July 23, 2023
Day 70 - ending at Newell, SD
| Heart | 0 | Comment | 0 | Link |
I went to bed early last night (9:20pm) all bundled up in a set of clothes and with my jacket on. I slept so very well. My cold was so much better this morning, and my RA symptoms have subsided.
Ate Pop-Tarts so I could take my pills and was ready to go at 7:50am. After a half a mile heading south on SD-17, I was back on the Mickelson Trail at 7:57am. Bought a trail pass for the day at Dumont Trailhead. The start of the trail today for me was uphill for a little ways, and then incredible downhills clear to the end of the trail. I was at this high point at 8:55am. I had a decision to make at one junction - take the trail that goes through Sugarloaf or the Main Line Trail. After reading the information board, I took the Sugarloaf route. Went through Lead, South Dakota and Deadwood, where the trail ended for me at 11:10am.
Bought Gatorade and received free ice at a corner gas station, then went to Lee Street Station in Deadwood for breakfast. They served me a steak and eggs breakfast on a paper plate!
19.6 miles today by noon.
At 12:17pm, I was back riding - toward Sturgis now. A slow uphill at first for me, then a long coasting downhill all the way to town. In Sturgis I stopped at DQ for a large vanilla shake and later at Family Dollar to buy a few more items for my lunch bag. There's a bicycle trail through Sturgis which I used, so I missed seeing most of downtown.
Continued on east until I reached SD-79, where I turned north. Destination today was RnR Ranch Campground in Newell, South Dakota. Bicycled past Bear Butte. Some uphills after that but not too bad.
Arrived at the campground at 6:45pm. I called their phone number because I didn't see any way to pay. The owner said it was too hot to be in a tent and offered me an air conditioned cabin for the same price, which is $20. He was very accommodating, even bringing an extension cord over so I could plug in the charger for my bike's accessories battery. With that all settled, I rode into town to eat supper at High Plains Restaurant. Had another steak, this one served on a real plate. Drank lots of lemonade, too.
Back at the campground just before sunset. I unpacked what I needed to sleep overnight in the cabin and sat down here to write this email.
I got a long day scheduled for tomorrow I see - 71 miles to Reva Gap Campground in Custer National Forest. The campground owner here knows this area well, and said it's uphill. It's pretty remote, so I may not have cell signal there. And I figure I better get an early start tomorrow. So that means getting to bed early tonight.
Jeff
Spent: $4 (trail permit) + $6.35 (Gatorade) + $21 plus $5 (breakfast) + $6.10 (shake) + $14.81 (lunch bag items) + $20 (cabin) + $17.57 plus $5 (supper) = $99.83
Today's ride: 58 miles (93 km)
Total: 2,808 miles (4,519 km)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 9 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 0 |