Day 37: Lake Allie, MN to Minneapolis, MN

Brian Richardson

It’s break day eve and we made it to Minneapolis. This is the largest metropolitan area of the trip and it was the light at the end of the wind tunnel for us all week.

After 370 miles of persistent headwind, it started to let up today. The wind wasn’t entirely gone, but while we Etch-A-Sketched through a grid of county roads this morning, gusts were relatively light and would occasionally be behind us on our northbound stints. By the afternoon, we were entirely on rail trail bike paths, which tended to be tree-lined and sheltered from the wind.

Our new obstacle for the day was severe thunderstorms. Before 10am we could see a storm cell developing north of us and we picked up the pace to try to make it to Hutchinson before the weather. We didn’t entirely miss the rain, but we did at least reach the Oak Heights Covenant Church to ride out the worst of the lightning in safety. Here Usher showed us a more detailed weather report: many dozens of lightning strikes in our area over the last hour, and warnings of supercells and possible tornadoes later in the day.

The gang tries to escape a storm headed towards Hutchinson, MN

As soon as the lightning had passed, we hopped onto the Luce Line bike trail, the first of many rail trails we took today between Hutchinson and Minneapolis. Throughout the day, we would see more storms developing nearby, and be warned by some locals that we “picked a bed day to ride bikes through Minnesota,” but we thankfully avoided the worst of the weather.

These rail trails are a mix of pavement and gravel, and they took us through farms and woods and city while keeping us away from wind and sun and traffic. Another win for bike infrastructure!

The Dakota Rail Regional Trail

Afternoon storm clouds along the Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail

80 miles and two flat tires—both from Friend, who is now at 12 for the trip—got us to Minneapolis. Some of us were motivated by the upcoming break day or by the end of the Parks, Peaks, and Praries ACA route; others by gas station hot dogs. Either way, we made it.

Usher and Friend fuel up for the last push into Minneapolis, MN

The last week of headwinds took its toll on the group. Over seven days we spent more than 51 hours actively pedaling which, in addition to wearing out our bodies, left little time to maintain bikes and other equipment. Michael has a Jerry-rigged tent that probably would not survive if we had to camp in some of the storms we saw today. Usher has a pair of tires bearing large sections with literally 0mm of rubber left.

Usher’s rear tire, circa mile 2,450 of the trip—well past time for a replacement

Here in the city, we’re staying with Josh, my old roommate and great friend. Josh is the kind of friend who would drive 45 minutes round-trip from our Carrboro, NC house to pick me up on Union Grove Church Road after my bike broke down and I got caught in a freezing rain—and bring homemade cookies to cheer me up. Tonight he cooked us a delicious dinner of curry with all the fresh vegetables we’ve been missing, followed by more homemade cookies. Being here with a friend like that has been a huge morale boost for the group. We’re excited to spend tomorrow exploring the city with Josh and other friends, not on a bike.

Day 36: Cottonwood, MN to Lake Allie, MN

Jacob Friend

This morning felt like we were clocking in for another shift of Midwest biking. We awoke to the same grey skies and inescapable fog we have become all too familiar with over the past week. The easterly headwind made sure to accompany us as we made it through one of our last days in the Great Plains. We didn’t pout or complain, we simply surrendered to the wind and continued along for a quiet and peaceful morning ride.

Morning fog in the Cottonwood, MN city park

On the bright side, the folks in the Midwest are very polite and sweet people. When we were packing up our groceries for lunch, we made a friend who was really interested in our trip. He ended up donating $20 to our cause! This random act of kindness brought some much needed sunlight into a cloudy day 🌞.

This is my first time in Minnesota and it’s been fun to learn about the state and more about the Midwest. Minnesota is nicknamed the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.” The over 10,000 lakes allow the land to be used for harvesting corn and soybeans. The abundance of standing water also makes for the perfect breeding ground for flies and mosquitoes. Now, any small break we take on the side of the road is no longer a peaceful moment of rest; it’s a state of paranoia that we will be eaten alive every second we stand still. Today we’ve had mosquitoes penetrate our socks, horseflies annihilate our legs, and deerflies swarm our panniers. No where is safe out here.

Flies hitch a ride on Michael’s pannier, ready to strike the next time he stops

Today was not the change in pace we were looking for, but we made it 80 miles to our goal of Allie Lake. Upon arrival we cannon balled into the lake to wash away our battle wounds and cool off from the humidity. Afterwards, we talked about our feelings for a bit over dinner. While our morale is low, we’re still proud of our efforts and are optimistic for a reset in Minneapolis. 36 days on the road is no joke, but I think we’re handling it well.

Friend rides the last few miles to Lake Allie

It feels like our break day in the Badlands was well over a year ago. My biggest motivator for today was the fact that it was break day eve eve. I never would have imagined that the long flat sections of the Midwest would drain me more than the steep Rocky Mountains of the West. But with enough headwind, overcast clouds, and hog manure odor, I’m about to my wits end with this part of the country.

Day 35: Oakwood Lakes, SD to Cottonwood, MN

Brian Richardson

This was our fourth day in a row of a relentless headwind—from mile one, there was a steady breeze against us. We were once again working 50% harder than usual in order to travel at 70% of our typical pace. If you’re thinking this headwind story is getting old, we agree.

