July 18, 2018 De Smet to Watertown

Today was one of the shorter ride days at only 61 miles and 910 feet of climb.  As a reward for having such a short day was luggage loading was delayed by 30 minutes.  This enabled me to set my alarm at 5:45 am and I slept right to it. 

Today is also the day which the tour traditionally stops at the Bryant Seniors home.  Cycle America has stopped there for 20 years.  In 2014 the group had a glee club and they sang a couple of songs.  Unfortunately over regulation has forced the home to close (as related to us by the people who worked at the De Smet Conference center where we stayed and use to work at the Bryant home).  All of the seniors have been humanly disposed of.  Instead of a visit we had a water stop in the driveway. Kind of sad.

The route was through a lot of fields of corn, and soya beans.   The corn is amazingly high and Auzzie Bob, Steve and I played “Find Waldo” in the corn.  

The route took us mostly to the north with a few steps to the east so the howling south wind we have been really worked for us to day giving us a nice tail wind on all of the north legs of the route.  The tail wind also brought up picnic which was at the 36 mile mark pretty fast and I was eating lunch at 10:30. 

The picnic was in the little town of Hayti under the town water tower.  It was a pretty little park and the water tower was nicely painted up. Jim had made jambalaya for lunch and even though I had eaten only a couple hours earlier I had a couple of bowls as it was so tasty.

After lunch we had only 25 miles and it took me only 90 minutes to sail in.  As we cruised into Watertown Auzzie Bob and I were being followed by Greg our tour director in his van.  He had our luggage and wasn’t set up so when we saw the Dempsey Brew pub we pulled in.   No use getting there too early.  The beer was cold and I had second lunch (the third meal in 3 hours).

The weather forecast for tonight is for a big thunder and lightning storm with rain tomorrow.  I have my tent all staked down and I am ready for the storm.   Rain is forecast for tomorrow as well.   This comes with a forecast for a howling west wind and we are headed west.  I am hoping that the forecast is right as I am ready for a change from hot with head winds.

Terry hot biker