Today we rode 72.9 miles with a right-sided headwind all day long.
Fatiguing.
Hot and humid.
At our lunch stop in Highmore, we ate at a roadside cafe and bowling alley.
Enjoyed a grilled cheese (my favorite) and brownie for under $3.00 - a bargain.
A vast improvement from the daily pb&j.
My knees are feeling better -yay!
Monday, July 19, 2010
DAY 22 - AN INVESTMENT
July 12, 2010 - 95.5 miles from Kadoka to Pierre, SD.
20 miles headwind to start.
A turtle to save...Sam and I escorted this turtle safely across the road.
40 miles headwind to end.
Long rolling hills.
GRASSHOPPERS EVERYWHERE!
As we rode along, grasshoppers jumped into our spokes, onto our bikes, onto us... many grasshoppers perished today. Sam stated that "girls are fortunate since they shave their legs, because the grasshoppers don't get stuck in their leg hair!" Too funny. Yet it is true...it was a brutal day to be a grasshopper, and according to some, a cyclist!
Sam stated that by participating in the BIG RIDE, he is choosing to make an investment in himself. This concept really spoke to me. "An Investment" - pursuing my dream involves taking risks, pushing myself beyond what I believed possible, challenging my limits, an opportunity to learn and grow. 7 weeks on a bicycle can be a transformative process. An investment in oneself.
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
20 miles headwind to start.
A turtle to save...Sam and I escorted this turtle safely across the road.
40 miles headwind to end.
Long rolling hills.
GRASSHOPPERS EVERYWHERE!
As we rode along, grasshoppers jumped into our spokes, onto our bikes, onto us... many grasshoppers perished today. Sam stated that "girls are fortunate since they shave their legs, because the grasshoppers don't get stuck in their leg hair!" Too funny. Yet it is true...it was a brutal day to be a grasshopper, and according to some, a cyclist!
Sam stated that by participating in the BIG RIDE, he is choosing to make an investment in himself. This concept really spoke to me. "An Investment" - pursuing my dream involves taking risks, pushing myself beyond what I believed possible, challenging my limits, an opportunity to learn and grow. 7 weeks on a bicycle can be a transformative process. An investment in oneself.
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
Day 21 - July 11, 2010
BACK ON THE BIKE TODAY!
Today's ride was 101.7 miles from Rapid City to Kadoka, SD.
Nothing like a random dinosaur in a field... it's completely normal... fortunately our cue sheet included this reference, so I knew I was not delirious! Yes, I may see some crazy scenery when biking over 100 miles on my own...so the reassurance is always helpful!
Prior to reading this sign, I considered taking a prairie dog home as a pet! I cautiously decided against acting on this desire after reading this sign! "FYI: prairie dogs have the plague"... a great factoid for any conversation, especially when you feel 1) as if you have little to contribute or 2) it has become too serious or tense! :)
Amazing creation - biking thru the Badlands - breathtaking!
Today's ride was 101.7 miles from Rapid City to Kadoka, SD.
Nothing like a random dinosaur in a field... it's completely normal... fortunately our cue sheet included this reference, so I knew I was not delirious! Yes, I may see some crazy scenery when biking over 100 miles on my own...so the reassurance is always helpful!
Prior to reading this sign, I considered taking a prairie dog home as a pet! I cautiously decided against acting on this desire after reading this sign! "FYI: prairie dogs have the plague"... a great factoid for any conversation, especially when you feel 1) as if you have little to contribute or 2) it has become too serious or tense! :)
Amazing creation - biking thru the Badlands - breathtaking!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Greetings from Mount Rushmore!
Amy, Sam, Deidre and Evonne recreate Mount Rushmore!
Amy, Sam, Deidre, Toby (front row), Jeremy, Evonne, Chad, and Tim (back row)
RESTING DAY 2 - photo exhibit
BIG RIDERS stop at the South Dakota border - state #5!
Deidre enters State #5 in the gear truck.
The Black Hills.
At the Flintstone's Theme Park in Custer, SD - Deidre is nostalgic of her family holiday in 3rd grade.
