July 15 2014 Miller to De Smet SD

The temperature dipped to 49F last night so when the alarm went off I pulled my sleeping bag over my head.  Rubbing ice cold sun screen on at 5:20 Am is really fun. 

We loaded luggage and were off to breakfast, then down the road. It was still blowing pretty hard out of the North and as we were headed due east we had a side wind which alternated between having a tail component or a head wind component. It was strong enough that you didn’t dare take your right hand off the handle bars.  So my shoulder got very tired of constantly pushing to the left.

The big event of the day was 4 miles out of town we reached the half way point.  There was a chalk line on the road and everyone signed their name. Four of the Rockies II ride were there so we took the picture of the four of us. Ed, Ken C Jos, and myself.    

Picnic at the 49 mile mark, was down at the Huron city park which was very pretty.  Picnic staff had grilled hot dogs and a rich thick soup for lunch.  The hot dogs really hit the spot. So I gobbled up a big bowl of soup and a couple of hot dogs. Within the park they have a large man made lake and a mini golf and ice cream parlour.  The ice cream parlour is called Putters and Scoops.  So after picnic I slid down and had a very nice bowl of raspberry ice cream.

Router Dan had informed the local newspaper Cycle America was coming though town so they sent a reporter down to cover the story.   Ken C and I were sitting enjoying our treat when the local newspaper reporter came along, so she interviewed us and took our picture.  Look for the really big story in the Sunday issue of the  Huron SD Plainsmen (check name on Google).   The lady from Putters and Scoops also took our picture and promised to post them on facebook. You can look that up. I didn’t stick around to play a round of mini-golf even though it was only $4 for 18 holes.  I didn’t go on the paddle boats either and decided instead to hit the road. 

After lunch it was another 36 miles and the all of the 1600 feet of climb to DeSmet where we are camped for the night. It was a pretty steady grind with corn field on both sides and a howling wind out of the north.   There wasn’t too much to do but grind it out.  Ken and I did stop to take a picture of him in the corn field.  There were no cobs on the stalks so it must have been for ethanol production.  We were surprised at how high the corn was as it didn’t look that tall from the road. 

DeSmet is the home of Laura Ingalls Wilder. There is a museum and several buildings as well as her home. So Ken and I rolled down and wandered though it.  Although I was never a really big fan of Little House Prairie it was pretty neat seeing the original house and school.

Tomorrow is only 60 miles and 900 feet of climb. 

Terry