Internet problems: ABB sent information on the motels we’re staying in for 50 nights. Only one, the Best Western in Chamberlain, did not have wi-fi. But I checked at the desk when I checked in yesterday and they did have internet; it required a cat5 cable which they gave me. Today, at the Mitchell Best Western, wi-fi worked great for a while. But then I lost connectivity and no-one was able to help me. Or no-one wanted to. So this July 17 will be posted on July 18.
The main reason you cycle the U.S. west to east is for the westerly winds. In 26 days, I think we’ve had this for maybe a day. Recently the winds have been north-west or north. Although that may not be helping our riding as much as we’d like, there is another effect (or is it affect?) and that is cooler weather. In previous years, they experienced 100 degree days on the way to Mitchell so stated early. We started late today; the temperature here at 3:00 is 72 degrees! Brenda has been complaining about Dallas low of 85 so she’ll really be mad at me enjoying a high in the 70’s. The low this morning was 59. The prior two mornings I started the ride with a jacket on.
People in South Dakota obviously don’t have an exciting social life. In Wall, there’s Wall Drug, where half the town works, raking in money from tour buses, old folks and Harley riders. Then there is Pukwana; would you want to live in a town called Pukwana? Their entertainment and claim to fame is Lawn Mower Racing. Big time. Like NASCAR. And here in Mitchell, the central attraction is the Corn Palace. Corny as it sounds, it’s the best of the three.
Although there wasn’t much climbing today, we did have a 3 mile climb out of town. When describing this last night, Karen asked “Did you see that mountain coming into town?” Well, it wasn’t a mountain, but this raises the question “”What is a mountain?”
According to Wikipedia there is no universally-accepted definition of mountain. In the United States, the following points of measurement have been used and taught in geography classes:
- Flat to 500 feet, base to highest point - Rolling Plain
- Highest point 501 to 999 feet above base - Hill
- Highest point 1000 feet or more above base - Mountain
I’ve talked about rough roads, speculated they were frost heaves but wondered why they’re so regular. Jim, the mechanic, had a theory yesterday which I now believe is correct. We were on several miles of what looked like “original concrete” today. Every so often there is an expansion joint. So we believe that asphalt is used to cover the concrete when it gets bad, and when the concrete joints expand and contract, the asphalt heaves and creates the bumps which we’re been experiencing.
Looking at my blogs, one thing is clear. On a ride like this life is reduced to the simplest things and we focus on the most trivial (What causes cracks in roads, What is a hill?, Where’s my next meal? What room am I in? Where are we going tomorrow? Where are we now? What is forecast for the temperature and wind?).
Day 26, 73 miles, 810 feet climbed, 5.1 hrs. 1,980 miles so far
24 days remaining, 1,712 miles remaining
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