The Many Faces of South Dakota: Part 1 of 2

The myths are true, cycling in South Dakota isn't like cycling anywhere else. The wide vistas are beautiful and stark reminders of the emptiness you are in. At times exhilarating, other times frightening as deep dark symphonies crash overhead, and the wind. My god, the WIND! Let us take a bike ride to the past when we first came to South Dakota...

sioux falls

Water water water everywhere, In my trailer too. For 12 miles I rode in the hardest deluge of rain I had ever had the unique pleasure of biking through. It rained so hard and so fast that the streets of Sioux Falls became lakes and ragging rivers. The streets were so full of water my nomad was half under water as I biked to my warmshower host for the night. Both he and I were soaked getting my things inside his apartment, but then just like that, the rains left. So I visited the namesake of the town, Sioux Falls.

Despite being inside, woke up and was out early, and I needed every hour as my second day saw another kind of weather: Wind. Gusting, and I mean, GUSTING headwinds 100% of my way to Mitchell and another warmshower host. Took me over 8 hours to cycle the 70 miles, and my legs for the first time since leaving Vermont were super sore. Mitchell, of course, is home to the now only Corn Palace in the world. Yup. My next day and another new weather pattern, wind reversal. The same gusting headwinds became my best friend in the whole world as it was now a gusting tailwind, and I cycled 100 miles in 6 hours, and my legs feel fine. Massive storms rolled through at night, crashing thunder and lighting, and I was told what a tornado siren sounds like. Similar to my black bear, its something I hope to never have to experience. Not even once. Nope.

From Kennebec I went through the Fort Pierre National Grassland (it is what it sounds like) to the capitol of the state, Pierre which sits on the Missouri and has had issues with the river's flooding like everywhere else. Bike paths and river side parks are all underwater, and will be for a long time. The dam above Pierre is releasing more water than Niagara falls. Crazy. Taking a much deserved day of rest here in the capital before heading back into the vastness of the state towards the Badlands and Black Hills.

For now, check out the pictures of my trip thus far at https://picasaweb.google.com/rossbikepics and see the newest post by Chris at http://reallylongbiketrip.blogspot.com/

And as always, keep pedaling.