Apologies in advance for being so lax in updating this thing. All my other teammates are doing such a great job at posting photos and stories, I'm getting a little lazy.
Perhaps it's for a reason, though. This past week has been tough! We started this week traveling from Billings, MT to Hardin, MT. The day was quick, just a mere 56 miles through some mild rolling hills and, before you knew it, Jeff squared (Erickson and Sloan), Tom and I were sipping down iced lattes at a cafe in the small cowboy town. Really though, the day was over and done by 10 am. At home, there's a good bet I wouldn't have even been up by then. Having this ride schedule really puts into perspective how much more productive I could be if I really wanted to. After setting up camp at the local KOA campground, the riders took a dip in the pool, played cards (I learned a new game, Spades!), ate a delicious dinner catered by Beyond Basil and tried not to let the relaxing day get too deep into our systems.
The next was a bit of a struggle, riding 86 miles from Hardin to Sheridan, WY. Some days on this ride are just difficult, and for no real reason. This was one of these days. The terrain wasn't particularly difficult or long, but when you're mentally off of your bike before you even start, getting back into the groove is nearly impossible. Needless to say, most of us on the ride were grateful to get to the Sheridan KOA, get in a shower, and call it a day. In a bit of bad luck, I came back from my shower to find my (loaned) tent looking a bit ragged. It turned out that the poles had broken, and it was in my best interest to just get a new one. Looks like this ride is getting me outfitted for a long time in the future!
The next day was the day that everyone on the ride was dreading a little bit. The longest day of the ride, 113 miles, from Sheridan to Gillette, WY. It was a long day, and we were all really tired by the end. That being said, we had heard terrifying stories about how that day had gone from previous years, so conditions could have been much worse. We made it through with hardly any head winds and manageable temperatures, so call us lucky. I'm still pretty proud of making it through that day, though. 113 miles and 4,665 feet of climbing! It's a big accomplishment.
Riding to Newcastle the next day was another simple day. Only 76 miles with rolling hills. Nelle and John had pretty jazzy outfits on that day because it was the fourth! Newcastle did the day up quite a bit as well, there had to have been a fireworks show being put off on every block in the town. The festivities went on late into the night, and by late I mean 11 pm. Those who were rested enough to stay up said that it was a great show to see.
The last day of riding had to have been one of my favorite rides to date! The beginning of the day brought crazy hills, but we rode into the Black Hills National Forest and Custer State Park. We got a great descent out of the ride, it felt like it never ended but it was about 10 miles of pure, twisting downhill through some of the park's best views. We tried hard to find a buffalo during the ride, but unfortunately came up short. Today was a rest day, so everyone was in good spirits by the end of the ride.
Tomorrow, off to Kadoka from here in Rapid City! The forecast says we may have some pretty killer headwinds and thunderstorms for most of our 102 mile day. Ahem. Wish us luck! I'm crossing my fingers for amazing pie and coffee at the finish line.