Michael pulls Friend and Usher into the mist and wind

Thirty miles through this wind landed us at the Minnesota border. After the ten days and over 600 awesome but sometimes tortuous miles in South Dakota, we were happy to be moving on.

The crew at the Lincoln County line which, while there is no sign to recognize this, is also the Minnesota state line

Across the state border, we quickly noticed a change in dialect; “ope,” “jeez,” “you betcha” and “grocery beg” could all be heard at our brief stops in the towns of Hendricks and Minneota.

Friend catches a quick snooze in Hendricks, MN

Looking around as we biked, we could also now see that we were solidly in the Midwest. Along the road were farms of all types (corn and soy, hogs, sheep, windmills), numerous lakes, and ducks floating and flying along.

Wind and hog farms in Minnesota

Crossing the border into Minnesota was also a cause for celebration because this state line marks our estimated halfway point of the ride. We’re now five weeks and about 2,250 miles from our staring point in Florence, Oregon. After all the ups and downs of the last 35 days, it is both daunting and thrilling to think about what’s in store for us between here and Bar Harbor.

The gang chowing down on supper in Cottonwood, MN

Day 34: Huron, SD to Oakwood Lakes, SD

Jacob Usher

Another day of doom and gloom. The past two days of tough headwinds has taken a toll on us. We set out this morning and I was feeling pretty unmotivated. More easterly wind was on the forecast and it didn’t feel like we had a big objective to look forward to.

The wind wasn’t super strong to start out with, and we rode two-wide for a little while. The skies were overcast and it seemed to be getting colder out. Sioux Falls and the surrounding areas are known for Sioux Quartzite. This is a hard pinkish rock. Highway 14 wasn’t pink, but the railway stones to our left were. 

Pink Sioux Quartzite outside Huron, SD

We stopped at a store called the chop shop. It was a gas station, fast food, liquor store, butcher, and bar. It may have been more, but I can’t remember. It was surprisingly well stocked and the people inside were all friendly. A beekeeper asked us where we were heading for the day. He recommended going to DeSmet. Laura Ingalls Wilder (author of Little House on the Prairie) is from there and it has some attractions.

Going off route is something we usually are skeptical of. The ACA puts a lot of thought into the routes and usually there’s a reason they don’t send you down certain roads.  However, going to DeSmet would just keep us on Highway 14 longer and the man said the shoulders were good. Easy decision.

The shoulder was not great as it turns out. It wasn’t super wide and there were patches of rumble strip every 5 yards that took up the entire width of the shoulder. They weren’t super deep so riding over them was annoying but not terrible.

The ‘nice, wide shoulder’ on South Dakota’s HW 14

The temperature dropped and the overcast skies became more of a fog. It wasn’t really raining, but the humidity must have been 100%. It was dreary and damp. The wind also picked up. At the beginning of the trip I would have called it a strong headwind. It still wasn’t nearly as strong as the previous two days thankfully.

Farmland and foggy conditions

We didn't end up visiting any of the attractions in DeSmet. However, I spotted a gas station with indoor seating which was a lot more exciting to us anyways. We left Highway 14 after eating lunch and did get some time on a pink road. There was hardly any traffic during this time which was nice. There was also hardly anything else happening. I asked Michael what was wrong at one point to which he said I’m ‘bored, cold, bored, and tired.’ We noticed more and more trees throughout the day. I have never really thought about how much they can block the wind.

We passed a dog. It was pretty far away but decided to chase us onto the street. We all had wildly different reactions to this situation. Michael got aero and sped away. Brian and Friend hit evasive maneuvers. I jumped off my bike and scared it away. This wasn’t very graceful and I almost ran into a ditch. I am told it looked like I was excited to scrap with the dog. Really I just didn’t want it to run too far out into the street. It seemed like it wanted to play.

That little bit of excitement and a brief period of tailwind just about got us to Oakwood Lakes State Park where we are staying tonight. Today wasn’t as comically hard as the previous two days. Still a slog made less enjoyable by the weather. I am excited to get to Minnesota tomorrow even if the conditions won’t immediately change at the border.

The gang arrives at Oakwood Lakes State Park

Day 33: Fort Thompson, SD to Huron, SD

Brian Richardson

We are now nine days into South Dakota, and it continues to challenge and bewilder us. The state has an unfortunate reputation among some people as being ‘flyover country’—somewhere you pass over or through but don’t stop at. For better or worse, this is not possible on a bike.

The western part of South Dakota gave us scenery that rivals anything in the Cascades or the Rockies. We were warned, however, that east of the Badlands it would turn flat and boring. I can’t argue that the landscape since then has been as dramatic, but there is a lot to learn and appreciate from this region if you give it a chance. Since exiting the Badlands, we’ve gotten to witness the transition from shortgrass to tallgrass prairie and experience the precipitation levels rise accordingly. We’ve learned that the topography in this part of the state is not flat, but dips and climbs around the Missouri River and its many tributaries—we’re still climbing thousands of feet per day. East of the Missouri, we’ve seen farms and railroads interrupt the sea of grass with increasing frequency. By boring a tunnel from Wyoming to Minnesota, we’re getting a taste of the magnitude of the Great Plains and feeling firsthand the anemological consequences of so much area without forest to block the wind.

