The Rise Up Ride: Day 16, "You can steer yourself any direction you choose.”
Date: 8 May 2021
Start Location: Murdo, SD
End Location: Midland, SD
Distance: 60.58 km
Time: 3:03
Total elapsed: 6:01
Elevation: 426 m
“Things may happen and often do to people as brainy and footsy as you”
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!
It rained until dawn and the clouds parted just long enough to get in my ride to Midland before the deluge returned at noon. Thank you to my two go-to apps, WeatherUndergroud and Windfinder, for the forecast that indicated not only the possibility of a dry window from dawn to 10:00 am, but also that the SE winds might carry me W and then N before shifting unfavorably before midday.
The Norwegian concept of "friluftsliv", open-air living, is peripheral to their belief that there is no bad weather, only bad clothes. With a wool jersey, rain jacket, waterproof shoe covers, rain gloves, warm cycling pants, neck and head buffs, and hot mineral springs waiting at my destination, I was steeled for a morning's friluftsliv dash across the prairies.
Dropping down from one of the hills in the Badlands to cross the Bad River and the railroad tracks, I pulled into Midland an hour earlier than planned having crossed into the Mountain Time Zone. A rancher at the Post Office said the only place open was the "Food and Fuel" on Hwy 63. Strong coffee, big breakfast and a non-conversation with a guy at the end of the bar muttering about socialists.
But what a wonderful surprise was to be found at the Stroppel Hotel and Mineral Baths, a bicycle-friendly oasis on this route. A must-stop to soak or stay, either in the rooms, the restored Airstream, or pitch a tent near the vegetable garden. The private soaking rooms are blissful, healthy, and one soak is included. There is a common area for cooking and meeting other guests.
No other option than back to the Food and Fuel, but that was fine because both are the same for me. Food and Fuel. Spent better part of a ribeye and baked potato talking with Scott, a rancher on family land acquired in 1887. We found civil ways to avoid difficult topics and still intersect two very separate world spheres in a wide ranging conversation.
