Damn Wind Again

It was less miles to go today, but a harder day even still. It started out great. Lori treated me to breakfast and even provided me with a couple really tasty homemade granola bars. In the course of our talk she told me about a friend of hers who runs 100 mile races, and how she explained to her that most of the challenge was mental, not physical. It was something I ended up keeping in mind later in the day as I struggled. At the start though, it was all easy going, quiet roads, flatness or rolling hills, shoulder for much of it. I even rode a little gravel for a stretch near the border without it going badly, even though it still unnerves me a little. I was having fun.

Then almost as if a switch were flipped, it all went downhill (and not the literal, fun way) as soon as I entered Minnesota. Highway 23's narrow shoulder might have been just usable even with a rumble strip down the middle of it...if the wind weren't suddenly blowing me about. It was mostly headwind, with just enough crosswind to be all kinds of trouble. It seemed to come out of nowhere and then just got worse throughout the day. At one point my weather app claimed it was 20mph with 30mph gusts, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was understating a little.

At Jasper I got a real shoulder back and I literally rejoiced (there was an exclamation of "wahoo, shoulder!" that would probably would have bewildered anyone who might have heard it). But the wind of course just kept worsening, and I kept slowing. I made myself take a break in Pipestone. I reminded myself that being a tourist after all, I should actually, you know, tour something. I checked out the historic district (which wasn't much) and saw their somewhat unique water tower. Then I stopped in at their gift shop and talked to a very welcoming and informative Native American man. He told me about his years quarrying pipestone and the hard work it is, about the significance of Pipestone as a crossroads for many Native American people, and when I told him I was going around Lake Superior, he told me of some people he knew of who walked around the whole lake every year to generate awareness for what they see as the spiritual significance of the land. Even if I don't share those kind of beliefs, I can appreciate that sort of undertaking. And I think I can appreciate the basic concept of the Mother Earth as well. Take care of the earth, let it take care of you. There's very little to argue with in that. Seeing Pipestone monument itself was better for having had explained its significance by someone who cared so personally.

After that, it was back to the grind. I was really surprised when I got on Highway 75 and found it had no usable shoulder. But I was also relieved it didn't have as much traffic as I expected either. ...There was still enough though. And every semi that passed me going the other way required bracing, as it felt like a slap in the face. The wind was just brutal. Where I'd been going 12 to 14mph earlier in the day, by the end I was slogging all out to go 7 to 8. It's demoralizing when even as you get closer, your estimated time left to get there doesn't get any less because your pace keeps slowing.

But I made it here to Lake Benton at last. I found a couple trees, set up my hammock...then decided there was no way I was actually doing that in this wind. There's a really nice full-on heated shelter (with the bathrooms in it) here, which I am in right now, and if I wasn't worried about getting in trouble (even though it makes no sense I should), I would just throw down my sleeping bag on the floor in here and sleep. But as it is, I expect I shall be laying out my bag on a picnic table, again. Such is life. I'm sun-burnt, sore, and probably not going to get great sleep. But you know, I'm still excited for a new day tomorrow. I think as Lori and I were talking about, that's the mental part, and that's what counts.

Long Day

I set my alarm for 6:30 this morning. I refused to listen to it and kept resetting it until almost 7:00. Marion made me a really nice breakfast of eggs, asparagus, and toast while I packed out to leave. I left the Cain's around 7:40 to get my long day started. The bike trail along the Missouri River in Sioux City is really gorgeous. Despite knowing I had a long ways to go, I couldn't keep myself from stopping time and again to appreciate the scenery and take a few pictures. After leaving Sioux City, I spent most the day on mostly deserted highway, 105, 11, 1C, etc. I saw cars most for most that time no more than once a minute. And sometimes as much as ten. No blaring horns, no close calls, no one impatiently driving behind me because someone else was passing the other way, just solitude along flat ground or gradual hills through idyllic farmland. They're not as big on monoculture corn growth up here nor do they need huge irrigation units, so even though I was just passing through mile upon mile of farmland, it was way more scenic than anything you'll see in rural Eastern Nebraska. I love my home state, I truly do, but most of it is nothing to look at.