‘Flyover country,’ eastern South Dakota

Today, like yesterday, these Great Plains winds were in our face. For the morning at least, the gusts were only 20 mph. We classified this relatively weak headwind as a ‘South Dakota tailwind.’ Combined with a smoothly paved road, this wind allowed us to average 10 or even 11 mph to a lunch break in Wessington Springs. Oblivious to the growing breezes outside the shelter of the town, we took some time to visit the Wessington Springs Shakespeare Garden, a recreation of Anne Hathaway’s Shottery cottage accompanied by over 150 local trees, shrubs, and flowers.

Usher enjoys the Shakespeare Garden in Wessington Springs, SD

By the time we rolled out of the garden, the northeast wind was peaking at 46 mph. For the rest of the day, it was a constant battle for us to maintain just 7-8 mph against it. When traffic allowed, we took up the whole lane in a diagonal line (or echelon), shielding those in the back from the wind. When traffic got heavier, we had to ride single file in the shoulder, each person bearing the brunt of the wind.

20 miles short of Huron is the town of Alpena, home to 261 residents and the Jack Links beef jerky processing plant—literally the largest beef jerky processing facility on the planet. For several miles as we approached Alpena, the headwind was thick with the smell of dried meat. We passed the Jack Links behemoth just as the 500+ employees were ending their daily shift. Given Alpena’s residential population, this meant we would be sharing HW 224 with at least 239 Huron-bound commuters, which thwarted our plans for an echelon during the remaining miles.

Usher takes a quick rest in Alpena, SD (note the direction of the Jack Links windsock in the background)

We finally arrived in Huron at 7:45 pm, over 12 hours after starting the ride this morning, with 9.5 of these hours being in the saddle. This was without question the most demanding day of the trip for me so far.

We’re staying with a delightful Warmshowers host here who took us to dinner at a local Mexican restaurant and told us stories about Huron. We would have loved to take him up on his offer for a private pipe organ recital at the church—where he plays every Sunday—but since it was already well past our usual bedtime we settled for Beethoven’s Sonata No. 14 at his home piano.

Day 32: Presho, SD to Fort Thompson, SD

Jacob Friend

Sometimes we go to sleep knowing there is going to be an especially big challenge waiting for us the next day. Although we knew it was going to be our shortest day so far in terms of distance (45 miles), we knew it wouldn’t be easy as we were expecting to face our strongest headwind to date. I find mornings before a big challenge to be a little silly, it feels like we’re preparing for war even though we’re just a bunch of guys biking. Regardless, we played pretend and made sure to speed-run our morning routine to get a head start on the day’s 40+ mph wind gusts.

But first we had to appreciate the perfect sunrise we were spoiled with. Yesterday we jumped ahead an hour when we entered Central Time, thus the sun rises an hour later too, so our typical 6am wake up times just got a whole lot prettier.

Sunrise in Presho, SD

Our added motivation to leave camp early gave us the boost we needed, and we started pedaling at 7:15am. This get-up-early-and-beat-the-wind-trick worked well a few days ago in the Badlands, but the wind decided to wake up earlier today. That’s alright, we knew our wind dodging luck would run out at some point. We had tricks in our back pocket just for this moment. We tried all of them—diagonal draft line, drop bars for more aerodynamics, Liquid IV packets, screaming, yelling, begging—nothing could help us exceed 8 mph. After enough struggling we just had to accept the slower pace and grind it out. Eventually, over 3 grueling hours later, we had biked 23 miles to our first gas station stop. I never thought I would be so beat up after 23 relatively flat miles. My knees were aching, my arms were sore, and I wasn’t even excited that it was before noon and there were only 20ish miles left in the day.

Michael and Friend battle a headwind

I think all of us were dreading our return to the battlefield, but after enough procrastination, we bit the bullet and saddled up. Our destination of Fort Thompson was northeast of our gas station stop in Kennebec, so we had to get on HW 273 to begin making northbound progress. Instead of getting a brutal headwind going dead east, we thought this highway might give us a refreshing crosswind instead. We were so incredibly wrong.

Two minutes after our departure from our beloved gas station, the smooth roads we took for granted turned into “grooved pavement”. No worries, just a little section of road work, right? WRONG. 20 miles of tooth-rattling bumpy road for the rest of the day. YIPPEE! We had biked ourselves to the middle of what felt like South Dakota’s biggest DOT project of the century. On the bright side the horrible road quality took our minds off the wind for a little bit. As I was comprehending our miserable biking conditions I couldn’t help but start laughing. What am I doing in the middle of nowhere South Dakota biking in gale force gusts on the world’s bumpiest road? To be honest I don’t really know, but I do know that I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. This is the type 2 fun I signed up for when choosing to go on this trip. It may be really uncomfortable and not fun at times, but it’s really awesome to look back and laugh at doing stupid things like this.

