Biking Across the U.S (hopefully)
Vivian - Badlands/Loop 119
I know me talking about wind gets boring, but for most of the day I had a glorious tailwind. I passed a group of 50-60 bicyclists heading cross country with some company called bike America, riding the opposite way. Every biker I meet is headed East. Multiple bikers shouted "you're going the right way today!" I don't know if there is a wrong way. Definitely a little jealous of their sag wagon (which let me use their pump) and the abundance of company they must have. A couple of my short breaks grew long, so I found myself outside the Badlands a little later than expected. Also, no one informed me about the change to mountain town once the Missouri River is crossed... so my sense of time was all messed up. Couldn't figure out why my phone and watch were so different. I wasn't planning on it, but logistically decided taking on the 30 mile Badlands scenic route in the evening made the most sense, since to avoid taking the interstate, I'd have to have to take it again. As my idiot buddy Caleb says "day-yuum"! The whole landscape was nuts! If you've never been to the Badlands... just get in your car and go do it. As I got to the flat part of my last climb for this evening some dude warned me about a bison a half mile up. Sure enough, a bison was just trotting down the road with a line of cars next to it take no pictures. With a complete drop off on my left I had to stop my bike, pretty terrified this thing would charge... ending me or my bike trip. He just looked at me a couple times while he clippity-clopped on by. Badlands National Park allows dispersed camping throughout the park, so I watched the sunset from an overlook before venturing onto a grassy ridge off the main road. Heard coyotes howling and yipping throughout the night, which was kind of cool but kind of not when they got closer. Woke up with the sun, packed up, and did the ride in reverse (this time using some granny gears because my legs are beat). Stopped a bunch of times to take pictures and hike in the rocks... so the ride towards the end got pretty hot and muggy. Now I'm sitting in the visitor center charging my phone, enjoying the AC and all the water I can drink. Sorry in advance for all the landscape pics.
1 Comment
Pete Gaskell
7/14/2017 06:15:35 pm
Alex, love the commentary and the pix. Black Hills are next. Hope you find them as intriguing and picturesque as the Badlands. Ride safe and hydrated.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorHey I'm Alex Soper, a dude living in Durham, NC. Shoot me an email if you want [email protected] ArchivesCategories |