Day 19

"I don't know but it's been said, these ol' legs they feel like lead" 

This is the first time we've ridden 5 days straight without a break.  We've had an eventful week.  One rider is out for awhile with knee pain and another rider went home (she only planned to ride with us for a week).

Today's ride took us out of Wyoming to South Dakota via the Black Hills and Custer State Park.  If you haven't been to either you are missing some of the most beautiful country in the world.

Custer is also a bona fide old west tourist trap.  If you are not on a Harley or in a motor home you really don't belong here.  My sakes, we looked like total aliens.  In fact we were told so.  One lady told a fellow rider that we bicycle riders were all disproportionate, "...big heads on little bodies".  She obviously didn't see me.

I can't believe that I've been pedalling for over two weeks and I'm still in the old west.  While the Big Riders from the east coast were eating the western theme up, I was sick of it and ready for some midwestern hospitality.  Gol' darn it (speaking in local tongue), I deserve it.

After a steady climb, including 3 long, steep humps, we were treated to one of the best rides of my life.  We dropped about 1500 feet over 10 miles through a mixture of rock outcroppings, ponderosa pine, and prairie. 

Most of the descent was exhilarating.  I reached speeds of over 35 mph through the winding road down.  As may of you know, I'm carrying my father's WWII dogtags on the stem of my bike (you can see them in the lower right side of picture on the the right).  I did my best to get a shot of his view of the ride.

Ironically, I saw little wildlife in the Park.  I've met people who said they have seen more bison here than in Yellowstone.  It didn't work out for me, but I skipped most of the side roads because we already had an 82-mile ride planned for the day and I was a little tired and sore.

I did see some mountain goats along the road.  It's funny, because I have tons of pictures at home of mountain goats from backpacking trips with my buddies.  I didn't even get off my bike to shoot this picture, it was a drive-by.

Our average speed on today's 82-mile ride was 14.5 mph.  We've officially completed 1,350 miles so far.

We are staying in the dorms at the South Dakota School of Mines in Rapid City.  We have a planned rest day tomorrow and I've rented a car. Several of us are going to see Mt. Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Memorial, and Deadwood.