Grooved pavement on the way to the Missouri River and Fort Thompson, SD

Once we made it to Fort Thompson, laughing at ourselves is exactly what we did. We put our bodies through bike war, but we made it out alive. We spent the rest of the day recovering with some beauty rest and lots of food. It looks like we’ve got another headwind in store for us tomorrow, but as long as the road is actually paved, I think we’ll be okay.

Friend recovers in the shade in Fort Thompson, SD

Day 31: Midland, SD to Presho, SD

Michael Richardson

We delayed our departure by an hour this morning (until 7:30) so that I could visit the post office and pick up my replacement tent piece. While this meant we would spend more time in the heat of the day, it also gave us more time to enjoy the Midland town park where we camped last night. It has plenty of water, electricity, clean bathrooms, and a jungle gym to stretch our legs out for the coming miles. The sprinkler system also gave my helmet a good douse so that I would start off with a cool head.

Michael stretches out his legs in the Midland city park jungle gym

After covering ourselves in a thick layer of sunscreen and locating a missing Friend, we headed south into some serious wind. The hour or two we spent in a diagonal formation had me thinking about all the different ways I’ve been calculating the wind direction. This is crucial knowledge for us to maintain an efficient pace line and take turns “pulling” each other through an unfortunate breeze. Rotating your head until the sound in your ears matches, wetting your finger, and monitoring the sway of the grass are all effective methods of determining wind direction, but my favorite (and most reliable) is to watch the birds. Birds of prey, like the American kestrel I saw above HWY 63, like to point their beaks directly upwind and hover while searching for food. This gave me some answers as to why I was huffing and puffing at the back of the pace line and I adjusted accordingly.

The gang fights a 10 o’clock wind by riding in a diagonal pace line

Before hooking a left into a gentle tailwind for the remainder of the day, Brian noticed a strange beast on the side of the road. Were my eyes deceiving me? A camel in South Dakota?? Actually, it made sense to see a desert animal today after melting in the 97° heat. Down the street, we picked up some snacks at a gas station, only to be snuck up on by a pack of goats hanging around the pumps. At this point, I was legitimately concerned about heatstroke and delirium.

Camel and goats in “1880 Town,” SD

We ate lunch at a small park in Murdo, sharing the picnic area with a bible study group. While we soaked our jerseys and buffs under a cold spigot, they inquired about our trip and shared some kind words for our journey ahead. Unfortunately, the biggest dangers we face are the ones we pose to ourselves—more specifically, the incompatible lunch items we’ve been eating like Usher’s quart of chocolate milk and mountain dew.

Friend and Usher recover from a serious lunch in Murdo, SD

Normally, we don’t stop in every town we pass through in order to stay on schedule, but the beating sun left us no choice when we passed the Sinclair dinosaur in Vivian. I turned 21 this past February and was thus able to enjoy a few minutes inside the walk-in beer fridge, cooling off with Brian. After some strange looks, we realized we only had an hour to make it to Presho before the grocery store closed for the night. Unless I wanted animal crackers for dinner, it was time to kick it into high gear and get moving. We made great time to the campground and even had enough sunlight left for me to repair my tent. It was fun to exercise my engineering brain after it had been dormant the last month post-graduation. I’m proud to say that after two patch kits, three zip-ties, one miscellaneous metal spacer, and one replacement piece from Big Agnes—my tent can now stand on its own again! Just in time to shield myself from the horde of mosquitos, too.

Michael escapes the Vivian, SD heat in the Sinclair walk-in beer fridge

These South Dakota Mosquitos are no joke

Day 30: Interior, SD to Midland, SD

Jacob Usher

Fun weather fact: the wind often dies down quickly once the sun sets. The ground cools and a layer of cooler air near the surface forms. This is called a temperature inversion. This layer of air is more stable and does not mix as easily with the faster moving air above it. Therefore less gusts of winds.

This morning started with a 30 mile northwest jaunt to Wall before taking a sharp right turn. The strong winds also happened to be blowing from the northwest. We decided to take advantage of the previous fun weather fact by waking up at 4:45.

Sunrise from Interior, SD

4:45 is way too early in my opinion and I did not start the day in a good mood. However… the wind was calm and the morning light highlighted the faded colors of the layers of sediment in buttes.

Early morning light in the Badlands

We hit a couple short and steep climbs as we left the jagged landscape below us for the prairie on top. During this time our headwind began to build. We were met by prairie dog towns, mountain goats, and bison. In fact, we accidentally startled a bison which is not something you want to do. Fortunately it left us alone. We probably didn’t catch the plague either.

Mountain goat near the Pinnacles Overlook

The wind was mostly behind us after leaving the Badlands. Even so, the remaining 60 miles of riding was not particularly fun for me.  Maybe I didn’t get enough sleep or it was just one of those days. We mostly passed rolling hills and open grasslands. With that being said, both of our stops for the day were a lot of fun.

First was Wall Drug. We’ve been getting excited about the advertisements for a while now. We hit the cafe hard for multiple rounds of breakfast sandwiches, donuts, 5 cent coffee and more. I think Michael wants to move to Wall.