Maybe it was enjoying the scenery, maybe it was that I was hitting my stride, maybe it was that heading west felt so natural...but I missed my turn to head north. And I didn't realize my mistake until hitting the interstate. I had essentially ONE turn to remwmber, and I missed it, making my long day all the longer (since I was headed to east rather than west Sioux Falls). But, I couldn't ask for much more than I found in road 1C, incredibly dead (unsurprisingly as it parallels the interstate), mostly flat, scenic, and astoundingly well paved. I followed it due north a good chunk of the way, until it turned to gravel at some point or another. I rode the gravel awhile before heading back west a road over to get back on pavement, mostly to keep pace. And I did, held solid at 12-14mph...until the last 10 or so miles when I finally hit my wall and was struggling to keep 10. But thankfully coming when I came into Sioux Falls at last, I was mostly on another nice bike path along a river, The Big Sioux, and could go at my slow pace and not have to navigate traffic or confusing steets.

All told, it ended up being a 98 mile day to get to my stay for the night in Sioux Falls, close to a century, and I believe officially the most miles I've done in a day on a tour. But honestly, I couldn't have asked for better conditions for it, cloud cover, warm but not hot, mostly flat, good roads, and best of all, minimal wind. If I had needed to fight much headwind today, I imagine I'd have been in real trouble. As it is, I got in right at 5, just moments before my hosts.

Who are really great as it happens, Lori and Dan, Erin's cousin and husband who she was kind enough to set me up with. They fed me well, eggs, veggies, and some excellent cheesecake, and even provided beer. Lori asked me if I trusted her to make a choice of my second beer (to which I responded that of course I did, as I'd known her more than an hour now), and she grabbed me an IPA. And you know what that means; I'm definitely in good company. I couldn't ask for a better end to my long day than to spend it here with them.

So, today I left Nebraska, said hello-farewell to Iowa, and biked north through South Dakota doing nearly 100 miles. I'm sure I'll be sore as hell tomorrow, as I leave South Dakota for Minnesota. But 4 days and over 260 miles in (don't know precisely because my damn bike computer randomly reset on me...for the second time), I think I'm starting to hit my stride. The 70 miles tomorrow shouldn't be much trouble after today (though you never know). The challenge tomorrow will be finally setting up my hammock for the first time for real. We'll find out tomorrow.

Out of the Rain

I'm lying in a warm, comfy bed right now, while waiting for my formerly wet, dirt covered clothes to finish drying in the dryer. It's a well appreciated contrast to last night.

But the shelter served its purpose. I stayed dry and didn't sleep too badly, and no one came to bother me. I sent to sleep with it raining and woke up to it still raining. I decided since it was a short, 35 mile day, and I was tired of being wet, that I was going to wait it out. I ate my breakfast and did a fair bit of my lacking up without leaving the previous warmth of my sleeping bag. I stayed in it all the way up until noon, when I finally accepted I wasn't going to get out of facing the rain again. Once I accepted it, I found peace in embracing the innevitable. I got around and headed out into it once more.

It wasn't nearly so bad as the day before. And after some start and stop it died completely for the last couple hours of the ride. Especially with today being significantly shorter, it was easy going over all. Though I will say the first couple hills climbing out of Decatur are a bit steep, and reminded me I am not in the shape I was when last I climbed a mountain or biked up and down the cliffs along the coast...

I'm staying with my friend Steven Cain's parents tonight. I got into Dakota City and texted my him a picture of the house next door, asking if it was the one, because I couldn't see an address. ...Next thing I knew, I heard his voice, and was rather surprised to find him calling me over to the right house. He, his brother, and his brother's girlfriend were all all here visiting his mom for her birthday today. I got to hang out with them for a little bit before they headed back to Lincoln (and I was able to get a selfie with Steven to commemorate unexpectedly seeing him one more time before leaving the state). It was a nice surprise. His parents are also really great people who made me feel right at home. I've been fed, provided with a beer, socialized, and as of just now I even have clean, dry clothes. Heck, they even helped set me up with a stay down the road. I couldn't possibly ask for better.

...And I guess that means I ought to be thinking about sleep, because tomorrow will come soon, and it's a big 90 mile day. I am not at all in shape for it. But the weather should be perfect for it, dry, warm but not hot, and as calm a wind as you ever get around these parts. I might exhaust myself, but I should be able to make it happen.

Oh yeah, before I forget... If you should ever question that it's a small world, Brett Flemmimg of EVT in Portland used to work at a shop here in town and the Cain family knows him. I'm using an EVT mirror. Because Matt, manager at The Bike Rack, where I worked, also knows Brett and had been given one of his mirrors to try, and he swore to me it was the best out there (which, in as far as I've seen, it probably is). When people talk about seven degrees of separation for anyone in the world, I believe it, considering it seems to take about two to three for anyone in the state. There are connections everywhere you look.