Crossing the Border

Once again I experienced that strange sensation of waking up in a strange bed this morning. Somehow it's so much more surreal and "not home" than waking up in my tent in some random park in some random town. I'm not really sure why. My two wonderful hostesses took me out to MacDonald's and treated me to breakfast and coffee and pleasant conversation before I set on my way. They were both truly interesting people, one filled with marvelous history and tales of days gone by and the other with adventuresome spirit and tales of her many travels. I am better for meeting them.

I crossed into South Dakota in the early afternoon, at last leaving my home state behind. It was only my second time leaving the state on bike (and the first was just going to Iowa, so it was no big deal). ...There was sadly nothing ceremonious about it. There wasn't even a sign! Or at least if there was I missed it. My passage over the border was marked only by a state line casino, some construction, and the shoulder worsening (it would later improve again). ...Oh yes, and by data. I can't forget that. How wonderful it is to have data again.

After that, most of what I saw for some time was just vast stretches of grassland, nothing more or less. But then I came to The Black Hills, and I felt South Dakota truly greet me. It's astoundingly, breathtakingly, beautiful up here. I've never seen anything like it. On my way into and around Hot Springs, I just couldn't stop stopping in order to stare and take pictures. Now, after finding a police officer to ask about camping in the city park, I discovered there is a little cost to all that beauty. They changed their laws not long ago to deny free camping in the city park in order to not infringe on the tourist places making money. I guess that shouldn't come as a surprise.

Then at the advice of said police officer, I rushed to take cover under a bridge from the coming storm. It was rather severe, but thankfully short lived. I think I"m steadily becoming calmer and less stressed about dealing with that sort of thing. I'm learning to weather storms, of all different sorts. I had to pay $10 for the campsite I'm in now (actually, $10.55 with tax, expecting you to put two quarters and a nickel in the self pay envelope apparently), which is a little disappointing after going so long sleeping for free. But I have to remind myself, that really isn't that much money, most wouldn't bat an eye at, and it is worth it to be up here. Going a 10 day streak without paying to camp is a pretty good run I think, and I've been doing rather well staying in a tight budget all in all.

Actually posting this when I write it, how revolutionary is that?