Wall Drug, Wall, SD

We later ate lunch in a town called Phillip. I was on my way to the town park with groceries for lunch when I was flagged down by a man in a red pickup truck. We chatted for a little bit and he said he wrote columns for the newspaper sometimes. He mentioned he went to school in Raleigh NC and I interrupted to ask which one. Turns out he was part of the Wolfpack—the good guys :). We never would have expected to meet someone from NC State in the middle of South Dakota.

We also met a local kid riding his bike. We told him about our trip and he told us about growing up in Phillip and his experience hunting. He found us eating at the park and generously offered us Pringles.

Tonight we are camping at a town park in Midland. I really love when towns allow us to camp in the park. There aren’t many amenities, but it is free and quiet.

Midland, SD

Day 29: Interior, SD

Brian Richardson

We took today off in Interior, SD to rest our bodies, explore the nearby Badlands National Park, and prepare for the next week in the saddle. I’d say we were mostly successful even in the face of significant obstacles.

Our first challenge was to avoid contracting the Bubonic Plague. The local prairie dog population is plentiful and has had several recent confirmed cases of the Plague. So far we’ve stayed safe. Our second challenge was the air pollution blowing south from the Canadian wildfires. We awoke to a thick haze obscuring our previously clear views of the Badlands.

Air quality map for today showing the effects of Canadian wildfires in South Dakota

We also had serious and persistent wind to contend with. By breakfast the gusts were strong enough take the oatmeal off your spoon before it reached your mouth; by lunch, strong enough to break your tent pole and tear your fly.

Michael deals with a broken tent pole and torn fly

Tomorrow we’ll bike straight through the Badlands, but today we took some time to hike around and explore away from the road. Along the two-mile “Notch” trail, we climbed steep terrain through the park’s characteristic pinnacles and buttes.

The Notch trail in Badlands National Park

After a failed attempt at eating lunch in the wind, where any unanchored food items were immediately swept away, we retreated to the safety of the campground store. Over tortillas and off-brand Cheetos, we reviewed next week’s map.

My general strategy for planning on this trip has been to have a concrete plan for one day ahead and a sketch of the following five days. The one-day plan includes a destination town, grocery stores and water stops along the way, and a hopeful camping spot. The five-day sketch considers where we might stay based on terrain, services, weather forecasts, and points of interest. For example, we try to keep daily mileage between 60 and 90, and we try to avoid climbing passes late in the day when heat and thunderstorms are more likely. Our next main point of interest is Minneapolis, 600 miles down the road where some friends of ours live. On days like today I spend time tinkering with the five-day sketch, knowing that it will inevitably change as the week goes on.

Usher reviews the map during a break day in Interior, SD

If tomorrow’s wind is anything like today’s we’ll be fighting 50 mph gales by the afternoon, so we plan to hit the road at the crack of dawn. That means it’s off to bed early after another incredible South Dakota sunset tonight.

Day 28: Rapid City, SD to Interior, SD

Jacob Friend

I usually choose not to look at the map until we’ve already completed that map’s section. There was an evening in New Meadows, Idaho when the group was looking at the map together and pointed out a steep descent two days down the road. When describing the sketchy section, Brian said that before we could get to the Clearwater Valley we first had to “fall off a cliff”. Of course this was an exaggeration, but after looking at the elevation profile I was sick to my stomach all the way up until the descent.

Now I’ve decided to protect my peace by not asking questions about our routes until we’re past them. All I really care about is the weather forecast so I can dress appropriately. Otherwise, I believe I can get through any day with enough water, sunscreen, and good vibes. I place a big emphasis on good vibes. This morning was good vibes. We woke up in the backyard of generous hosts with a yummy breakfast and a fun adventure to the badlands in front of us. After getting a group picture, Arielle and Chris wished us safe travels and sent us off.

The group says goodbye to Rapid City, SD

Today’s route was simple, get on Highway 44 and take it 75 miles to Interior, SD, a small town perched at the entrance of Badlands National Park. Vibes on the highway were questionable at the start. There was heavy morning traffic, debris on the road, and an occasional police officer on the shoulder to maneuver around. We were navigating through the chaos with precision and making steady progress for the first 10 miles. But like I do best, I found a way to get a flat tire. This is my 8th flat of the trip and the 2nd time my front tire was the culprit. We pulled into safety and got to work. The flat introduced some bad vibes into the day, but we replaced the tube and continued onward.

It’s hard to maintain bad vibes while you’re on the saddle. It’s one of the things I love most about riding. You’re moving your body, outside looking at nature, and thinking about countless other things. I endured post-flat depression for about 20 minutes. Once the highway condensed from 4 lanes to 2 lanes, tension was eased and I could enjoy the landscape around me as it became more rural. Before long we made it to the Country Corner, a very cute gas station. This was our only opportunity to refill water until we arrived at our campsite in 55 miles. We made the most of our short break by pounding water, applying sunscreen, and indulging in our favorite gas station snack (Fairlife muscle milk).

