Monday, July 12, 2010

Day 22: Hot Springs to Rapid City SD


This day-- the day we rode through some of the most beautiful country ever, the day we saw a buffalo right by the road, the day we rode past the Crazy Horse Memorial and into Mount Rushmore-- on this day I dropped my camera into the toilet. Actually Margaret's camera to be precise-- sorry Margaret! The camera is kaput but it turns out that we could get the pictures from the card.

When we left Hot Springs about 6:30 the beautiful scenery was blighted by a rash of billboards but soon we got into the Wind Cave National Park. Wind Cave is one of the few remaining examples of mixed grass prairie and it was simply gorgeous. There were signs warning of large animals on the road and signs warning visitors that buffalo could be dangerous but seemingly no buffalo actually in sight. Then down a hill and around the corner there he was-- a huge animal right by the road who appeared to be eating dirt. I learned later that some animals need minerals they get from the ground.

Somewhere along the road I picked up a wire from truck tire debris. I pulled it out and all seemed well but at mile 36 when I was stopped for my first look at the Crazy Horse Memorial and my tire came up flat. While I have been shown how to change a flat, I have never actually had to do it but Nan who was riding nearby very competently did it for me. That was my third flat and now I have had one of each-- a hotel flat, a SAG flat and a road flat.

The ride was gorgeous but there was a huge amount of climbing and what with the delays, the sightseeing and the heat, I began to have a bad feeling about the twenty miles of riding that would remain after we got to Keystone, the town right below Rushmore. Keystone was at mile 54 and was followed by a daunting three mile climb. Should I ride or SAG? I had a heat rash on one arm, my left knee was creaking with each rotation, I was exhausted...but I decided to ride on. Just then Mike offered me the perfect compromise-- a bump up to the top of the climb and no one ever needed to know the difference but truth in blogging prevails-- so my ride today was 72.5 instead of 74.5!

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