Yabba Dabba Do!
Mountain Goats block the road in Custer State Park.
RESTING
I have been experiencing the BIG RIDE from a new perspective since Thursday July 8th...I have needed to sag for the past two days (Day 18 - Gillette to Newcastle and Day 19 - Newcastle, Wyoming to Rapid City, SD) due to my significant knee pain and swelling. The plan has been to allow my body to rest for 3 straight days in hopes that I will be able to ride again on Sunday when we leave Rapid City. My knees are inflamed and painful, especially when bent...so if you have any idea how I can bike without bending my knees, give me a holler asap! :)
Everyone on the BIG RIDE has been very supportive of me and my decision to take care of myself and my knees. It definitely makes it a little easier when everyone is supportive, and not judgmental. Part of my aversion to sagging stems from the fact that I will not have actually pedaled from Seattle to D.C. However, I am still a contributing community member. I am still engaged in the BIG RIDE. I am still pursuing my dream and helping others in the process.
Here are a few photos from life seen from sagging in the gear truck:
Jeremy, Sam, Chad, Evonne, Amy, Toby, and Bridgett
Devil's Tower from a distance... I hope to climb it someday. My friend David Halbakken climbed it on Memorial Day! ROCK ON!
George, Sue, Izzy
Jan cycling on the 9 miles of milled road... 9 miles too long!
Everyone on the BIG RIDE has been very supportive of me and my decision to take care of myself and my knees. It definitely makes it a little easier when everyone is supportive, and not judgmental. Part of my aversion to sagging stems from the fact that I will not have actually pedaled from Seattle to D.C. However, I am still a contributing community member. I am still engaged in the BIG RIDE. I am still pursuing my dream and helping others in the process.
Here are a few photos from life seen from sagging in the gear truck:
Jeremy, Sam, Chad, Evonne, Amy, Toby, and Bridgett
Devil's Tower from a distance... I hope to climb it someday. My friend David Halbakken climbed it on Memorial Day! ROCK ON!
George, Sue, Izzy
Jan cycling on the 9 miles of milled road... 9 miles too long!
DAY 17: Longest Ride
July 7th: We cycled 111.9 miles from Sheradin to Gillette, Wyoming. We are over one-third of the way done our journey to Washington, D.C.!
Today was very rural with minimal services.
Yes, those are the Rockies.
We cycled thru 4 communities - Ucross (pop. 25)- home of the Colony Artist Residence (if you read "Eat, Pray, Love", it was written here), Clearmont (pop. 115), Leiter (pop. 1) - home to the Leiter Country Club, also were I had my first flat!, and the Spotted Horse (pop. 2). Net total population of 143! Roughly 1.25 persons per mile.
Andrew, Deidre, and Amy at Spotted Horse
Still smiling at the 100 mile rest stop.
We rode thru the western range with long rolling hills. Amy stated, "When are these hills going to end?" I replied, "Once we hit the ocean!" ;)
There were many clouds and it felt as if I could reach out and touch them.
Gillette, Wyoming - 1 lone cloud remains at the end of the day.
Today was very challenging ride because I was having significant bilateral knee pain and swelling over both of my patellas!
Today was very rural with minimal services.
Yes, those are the Rockies.
We cycled thru 4 communities - Ucross (pop. 25)- home of the Colony Artist Residence (if you read "Eat, Pray, Love", it was written here), Clearmont (pop. 115), Leiter (pop. 1) - home to the Leiter Country Club, also were I had my first flat!, and the Spotted Horse (pop. 2). Net total population of 143! Roughly 1.25 persons per mile.
Andrew, Deidre, and Amy at Spotted Horse
Still smiling at the 100 mile rest stop.
We rode thru the western range with long rolling hills. Amy stated, "When are these hills going to end?" I replied, "Once we hit the ocean!" ;)
There were many clouds and it felt as if I could reach out and touch them.
Gillette, Wyoming - 1 lone cloud remains at the end of the day.
Today was very challenging ride because I was having significant bilateral knee pain and swelling over both of my patellas!
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