Day 22 -- We'll be comin' 'round the mountain when we come . . .

July 11, 2005

ROUTE: Hot Springs to Rapid City, SD

DISTANCE: 72 miles

WINDS: Light headwinds

WEATHER: Intermittently cloudy and clear with a few drops of rain at Rushmore, but generally cool yet sunny

TERRAIN: Hilly to mountainous                

TOTAL CLIMBING: 5,690 feet

RIDE OVERVIEW: We got an early start this morning in anticipation of a hot day. Yesterday it was in the high 90s in aptly named Hot Springs and we didn't expect any different today, and didn't get anything too different either. Unlike yesterday's route, however, today's was tree-lined in many places, especially when climbing up to Rushmore, so riders could find some shade. Riders had a lot of climbing today so had to work hard, but everyone was in great spirits because the scenery was much too beautiful to speed through anyway.

Today we left the the rolling grasslands with its endless waves of greenish brown grass and began climbing up into areas of pine and high prairie, with buffalo grazing in the cool(er) morning temperatures. Before we got to the tree level, we rode through open range territory in beautiful Wind Cave National Park, a sanctuary for 350 bison--of which we saw half a dozen, several up close as they crossed the road in front of us. The other 344 must have remembered us brightly colored impediments from last year and decided to wait us out before grazing near the road,

As I entered Wind Cave Nat'l Park, an antelope did what antelopes do best and loped directly in front of White and up a slope alongside. A little farther down the road we saw a mule deer who watched us ride by, virtually unfazed by our presence. These creatures are used to pesky tourists by now I'm sure.  Bet they go home every evening and tell their significant other that they saw 50 tourists wearing tight lycra and riding a funny contraption that wouldn't eat grass. 

We also passed many prairie dog colonies before exiting the park. There were thousands of these appealing rodents (no, they're not canines; got the "dog" name simply because of their bark, which is more of a yip) standing tall over their dens and yipping at us as we passed by. Bison, prairie dogs, deer, elk, Black hills, trees, wide smooth shoulders, Crazy Horse and Mount Rushmore memorials . . . sensory overload all day.  All in all this day was high on the scale of tough riding day, but this has been one of the most pleasurable days we've had on the trip, simply because of all the wildlife and the scenery . . . right up there with the Tetons, just different.

I drove SAG today, and when I got SS#1 all set up in front of the Common Cents Convenience Store in Custer, I asked an old timer to keep an eye on White while I went inside for a popsicle. When I came out, he said, "Quick, there's a long-legged one over there getting into things." It was Big John. We have three Johns on the ride so they have become Big John (John Litvaitis, who is 6'6"), Earring John (John Mardis, who wears a diamond stud) and Philosopher John (John Vanek, municipal lawyer and former Peace Corps volunteer).

After Custer, riders came to the Crazy Horse Memorial, and several stopped for the tour of this mountain carving which has been under construction since 1948--when finished it will be the world's largest sculpture carved in the round (563 feet high , 641 feet long). Crazy Horse (d. 1877) was war chief of the Oglala Sioux and a prominent leader in the Sioux resistance to white encroachment in the mineral-rich Black Hills. The Black Hills have long been thought sacred by the Sioux. The Treaty of 1868 gave the Black Hills and the rest of SD west of the Missouri River to the Sioux, but when gold was discovered in the 1870s the US government snatched back 6,000 square miles.The monuments of Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse illustrate the clash of the two cultures that reside there.

Riders had about six miles after CH before climbing to Mount Rushmore. On the climb riders saw five mountain goats, two with kids. Several took photos, and Tim got one to me--see Photos of the Day below. Despite being a tourist mecca, Mount Rushmore is impressive, so riders enjoyed their visit. After Rushmore, riders screamed down a 10% slope into Keystone, a tourist trap of the highest order. On my way down in the van, I and both the uphill and downhill traffic stopped to allow a turkey hen to cross the road with a solitary chick. Several riders ate at the small cafe near SS#2 at the bottom of the descent, and others did the tourist thing in Keystone. Murray and Paul B. rode to the top of a mountain on a ski lift and then boarded a luge and sledded down a concrete chute to the bottom.

