July 12, 2018 Rapid City to Interior (pop 67)

At the rider meeting last night the weather report was meet with cheers and much applause.   The forecast of mid 70’s and winds of 10-15 out of the NW sounded great, as we were headed south east and with a net decent of 1280 feet and total climb of only 1130 feet this was going to be a great day.  Naturally there was the usual 20-30% chance of something somewhere but after the scorching temperatures that is to be expected.

Ed and I rolled out this morning and headed down the road.  We had the peloton behind us so we decided to drop them off the front and pulled into a gas station.  The peloton followed us in and when they realized we were in a gas station they pedalled off muttering bad words.  We had a good laugh.  With a brisk wind out of the north and Ed and I headed south east we made good time, flying along at 19-24 mph and hardly pedalling. 

There isn’t much to see between Rapid City and Interior so we were glad to be making good time. There was a good deal of cloud cover which helped keep the temperature down.  First water came up at mile 20.  By 9:45 Ed and I were at picnic which was at the 43 mile mark.  Picnic is in the almost ghost town of Scenic.  At one time the entire town was for sale but I don’t know what happened to that.  There is a few abandon buildings and two mobile homes.  The gas station was closed and the only place open was the Tatonic Trading Post, which was where picnic was.  I happily grabbed an ice cold DR Pepper for $0.95. 

As Ed was working in the afternoon he changed out of riding kit and I cycled on.  With only 31 miles to go I thought that this was going to be an extremely easy day.   Even if I puttered along maybe another 90 minutes would put me in camp.  However the wind had shifted from the north to the east and the road turned to the east.  So once again I am facing into a 15-25 mph head wind. It was a real struggle to maintain 10-12 mph turning the 90 minute easy spin into a 3 hr grind.  The only redeeming feature is that the wind keeps the temperature down.  When I did this in 2014 the temperature was in the upper 90’s and out on the black top it is over 110. 

I catch up to Ken T and we ride in together where we have a beer in a gas station.  The thermometer above the gas pump says 88 F.  We are so glad to be in.  If it had of been another 10 miles we wouldn’t have made it.  

Ed and I have a room in the Interior hotel for the night, which sure beats the camp ground which is devoid of shade and in the howling wind, in the hotel we have Wi-Fi.   I have no Verizon service again.   

This wind situation is getting ridiculous.  I am calling for human sacrifice.  Greg the tour leader called this adult day care the other day.   I would like to differ.  I think it is the Twilight Zone (alternative reality).   

Terry hot biker