The Rise Up Ride: Day 24, Riding the Krebs Cycle Through Sturgis
Date: 16 May 2021
Start Location: Rapid City, SD
End Location: Spearfish, SD
Distance: 88.2 km
Time: 4:47
Total elapsed: 7:03
Elevation: 688 m
Tom dropped by his folk's home to say goodbye before heading off for his own ride. It was just a week ago, driving from Midland to Wall, when he'd stopped by the road and invited me to stay at his parents' home. Two days later, after exploring the Badlands, I turned up in their driveway to stay five nights, much longer than I had planned. Tom suggested that rather than carry my gear up the narrow, winding mountain roads in the Black Hills, I should leave the panniers behind and he worked with me on RWGPS to design two routes. I rode these on Thursday and Friday. But this morning it was time to bid farewell to Bob and Pat, heading up along and on Interstate 90 to Spearfish.
After speaking with David, a bright friendly cyclist astride a sports car to my truck, who pulled up beside me outside of Sturgis, I moved over to ride on the freeway through some of the Black (foot)Hills. It was actually not only the fastest and least hilly route but the big wide shoulders and rumble strip made me feel safer than on narrow, hilly service roads, when they existed.
I'm in the Spearfish KOA tonight and tomorrow night, again dropping my panniers, this time to ride up the world-renowned Spearfish Canyon tomorrow, returning to the Black Hills one more time. I'll then plan out my trip to Devil's Tower National Monument and my ride to Buffalo, Wyoming for the assault on Powder River Pass at nearly 3000 meters, followed by Cody and my ride up Sylvan Pass into Yellowstone.
All good. No injuries and getting in some altitude and hill work after three weeks on the flats. Feeling stronger daily and more comfortable doing long days in and out of the saddle. The winds and weather look perfect for the week ahead, improving but with increased chances of afternoon thunderstorm. So I'll ride out at dawn each day getting into camp before the boomers, hopefully.
Tomorrow I'm off to the D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery to feed the brown and rainbow trout before hammering up the Canyon.
