Biking Across the U.S (hopefully)
Huron - Wessington Springs 40
Wessington Springs - Vivian 100 Started my day out of Huron going directly South... right into 20+ mph winds. As much as I like to make dumb jokes about things, it was pretty rough. Since the wind was coming from the south I prayed turning the corner towards west would give me relief... but it just kept coming. It was a NW wind and about 105 degrees out. I could feel my body revolting, with general fatigue and dehydration kicking in. I carved out another 10ish miles and got a room in a tiny 400 person town. After a cold shower, sitting in front of the AC, and 4 hours of TV in my underwear; this flop of a motel felt like the Ritz. Woke up early knowing I'd lost some mileage the day before, starting before the sun. The mornings can be a tough start, so I always get a kick out of passing a field of cattle. Every head turns and watches me pass with a mouth of half chewed cud. Probably doesn't help that I moo loudly as I ride by. Leading up to Fort Thompson, the only reservation I'd pass through, everyone warned me about how tough they are on outsiders. One woman told me a story about driving down a side road and seeing burnt out cars and being flipped off all the time. Maybe it's because I'm a bike, but everyone there was great... super friendly and interested in what I was up to. Halfway through the ride I met Selvin, a Kiwi taking a bike ride across the U.S. He broke out a paper map circled and outlined everywhere he'd already been... San Fran, to Portland, Glacier, Yellowstone, Denver, Badlands... everywhere. It was pretty impressive. Continued on to a tiny 150 person town called Vivian and slept in their city park. Two old dudes said it was OK, so I at least I asked first.
1 Comment
pete gaskell
7/13/2017 06:37:40 pm
almost missed vivian on google maps.
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 |