Mile 2100.8 - Sure you can have more wind

The wind. All day, the wind.

In other news because of all of the rain in the last few weeks, everything was very green and lush and beautiful. Well, nearly everything. I have also firmly entered pheasant territory, though sadly, I've seen nearly as many that were killed by cars as live ones. Pheasants, listen up. This one is pretty easy. You see that road with cars on it? Stay away from there. You'll live longer.

There were a number of constants throughout the day, of course the wind, my worry about the rack, and my constant hunger. It was just one of those days where I seemingly couldn't eat enough. Every time I stopped to rest a moment, I was pulling out the cashews or a bar or something. I had breakfast, but then when I got into Blunt, the first town of the morning, I stopped at the gas station for orange juice and doughnuts. I know better than doughnuts, but I was just really hungry. Two towns later, in Holabird, I stopped and sat down and ate some more out of my bag, then 9 miles later in Highmore, I stopped for lunch.

Actually before lunch in Highmore, I had stopped in at a gas station to use their ATM, as I was walking out I asked the two middle aged ladies working about the two cafes in town. 'Next door or across the street?' They both pointed across the street. I thanked them and walked across to lunch. In the B & K Grill, I took a seat at the bar back, where two employees were lounging, smoking and chatting. The woman who served me started the bike conversation and at one point asked if I was riding back to San Fransisco after I got to New York. No, I explained, I had flown to San Fransisco and was riding home to New York. 'Well, that's the lazy way to do it' came from one of the lounging workers. Oh yeah, that brought her into the conversation. Overall a good lunch, I grabbed an extra sandwich to go and yet again restocked my supply of orange gatorade.

If I haven't mentioned, I think I should be sponsored by orange gatorade. I've tried a whole bunch of sports drinks, and orange gatorade is always the one I prefer. When they don't have orange, I go for red or yellow, but I prefer orange.

15 miles after lunch and at mile 50 for the day, I decided to give myself an hour break. But I was in the middle of nowhere and sitting in the sun and wind didn't sound like fun at all. So I found a little grassy driveway leading to a fenced-in field and I pitched the tent. If someone needed to get by me I could move. I left most of the stuff on the bike, only grabbing my food bag which also carries my book. I sat down and read for a bit, eating the extra sandwich. Then I wanted to lie down to read, then my eyes slowly closed...

I think I took about a 15 minute nap, but I got back up refreshed and ready to go. I packed everything back up and was shortly back on the road. The wind had died down a bit by this point, so I was able to go faster. I got another 36 miles to Wolsey, only 15 miles short of Huron, what my goal would have been without all the wind. Before town, there was a set of railroad tracks and a dirt road leading into some fields. I found a grassy patch off the dirt road and started setting up the tent. A guy in a truck pulled up as I was almost done and suggested to get away from the mosquitoes, that I should ride into town and camp in the city park. There were a lot of mosquitoes.

On the way to the park, I passed the fire station, so I checked with the firemen to make sure it was ok. Go right ahead, but set up near the back of the park, away from the highway. Of course, I was going to anyway. There were a few girls still playing in the park as I was getting everything set up. Or arguing, rather, something about 'give me back my shoes' that I mostly blocked out. A couple hundred feet from where I intended to pitch my tent, there was a thump and sudden drag on the back tire. The healthier side of the rack had just failed. Fail fail fail. I still had 85 miles to go to the bike shop in Brookings, and I didn't trust my personal safety to a couple pieces of tape holding up 50 lbs worth of my crap. After the sun had long set, lying very still in the tent, I came up with a solution.

Day 27, Camp northeast of Pierre, SD to camp in Wolsey, SD
87.14 miles for the day in 9:30:40 bringing totals to 2100.8 miles in 178:36:31. The computer says I hit 19.5 at some point today, though I don't remember going over 17.7 but sure, I'll take it.