Short Long Day

July 8, 2023

Spring has sprung, the grass is riz, wonder where them babies is? Russell Polen, Postmaster, Manassas Virginia.

Today was only about 46 miles, Kadoka to Murdo SD. But it seemed to take forever. I again took i90 part way because it is less hilly than the service road, Rt 248. And because I was gonna have a head wind all day. Nothing too serious, just a 5-10 mph head wind. But even that catches these panniers like a genoa on a sail boat. So it was a constant sorta uphill even when going downhill.

I stopped at every convenience store along the way, three in all, just to get a break and something cold. Temperature was mid 70 to about 83. This morning going into the only local restaurant in Kadoka for breakfast I met a guy with as much gear on his bike as I had PLUS a one wheel trailer with a huge waterproof duffle. I figured he must be going around the world but he was only going from Illinois to Montana, I believe he said. Anyway he had come from the east on the service road and said it was very hilly. But after being on the noisy interstate half the day I decided to take the service road for a while.

It was actually nice though a bit more hilly than i90. However the hills seem to break up the head wind and I had the benefit of zero traffic noise so I could listen to my music via bone conduction headphones. Except for a guy in a cowboy hat driving a hand painted SUV with the top chopped off who passed me about a dozen times there was no traffic. I guess he had nothing else to do or maybe he was the local traffic cop.

The service road runs through some beautiful farm land with an abandoned railway just south and a view of the White River and cliffs off in the distance. There was corn, beans, sunflowers, wheat, and hay being grown as well as cattle. I also saw several deer, and one fawn that leaped and bounded along side me for almost a quarter mile before disappearing into the corn.

About 12 miles or so from Murdo I sensed a change in the weather. The temp dropped 10 degrees and it felt like it would rain. A quick look at the weather radar showed yet another storm headed my way so I got back on the interstate as it would be faster. The storm bypassed me for once. Maybe I have appeased the storm gods or something.

I had planned on staying at a camp site at the edge of town but it was nothing but two mobile homes on a dirt lot with a bathhouse that looked like it could blow over in a weak wind. So I called several local motels and got a good deal at the Landmark……$60 a night with indoor pool and all the amenities. So I’m here for two nights. Cheaper to bide my time here than in Sioux City where prices will be high since I am about a week ahead of my planned schedule.

Do you remember back a month ago when I saw those tumble weeds mating? Well look here at the results, above. Those momma tumblers are ready to burst!!!! I’m not sure how long the gestation is for these things or how many baby tumblers they have, but they sure are ripe. No wonder those things are everywhere !!!!

More pics of the day…..