NumbBuns

It appeared the wind blew all night, and I mean blew! The dumpster at the motel was even on its side. We got up and went to breakfast at Brenda’s Tumbleweed Cafe again, Jim joined us. The guys ordered the same as yesterday, including a pancake the size of a dinner plate. A local, David came in and laughed when he saw they had ordered the pancake. His jaw hit the floor when they finished it AND a breakfast sandwich. He said he hadn’t seen that done before. At the hotel we bid Jim a fond farewell. He said he had plans to go out and try to shoot some prairie dogs today but didn’t know if he’d have much luck. He heads home tomorrow and thought he’d take the same highway as the guys and give them a toot as he passed by.

After lubing their chains they are climbing on their bikes in McIntosh SD at 0816 with a temperature of 48° with a wsw wind at 33mph. I was told 5 miles on the 1st stop since they don’t know about clothing OR riding in such a wind. I stopped at 5 miles and Alan flashed some sort of cryptic message to me that I took as he wanted three 5 miles segments so I went another 5 miles. At that stop he flashed two fives to me and I deducted that he wanted another 10 miles.

I’ve seen a few tumble weeds blowing across the highway and only one rooster pheasant on the road today.

They made the 20 mile break in less than an hour and they soon wanted 15 more miles. I made it to McLaughin and the temperature was 54° but the wind was still 33mph.

They wanted another 15 miles but I cut them short at a rest area in case they needed it.

At the 50 mile mark they were less than 10 miles from Mobridge SD.

At lunch they couldn’t decide where the stopping point would be. The spreadsheet has the night’s stop at Roscoe. They made a decision to ride on and see how they get along.

They took a couple of breaks and think they are getting close to a stopping point. Either bicycle odometer matched up with the road sign mile markers OR each other. Just something else for us to work on.

They thought they had 18 miles left to Bowdle SD so I went 9 miles and found Spring Lake.

Buck’s quote. I was in high gear today more than I’ll probably be again.

Al’s quote. There’s no such thing as an easy century ride. With today’s monster tailwind, it was an “easy” 100 miles.

Day 25. McIntosh SD to Bowdle SD. 104 miles. 4175 feet of climb.

We are staying in a Haunted Hospital!

We had dinner with the mayor of 14 years Rick, his wife, son Andre, & daughter Amy and her husband. Lyle & Jimmy were also there. We all traded stories. They said tower days is the end of June celebrating the railroads mistake of delivering the water tower to the wrong town. They told us some other stories which may get us to come back.