The Country Corner in Farmingdale, SD

The rest of our time on HW 44 made it very clear that we had transitioned into the Great Plains. As far as we could see were flat grasslands accompanied by very low humidity. This realization was bittersweet for me. I really loved the tall mountains, deep canyons, and craggy cliffs of the West. I will deeply miss the beautiful Western scenery, but as Michael pointed out today, it will be nice to maintain a steady pace through the more flat terrain (wind permitting).

After fighting a headwind for about 25 miles, we took our lunch break in a ghost town called Scenic. This was a much needed break from the brutal sun. We joked about falling through the wooden floorboards where we ate. After smashing calories and installing our makeshift AC systems (wet bandanas under our helmets), we began our final approach to Interior. During lunch the wind shifted nearly 180 degrees, bringing in partly cloudy skies. Now we could ride protected from the sun with a partial tailwind. Immaculate vibes.

Lunch in Scenic, SD (population 1)

The final 30 miles to Interior were the most scenic of the day. We were fully immersed in the Badlands with flourishing prairies, towering buttes on the horizon, and herds of bison playing in the dirt. We jokingly compared the landscape to Arrakis from Dune because of how extraterrestrial everything appeared. All of the beautiful views grew our excitement for our hike in the park during our break day tomorrow.

The outskirts of the Badlands National Park

The tailwind continued to push us along and we arrived at Interior around 4:30pm. With only a population of 94 people, this town doesn’t have much, but a campground and general store is all we need. We enjoyed a picturesque family dinner while watching the sunset on the spiky buttes to our north. South Dakota vibes are peaking.

Sunset in Interior, SD

Day 27: Hill City, SD to Rapid City, SD

Michael Richardson

This morning, we had the opportunity to meet several other bike tourists staying at our campground in Hill City, SD. Some were out for the week or weekend; others were tackling a similar route as our own, like a group that started in Seattle and was headed to New York. As I’ve said before, I absolutely love meeting other cyclists, especially other bike tourists, and they were out in numbers today around the Black Hills. Like them, we started our ride on the crushed limestone of the George S. Mickelson rail trail, picking up where we left off yesterday. These 109 miles of repurposed land, bridges, and tunnels now serve to connect people from Edgemont to Deadwood, and everywhere in between, in much the same way the trains did back in the day. I’m a big fan of rail trails, and if you also enjoy accessible, shared public paths, consider checking out the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy for a map of routes in your state and to support their ongoing efforts.

The George S. Mickelson rail trail

Speaking of unique paths, instead of taking the straight-shot 10 miles to Keystone today, we opted instead for a 35-mile scenic byway through Custer State Park and I am so glad we did. Narrow tunnels, switchbacks, 360° spirals, and split-lane roads were all in store for us as we meandered through granite outcrops and scattered pines. We brushed up against some cold rain, but the serpentine climbing kept our body temperatures high and our spirits higher. When the rain stopped, we ran into a few more bike tourists, this time on a trip led by the Adventure Cycling Association (remember those guys from Missoula?). We raced them down the mountain and up the 800’ ascent into Mount Rushmore. It was a relief to see the faces up close after a few startling glimpses pedaling on the byway. Aside from the airport-like entrance, it was a great spot for lunch and we got to talk with several travelers about our bike trip and the cause. Like at Custer State Park, the employees at the payment booth saw us ride in on bicycles and waved us right through—score.

The Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Highway, between Hill City and Keystone, SD

Friend goes to town on a pepperoni pizza at Mount Rushmore

Coming down from Mount Rushmore, we had several steep descents and fast rolling hills. This felt like the first time in days that I could hold a decent pace for more than 1/4 mile and man did it feel good. So good in fact that I blew right past a turn and Brian had to chase me down for some extra miles. Just before making it to Rapid City, Friend’s tube (the one we patched last week) decided to give out on a busy highway and we were dealing with the torturous hand pump once again.

Some hilly miles outside Keystone, SD

We followed an impressive ridge line into Rapid City, looking across at the Black Hills where we started this morning. We met up with Brian’s connection in town who is letting us camp in their backyard, use their kitchen, and most importantly—launder our clothes. We picked up food from the grocery store and Brian made one of his classic curry dishes for us with tofu and vegetables.  I think it’s been nearly four weeks since I’ve eaten an onion and I never knew they could taste so good. Maybe it’s the Vitamin C. Our generous host also helped us with our route planning and pointed out several things we need to see throughout the Badlands this weekend. Tomorrow we head for Interior, SD and a rest day at our fingertips.

Skyline Drive into Rapid City, SD

Day 26: Spearfish, SD to Hill City, SD

Jacob Usher

Our alarms went off at 6:30 this morning and we could hear a light rain on our tents. Brian called out asking if we wanted to sleep in another hour to see if the rain would stop. The rain seemed to stop pretty quickly but we made absolutely no movement until the alarms went off again. 

We packed up and were eating breakfast under a covered pavilion when it started to rain again. We decided it would be safer and warmer to wait for the rain to pass. I was a little antsy about not making progress in the morning, but riding in the rain would have sucked. I used this time to read the new map. I learned about how the actual name of Devil’s Tower translates to Bear Lodge and about the Spearfish Canyon we would be cycling through in the afternoon.

