Thursday, July 28, 2011

Day 21: Hot Springs, SD Elevation: 3,535

Miles:  52.25
Average Speed:  11.36
Max Speed:  29.16
Total Miles:  668

Katrin finished her cycling in Rapid City.  She'll spend a few days seeing the sights before driving a rental car back to Janesville & Chicago and then back to Germany.  We had lots of conversation and covered lots of subjects.  She's very bright, I learned lots, and, we had lots of fun.  It's difficult to realize we only cycled together one day.  We were on parallel tracks about 100 miles apart all the way to Wall where we finally converged. 

So now it's back to solo cycling during which I can do interesting things like count crank revolutions - 910 per mile in first gear.  Yep, there were a couple of 2 mile hills today.  I did see another solo rider headed in the opposite direction - we waved at each other for about 5 minutes.

Rode south on 79, a 4-lane with good shoulders and avoided the steeper grades in the Hills and the free-range buffalo.  Camped at a KOA tonight for the first time this trip - very nice, in the piney hills around Hot Springs.  And Hot Springs is a very neat and tidy town.  I'll pick up a paper later & see if I can get the flavor of the place.  Very attractive.

Hiway 79 South

There've been T-storms nearly every afternoon lately

Near Buffalo Gap

To Edgemont tomorrow and then into the great Blight.


3 comments:

  1. Enjoy Hot Springs. If you get a chance, check out the actual hot springs mineral water pool called Evan's Plunge. It's located just north of the intersection of Highway 385 and North River Street at 1145 North River Street. In case you have internet access their web address is: http://www.evansplunge.com/. It's rather commercial, but the water is refreshing and healing.

    Stay safe.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I heard a Chatholic priest on NPR saying caring for the poor, caring for children and honoring parents is what Christian values is all about. If that is what the socialist do as well, then so be it (in response to the rant.) He put things in the correct frame. Nice to hear you had such interesting company. Brave and strong woman. I wonder if there is some on-line search for people biking across the US. The Glass Bead Game is an undertaking and a half! Ugh.

    ReplyDelete
  3. A free man with no immediate obligations other than maintaining pneumatic operating pressure...it must feel good mentally if not physically
    ...lol...into the blight!

    may you ride in the light Stevie!

    ReplyDelete