Pierre SD Rest day

July 17 2022

Today we have a rest day in Pierre SD.  The Indian Learning Center where we have stayed in the past was not available this year so we are staying in the Ramkota hotel in Pierre.   It is by far the nicest place on the tour.  Staying in such a beautiful place is a real treat. Just having AC in 100 F weather is great.

Barry and I are sharing a room which is right across from the laundry room in the hotel.  There is only one washer and dry in the hotel so with the 45 riders plus staff and everyone wanting to do a load it has been lined up constantly.  This morning at 5:00 am there were about five people gathered outside my door all yapping.  I opened the door and told them to shut-up people are trying to sleep.  They had already been told to cool it by the people next to us. Rudeness knows no bounds.

About 6:30 Am I gathered my laundry up and got in line.  While I waited I got my blog and pictures for yesterday done and posted.  With my laundry done I headed down stairs for the obligatory hotel waffle and coffee for breakfast.  Next on the chores list was tent drying, bike cleaning, and of course the sorting of all the gear back into some sort of order. Seems like by the end of the week everything is jumbled no matter how hard you try to keep it straight.

For lunch Barry and I went down to DQ for a burger.  It is just too hot to walk any further than a couple of blocks.  On the way back to the hotel I detoured to look at the old railroad bridge which is close to the hotel.  It is a very interesting bridge as it was completed in 1909 and is the only swing bridge left in SD. It is still in use today.  Once you get up to it the size of it is really impressive.  Some of the bolts holding it together have to be 10” across. 

Tonight is the group supper in the hotel.  What a treat to eat off real plates with real cutlery rather than paper plates and plastic cutlery.  Although Barry was saying he thought he was getting the hang of it as he only had two paper plate collapses (one bowl and one plate) this week.   

Well better run as it is getting close to time to eat.

Terry