July 7, 2023
What Gives Ryan Hall Y’all ?
Leaving the wonderful Walsh Motel this morning at 9ish was tough. That really is a nice little mom and pop motel. Very well kept and up to date. Very clean. Nicest folks!! But the weatherman promised no rain after about 0930 so off I went into the clear sunny day.
I decided to take i90 so I could visit the Minuteman Missile Sites scattered along the highway. At first I thought : man that day off really paid off well. I’m cruising!!!!
Then I realized I had a 15-20 mph tail wind. Perfect even so!!! On the flat and slightly down hill sections I was doing 20-25 with almost no effort. And i90 has a 12-15 foot smooth shoulder so I was in highway heaven.
I stopped at three of the missile sites. Only the main visitors center was open really. You can look down into one of the silos but you cannot go in. And you can’t go into the launch control center that is made to look like a ranch house but is really the entrance to an underground control center. But it’s still fascinating to rehash what all the Cold War hubbub was about and see how seriously the US and Soviet Governments took it. At the same time it is hard to believe this sort of thing is even capable of being real, officials of both countries knowing they could destroy the world in seconds. A no win situation that defies common sense.
As you can see from the pictures below, the storms were again waiting for me just outside of Kadoka SD. The wind began to blow erratically and by the time I got off the highway and to the closet burger joint, it was drizzling. While I ate my burger and fries the weather seemed to clear, but the storm gods saw me walk out of the restaurant and reprimanded me for thinking I should continue down the road, or even think about camping somewhere. Thunder and lightning mixed with strong winds and driving rain forced me back inside to look for more suitable night time provisions. So a motel again. And now I’m showered and settled in it has all but cleared up. I am hoping this is not a bad omen for this the 50th RAGBRAI Anniversary!!!!!!
So, Ryan Hall……what gives with this weather??????
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PS: I met several nice folks today as we leap frogged from missile site to missile site along i90. A family I met at the campground in Cody who are traveling/living in a very large converted school bus. The mom showed me around the campgrounds and gave me tips on the best bathrooms to use at the Cody camp. I also ran into one of her sons back in Wall and we had talked a bit about my trip when we met in Cody. I met a young family from Cincinnati and told them about Clifton Gorge which is a beautiful canyon not far from their hometown. They had never heard of it. And two young woman yelled for me to stop as I peddled away from the missile visitors center so they could ask about my trip. One had a young daughter who had done a tour or two with a youth organization. I told her about the Great American Rail Trail and the OTET as she was concerned about her daughter riding on the road. I really have met some great folks. I should be getting names and taking pics but I never think to until after. If any of you guys out there are folks I’ve met, drop me a note in the comments.
Today's ride: 41 miles (66 km)
Total: 1,644 miles (2,646 km)
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