The crew waits out a cold morning rainstorm in Spearfish, SD

During this time we met the Spearfish man. A friendly local who seemed to be living out of a shopping cart. He told us about how he once bike toured and we watched him cook pancakes over a butane torch. 

We said bye and headed towards the Spearfish Canyon at a little before 1pm. It was pretty wet and damp, but I was hoping the climb would warm us up quickly. We took a quick stop at Dave’s Rock Shop in Cheyenne Crossing before starting onto our first of two steeper climbs. These were a little bigger than I expected, but the stretch between the two was actually rolling hills and very pleasant.

Spearfish Canyon itself was very cool with tall cliffs of different color rocks. There were also plenty of caves dotting the walls if you looked closely. I wondered why the Black Hills were named as such. Today’s overcast and rainy weather made it clear why. Technically Dark Green Hills may be a more accurate name, but Black Hills sounds cooler. What I’m saying is there were a lot of ponderosa pines.

Spearfish Canyon in the Black Hills National Forest

We got onto a rails to trails bike path at the top of the second climb. This path has the wonderful max grade of 4%. Shout out to trains. While the scenery was beautiful, I was most excited about the lovely gentle grades on the smooth gravel path. We spent the rest of the evening with 30 miles of down then up then down again. We went through 4 tunnels and over many bridges. The only downside of this was we were freezing most of the time. The high in Hill City, where we’re staying tonight, is only 53 degrees today and the sun was setting on us. 

The Mickleson Bike Trail

When we got to town we realized the grocery store closed in 3 minutes. This gave us an excuse to eat at a restaurant. It was already past 8 and I had been craving pizza all afternoon so I was secretly pretty happy the grocery store closed. After dinner we rode about a mile in the dark to our campsite. This was our first night riding of the trip, but we kept it pretty short. Starting the day so late makes it feel a lot longer than it really was. Today wasn’t particularly hard, but it felt like a big day because of that and the cold. However, it was very scenic and I think everyone had fun!

Friend and Usher recover from a cold day at Mangiamo Pizza in Hill City, SD

Day 25: Devils Tower, WY to Spearfish, SD

Brian Richardson

On this trip we are following a series of Adventure Cycling Association maps. That is, physical paper maps—not an app on a phone or bike computer. I chose to use these maps partly out of nostalgia (we used similar maps on my previous trips), but also because they are just excellent resources. They have turn-by-turn directions, elevation profiles, road and traffic conditions, services (food, water, camping, bike shops, etc.), and weather patterns. Even after all that, they dedicate about a third of their printed area to describing the ecology, geography, and history of the regions they cover.

Each map covers between 300 and 600 miles, or 4-7 days of riding. So a completed map is a milestone to be celebrated. The old map goes back in to my gallon-sized ziplock bag with the others, and we pull out the next one to see what’s in store for us in the week to come. Two days ago in Gillette, we cracked open a new map that will guide us 380 miles to Midland, SD. It detailed the geologic and cultural significance of the Black Hills and warned of 70-mile stretches with no services as well as frequent thunderstorms and tornadoes.

Map #2 of the Parks, Peaks, and Prairies Route

This morning, our map sent us along HW 24 away from Devils Tower and through the cute town of Hulett, WY where we stocked up on food for the day. By late morning, we saw warning signs of the thunderstorms the map had warned us about. We spent the next 2 hours weaving between storm cells and racing the larger system of dark clouds to shelter at the town of Beulah. Arriving just in time, we were able to enjoy a dry lunch under a tin roof as the storm passed over us.

The group races storm clouds to Beulah, WY

Lunch out of the rain in Beulah, WY

With the rain behind us, we continued on to Old Highway 14, which sidles up to Interstate 90. A few quiet miles on this road got us to the eastern border of Wyoming, where we were hoping to take a picture at a “Welcome to South Dakota” sign. Unfortunately, no such sign exists on Old HW 14. I guess someone figured the nearby large and colorful sign along I-90 was good enough. We briefly contemplated jumping a barbed wire fence and playing Frogger across interstate traffic to take a picture, but ultimately decided this was not worth the risk. At least most of us did…

Friend at the South Dakota Border

We’re spending our first night in our fifth state in Spearfish, SD, right on the edge of the Black Hills National Forest. Our first stop in town was to the local bike shop, Rushmore Bikes, for some important repairs. Michael added a pair of miniature aerobars to his Kona Sutra, and Usher had his persistently squeaky drive train professionally looked at. I was finally able to replace my headset bearings. Like a frog in a heated kettle I had fallen into a literal groove of riding on worn bearings over the last several thousand miles on this bike, and it feels much smoother with the new hardware.

Brian’s old headset bearings outside Rushmore Bikes in Spearfish, SD

We’ve been to a lot of bike shops so far, and while most of them have been great, Rushmore Bikes stands out as amazing. Both mechanics on duty set aside their current tasks to give us quick and thorough help. They asked several times if they could assist us in any other way, even offering to drive any parts or equipment we’d need to our campsite tonight. Maybe this is just our first taste of midwestern kindness, in which case I’m looking forward to the next several weeks!

