Current Status

Current Status: Success! Ride completed Monday, July 3, 2017 - Stage 38: Velo-Vini-Vidi-Vici Victory Ride! - from Calistoga, CA to San Francisco, CA - 115 miles

Sunday, June 11, 2017

Stage 16 Report: Dakota Passage

Date: Sunday June 11, 2017
Start: Hyannis, NE
Finish: Interior, SD
Total Bike Mileage: 73.0
Cumulative Bike Mileage: 1382.3

The Hyannis Hotel isn't quite the Ritz Carlton but its cozy basic comfortable accommodations supplied us with the necessary rest we needed. The morning was a beautiful cloudless day, cooler air as we headed northward towards South Dakota. We first drove north on scenic Rt61 observing the last remains of the Sandhills beside us and then put-in on bikes at the sleepy wayside town of Merriman. Continuing 6mi northward we crossed into South Dakota, its state sign with Mt Rushmore, to be taken the morrow.

Steady climbing brought us to wide open grazing grasslands and farms in massive valleys; the South Dakota sky was enormous, bright baby blue, and contained variable wispy clouds that I hadn't noted as dramatically since our ventures through Oklahoma.

The rolling climbs and descents continued to the town of Martin where we stopped for an early lunch at Susan's H&H Bar; I ordered the Cowboy Burger and ate it straight-up with my cowboy hat on (it was mighty tasty). Fuel for the next 50mi of wind torture.

There is no paved short-cut northward to get to the Badlands entrance from Martin, SD hence best option was to head east, then north, then return west to complete the square. Weather had gotten Punchy hot by the time we saddled up after lunch but the wind predators attacked as soon as we got to paving along Rt18 eastward. How unfair, the only significant stretch of eastern directed road we might take on this journey to San Francisco and yet today, no typical easterly blowing wind to tail-us from behind and ease our passage; no, ordered up from the heavens were fierce southwest gusts, as the ranch wind vanes and weathercocks stood at attention in a stern SW direction slapping our faces in request for penance for our sins.

Yet the turn northwards onto Rt73 did not offer any forgiveness. Now Zephyrus revealed himself as a rabidly joweled beast as he nipped at us, slicing through our bike frames tossed about in the crosswinds. We were being avenged for Odysseus' error in judgment.

(pause for the reader: a little help here for those more curious about Greek wind mythology, this will explain: www.thanasis.com)

The Long Valley, as it is called, stretched for miles with roller-coaster roads as we steadily climbed in elevation over the course of the entire day.

"Mike, you think the top of those rollers is a mile from here?"
"Maybe," he said. "I think more."

You could see for miles in this bright day. 3.5mi later we finally crested the apex. So much for my sense of distance.

Alas, we passed through the Long Valley and its namesake town and at 18mi from the westerly turn-off (note of interest: in Jewish numerology 18 is the numeric equivalent for the word "Chai," meaning "Life") our cardiac and quadriceps muscles needed a rest before our own lives would become ever more vulnerable to Zephyrus' wishes.

Happy Api appeared as a mirage at first. Was that an elk crossing the road or truly Api with a cell phone in hand to capture our images waving in the winds. The van was shimmering, glistened by Helios' sun-scorching. We ceased our forward motion, replenished fluids.  Sat still with a certain reluctant-to-move-on despair.

But it was a scenic spot Api selected for this progress pause. We stood on the apex of yet another hill staring at two majestic territorially-greedy Buttes on either side - Bushy Butte to our east and Buzzard Butte our west.

Along comes a pick-up truck stopping to inquire if we were all right, and we chatted with Dan and Pam Petrik holding their Corgi dog, Ginger.

Born and raised in these remote parts of South Dakota, Dan explained that his 600 acre ranch property was just adjacent  to where we stood, gifted to him by his father who passed-on. He told us a story about buried gold brought by mules back from California in the gold rush period. Three brothers had a mint of gold nuggets on those mules' backs but they were attacked by the local Indians living in these parts. One brother survived and buried the golf stash somewhere on Bushy Butte just about a mile (or maybe 3miles?) from our current position. He returned to Kansas City, drew his pirate's map of this area but never returned and yet no one to this day has ever found such golden treasure despite many searchers.

We debated whether to just end this whole expedition and join the gold search but ultimately, despite gluey peddling we moved forward to the Rt73 and Hwy44 junction.

I was exhausted and dehydrated and just not having my usual sense of fun. But a cold Coca-Cola and ice water and 10min of shade and Apiisms sure did help to restore my balance.

Out of the Hwy44 junction I was invigorated and just plain upset to possibly accept defeat at the hot breath of Zephyrus. I accelerated towards Wanblee and the Oglala Sioux Pine Ridge Reservation. Chasing sundown once again. Beautiful land for farming and grazing or just admiring. We descended down a long stretch and into a transitional zone of rock formations adjacent to the road. Badlands approaching, it informed us. We stopped to measure the success of our hard-fought Zephyrian day and then canned the remaining mikes to arrive at Interior, SD, gateway to the Badlands.

Bikeoo

Oh, sandhills recede
Heed to open windy skies
Zephyr passage lands

Indexes


Weather: (5)
Hot afternoon, persistent headwinds

Terrain: (5)
Persistent rollers and elevation gains

Scenic: (7)
Butted and tock formations and skies

Endurance: (7)
Tough battle with winds today

Wildlife and Roadkill:
W-deer
R-raccoon, songbirds

Medical Report:
No significant concerns

Bike Report:
No issues

Still Having Fun: (8)

Photos & Video


"Hawk" soaring in Long Valley, SD

Hyannis Hotel, Hyannis, NE

Downtown Hyannis, NE

On road to Merriman, NE; the Sandhills receding



Goodbye Sandhills of NE

Welcome to South Dakota

Prairie rabbit

Beautiful stream after crossing into South Dakota


Martin, SD

Howdy from Susan's H&H Bar & Grill, Martin, SD

Departing Martin, SD heading east, side open lands


I personally have a kinship with hay bails




Long Valley area, SD


Stop 18mi south of Hwy44 turn-off in SD

Dan and Pam Petrik with Ginger at their ranch entrance


Pine Ridge Oglala Sioux Reservation Land, SD

Rock formations along Hwy44 approaching the Badlands; landscape is transforming geologically

Approaching entrance to the Badlands, SD

Gift shop piece at entrance to Badlands, SD


Evening teaser; tomorrow we will cycle through the Badlands, SD; view from our Badlands Inn. 

Sunsetting over Badlands, SD




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