Watertown, SD - Day 32

Stats: We rode 58 miles under sunny skies with temperatures in the low 80's and a mild tailwind for most of the day.  It was a very comfortable ride with arrival in camp at 1 pm.  After helping unload the baggage van, Bill and I took advantage of the early arrival to do wash and of course consume a Whopper and shake at Burger King.  Still had time before dinner, so 6 of us went to Dempsey's microbrewery for a beer or 2.  After an hour the owner Bill Dempsey (III) brought out his bagpipes and played  Scotland the Brave and the Marine Anthem  for us.  A nice way to end the day.  Having had dinner at the school, we are getting rained on now as I bed down in my tent for the evening.

On the Road to Watertown

At lunch we learned that Lance, a recumbent rider, broke his frame and limped into picnic in Hayti.  Bruce, his riding buddy,  found a welder in town who fixed the frame and they were off again.  We were all impressed with the ingenuity of Bruce.  This area of the country has had bunches of rain which fortunately we have missed.  However the after effects of flooded fields, lost crops, and flooded roads were evident to us as we rode along.  Jennifer, Philippe and I were directly affected just after lunch as you can see in the pictures. The water was about 2" deep.   A muskrat swam across the road about 20' in front of us as we were crossing the water.  Once across it was clear riding the rest of the way into Watertown.

Parkview Care Center - Day 32

Today turned out to be a very busy and very special day.  After breakfast at the school, we headed for Watertown with mild temperatures and sunny skies.  At mile 18 in the morning, we stopped at Parkview Care Center in Bryant, SD.  It is a tradition for the coast-to-coast riders to stop at the Care Center and visit with the residents.  The residents talk about our coming for weeks before we arrive.  I visited with 4 of the residents for about a half hour.  As we were treated to coffee, juice and donuts, we heard their histories and talked about what we were doing.  It was fascinating to hear some of their stories since it related to this part of the country.  It was the highlight of the day and left a positive feeling in each of us.

DeSmet, SD - Day 31

Stats: We rode 78 miles under clear skies with temperatures in the mid 70's on flat terrain with a tailwind.  It was as close as bicyclists get to bicycle riding heaven.  De Smet, our stop for today, is the home of Laura Ingalls Wilder who was one of its first residents.  She is known for her Little House series of books which were set in the town of De Smet, SD.  These books were the basis for the TV series Little House on the Prairie.  The picture is the house that Pa built where she lived as a child.  De Smet also has a local museum with antique vehicles, stuffed wild game and memorabilia from the past history of the town.  Dinner was at the school tonight.

On the Road To DeSmet - Day 31

After breakfast back at the Virginian, we headed east towards DeSmet.  Although yesterday was my personal half-way point,  today at mile 2.6 was the official half-way point of the trip.  It was a photo op moment for all of us.  I shot a picture of Scott, Jennifer, Marnyx and Dan taking pictures of other riders.  Scott and I are the ones on the ground.  Other than seeing the world's largest pheasant in Huron, SD at lunch, there was little outstanding scenery during the ride.  For the most part it was more farmland in the heartland.

Miller, SD - Day 30

Stats: We rode 88 miles under am drizzly and pm sunny skies with temperatures in the mid 80's.  It was a comfortable ride through South Dakota flat farm lands.  Camp tonight is at Miller High School and dinner is downtown at the Virginian Restaurant - a 5 block walk.  Bill, Margaret and I, who had gone downtown early to have a beer at the Virginian's bar, were joined by about 10 other riders and we all had a good time sharing experiences about the past days.  On the walk to dinner we passed the house in the picture which was surrounded by old farm implements being used as lawn ornaments.

Half Way to Gloucester

As of today we have traveled over 2100 miles from Everett which puts us half way through our trip of 4200 miles.  No turning back now.  Just after lunch I was by myself when it occurred, so I had to do an improvised 1/2 with a self portrait to denote the accomplishment.