cave.  So, we turned around.  We made it to Wind Cave Visitor Center but from there went in exactly the wrong direction again.  The good news is that today the girls saw buffalo, prairie dogs and antelope.  Wildlife count: Girls = 3

prairie dogs are so cute and they bark

Wildlife count: Boys = 3.  However, they had more up close adventures and got some video.  These are must play videos.

Day 20 Lusk, WY to Hot Springs, SD

This is going to be a demanding ride.  The winds have shifted.  The guys are going to have a head wind for the last half of the trip.  They're dogged.  They did it.

Proof  of Lunch

Entered South Dakota today and our first sight of the Black Hills. Wildlife count:  Boys = 4 (prairie dogs, prong horn sheep, antelope, deer).  Girls = 0

Idaho, Wyoming and SD are very buggy.  Our windshield is a massacre site and my legs are covered with bites.  When we went by a swimming hole yesterday we were warned about rattle snakes and poison ivy.   Needless to say, we stayed on the path.  I went for my walk later and cut across a "lawn" and suddenly remembered the rattlesnake warning.  lol.  I did kick up more bugs and get more bug bites but no rattlesnakes.  Everyone who passed me during my walk waved to me.


Visited a dig in Hot Springs where they have uncovered 50+ mammoth skeletons.