to Hot Springs: from the prairie into the Black Hills

September 8, 2017

Rest Day: After our run across Nebraska we were ready for a restday. Kurt was okay with us spending a second day with him. While he had to work we enjoyed a lazy morning and a short walk to town to see the sights and grocery shop. As advised by other traveler we have lunch at the Bean Broker Cafe downtown. In the evening we take Kurt to a Mexican restaurant for dinner.

Today we leave Nebraska and go into South Dakota, a border crossing of sorts and similiar questions. How will the roads be, will there be shoulders? How will the drivers be to cyclists? As we've moved north and west from New Orleans, the food changes ever so slightly, like leaving grits behind. Yet stays the same with the American chains. We wonder when will be on another road and say, "this reminds me of Nebraska?"

We say goodbye to Kurt, our Warmshowers host in Chadron and head for the McDonald's for breakfast before leaving town. A couple of kilometers west of Chadron we head north towards South Dakota. The scenery changes, it is much drier here, the hills are covered in golden grasses. There are some rock outcroppings and lots of black cows. At the Nebraska / South Dakota border is a casino and a restaurant, but we don't bother stopping. Except to take a photo at the new state sign.

On the north side of Oelrichs is a gas station / convenience store where we get something cold to drink and eat our cinnamon rolls. A long downhill gets us to the Cheyenne River from where it is uphill into the Black Hills to the town of Hot Springs. The air is bad again today, smoke from the forest fires out West obscures the hills and the sky is a light grey instead of the blue it should be.

Just before the town of Hot Springs is the Allen Ranch Campground we were aiming for today. It's a little expensive at $25 for two people, but there are hot showers and nice campsites along a creek. Plus these are the Black Hills, a very touristy area where prices are higher for everything. The road into town is fairly busy though with loud trucks. The campground host is a Great Pyrenee sheep dog named Chris who seems to spend his day laying in the middle of the campground road. He does come to check us out later when we are frying up pork chops. There is no WiFi and no other people either, the office has a self-registration box.

After cleaning up Patrick rides another kilometer into town for beer, snacks and tonight's dinner. Other than that it is a nice afternoon listening to the creek with a book to read and a cold beer.

Lonely farmhouse on the Nebraska prairie.

Next state: South Dakota. We have driven through here several times, but this is the first time on our bikes.

More long roads. The Black Hills are obscured by smoke from the forest fires.

Patrick is ready of a "life changing patriotic experience"! Bring it on!The Black Hills are full of tacky tourist traps.

Our campsite along pretty Fall Creek in Hot Springs South Dakota.

This is Chris. Chris is the campground host shows some sympathy to Rachel's complaints, but he cannot get us WiFi.

Rachel frying up our pork chops while Chris keeps a respectful distance.

Today's ride: 87 km (54 miles)
Total: 39,076 km (24,266 miles)

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