When I got to the motel, I heard that Big John (John Livaitis) had been involved in an unfortunate incident about 500 yards from the motel. He was clipped by a trailer that was wider than the car pulling it. It struck and shattered his rear wheel and threw him to the ground. He suffered road rash and an injury to his lower spine, which, happily, is not going to cause any permanent impairment. The doctors say he will recover fully. Regrettably, however, he will have to drop from the ride tomorrow and go home to recover. We wish him a speedy recovery. Big John vows to be back next year to finish what he started.

All others but one rider, who had gone off-route, got to the motel by 3:30. Those who were already at the motel, were gathered in the lobby watching the Tour de France stage that was on OLN. This is the first motel that's had OLN since we left Astoria. Dang!

Tomorrow we have a short day . . . only 57 miles, and I'll be riding Float, but the weatherman calls for headwinds and heat. I'd like to get an early start to try to beat both, but we're sleeping in and not loading Box until 8:30. We need this relaxing short day to recover before our two long days into Pierre and Chamberlain, 115 and 95 respectively. Headwinds are predicted for tomorrow also.   If they're no worse than today's, we'll be okay. Mike says that most of our tough climbing is behind us for now . . . the riders will be thankful; they need a break from the tough days. 

HEARD ON THE ROAD TODAY:

• Was Custer[the town where I set up SS#1]  named after George or the little ice cream stand down the street?"
• "Sonia's going to lie down any minute now." [Sonia rode with the A-Team today and when they reached SS#1, they were sure they'd exhausted her . . . har de har har!]
• "Hello, is this White? This is the shorter, better looking Paul. I need a new tire and the mechanic's van."
• "Albert have you seen your buffalo yet?" [Asked of Albert at least 10 times at SS#1. And, yes, Albert finally got a look at a real live buffalo (bison).]
• When he got to SS#1 Hook-n-Bull Joe needed a lift so had himself an ice cream sandwich, a couple of Twinkies, and 2 Pepsi's. Someone remarked: "You're the kind of guy who goes into a health food store and asks for a Twinkie."
• This road [the climb to Rushmore and the following descent]  has two speeds, 4 and 40.
• "Larry rides a bruchetta? Does he lube his chain with olive oil? Nah, he rides a Bachetta not bruchetta, ignoramus!"
• Rider: "What's the last hill like?" [Many asked this at SS#2 with some anxiety]
  Josh: "It's not paved."
• Matt's sunglasses were stolen at Rushmore so I loaned him my Oakleys to complete the ride. He remarked, "I'll give these Oakley's a trial run." I responded: "Treat them well. They've never before experienced speeds such as you will reach."
• "At one point on the climb to Rushmore my heart rate monitor hit 165, then 190, then went straight to 911."
• "Name the faces on Mt Rushmore."
  "Mmmmm, Oprah?"

DUH! OF THE DAY: Goes to moi again daahlinks. I packed up SS#2 and took to the road to support the riders . . . leaving the trash bag full of trash tied to White's front door handle. Fortunately I caugbht the error before the trash was spewed at roadside. DUH!

PHOTOS OF THE DAY:

Murray  riding Keystone's wild luge after descending
  from Mount Rushmore.

Murray meets Abe Lincoln at Mount Rushmore as Karen McG looks on.

Wanting to emulate the cowboys of the region, Mike rides
 a quarter horse--you put a quarter in and ride like the wind.

Tim's shot of two of the mountain goats--mother and kid.
That's an ear tag she's wearing, so apparently this small
herd of goats at Rushmore is managed by the park.

Fe, fi, fo, fum  . . . plus the four mama bears, and the 7 dwarves.

Canadian Marie, dressed in her red, white, and blue ABB duds,
 poses before the profile of George Washington, one of the most
 American of American icons.

Goats on the goat bridge at the animal park on the way into Rapid Springs.

Our Opie, future president elect of the U.S.?

Staff Karen entering Wind Cave Nat'l Park sign

Opie and bison in WCNP

A group of riders at the top of the climb to Mount Rushmore
That is Sue2--front, 2nd from right--a strong rider who was an enormous
help to the staff throughout the ride