Day 24: Gillette, WY to Devils Tower, WY

Jacob Friend

Three days ago we biked a century. 2 days ago we did over 7,000 feet of climbing. Yesterday we biked another 97 miles. Today we took it chill.

When planning our route through Wyoming we knew there was going to be a difficult stretch due to sparse population and the mountainous Big Horn Range. I’m proud of us for rising to the challenge, but it was time to give our bodies a break. Our alarms went off at 8:30am, about 2 hours of extra sleep compared to a normal day. Instead of waking up feeling like adventure cyclists, we felt more like zombies—gloomy, tired, and slow. Our feet were dragging along the campsite somewhat dreading today’s saddle time.

Before getting back on the road, we made a pit stop at the local bike shop to stock up on bike tubes, patch kits, and stove fuel. Inflated tires and spare tubes gave us the morale boost we needed to kickstart our morning. After a slow start we were en route to Devils Tower around 11:30am.

The Bicycle Shop in Gillette, WY

Gillette, WY prides itself in being the “energy capital of the world” and oversees an extensive network of coal mines. As we left town we got to bike past hundreds of BNSF trains that were being prepped to transport coal all across the country. Between the coal mines, trains, and factories, we had good eye candy to start the ride.

Friend and Usher ride by the train tracks outside of Gillette, WY

After passing the last of the trains, our enjoyment of biking through Gillette quickly faded. We were left with semi trucks and roads under construction to navigate with minimal views of the Wyoming landscape. Fortunately, we were biking with a good pace that carried us out of Gillette and into Moorcroft where we stopped for groceries and lunch.

Michael helps Usher with a squeaky drive train

From Moorcroft to Devils Tower we had a little under 40 miles of biking. While our bodies were still not 100%, we made good time finishing out the ride as we listened to songs about coal (e.g. North Country Blues by Bob Dylan) and a playlist of Rick Rubin’s best songs he has produced (shoutout my mom for the recommendation). We’re always looking for cool tunes to listen to while riding, so feel free to send us recommendations 🙂

Once we arrived to Devils Tower we were astonished by the famous butte and the surrounding red sandstone cliffs. As Brian mentioned before, the hidden gems of this trip stand out as some of the greatest highlights. Just two days ago I didn’t know what Devils Tower was and now I’m fortunate enough to be camping a stone’s throw away from it.

The approach to Devils Tower, WY

Brian and I took a short hike to the base of the butte while Michael and Usher decided to get some extra rest at the campsite. Here are a few fun facts about Devils Tower:

Devils Tower National Monument was the first United States national monument established on September 24, 1906, by Theodore Roosevelt.

The tower is a popular climbing spot, but it’s also sacred to several Plains tribes. After deliberation there now exists a voluntary climbing ban during the month of June when the tribes are conducting ceremonies around the monument.

There are a ton of prairie dogs here.

Devils Tower and nearby prairie dogs

I’m glad we could have a shorter day and enjoy another beautiful campsite. Today is our last full day in Wyoming and I’ll sure miss it! See you soon South Dakota 💗

Day 23: Buffalo, WY to Gillette, WY

Michael Richardson

Today was a looong day. Our longest day yet. Not by distance—although we did manage almost 100 miles again—but by sheer time in the saddle. We spent just under 9 hours on the bike. We were fortunate that a cold front followed us into Buffalo last night, and finally gave us a break from the blistering heat. It was also refreshing to see so much greenery on this side of the Rockies and the sight reminded me of home. From dawn till dusk, there was a fierce wind coming down from the north, and because our route diverged from the interstate, we got to experience it as a headwind, a crosswind, and finally a tailwind. About 30 miles spent with each.

Lots of greenery on the ride NNE out of Buffalo, WY

Since visiting the bike shop in Cody, we’ve had a few more flat tires and exhausted our supply of spare tubes. This morning, we set out for Gillette, crossing our fingers we’d survive just one more day until reaching the next shop. Not 45 minutes into the ride, Friend was pulling over to address his sixth flat tire. We’ve started calling him OfficeMax, because of how many staples he manages to pick up each week. With no spare tubes, we resorted to patch kits and electrical tape to hold things together, but the paranoia of more flats didn’t leave us until Gillette was squarely in our sights.

Friend fixes his sixth flat of the trip

The only place we saw on the map to refill water was a bar about 40 miles into our 96-mile day. When we got there, a little girl was playing peekaboo behind the screen door and holding what appeared to be a stuffed animal. Upon closer inspection, we realized it was no stuffed animal at all, but rather a kitten—not even a month old. The owners of the bar were raising six kittens in total and we got to play with them as we sipped our chocolate milk.

The Leiter Bar, and two of its kittens, in Leiter, WY

Another note from our beloved map was about a section we rode through right after lunch. It warned us of the dwindling shoulder along this part of the road, but told us not to worry because we would see more Pronghorns than vehicles way out here. Game on. I counted each vehicle that passed us by and between the four of us, I’m confident we spotted every one of those speed-goats bounding through the countryside. It was an extremely close game, switching back and forth many times, tied at the half, but in the end vehicles took the lead; 78-74.

Pronghorn Antelope—the fastest North American mammal—off of HW 16

Since the others have talked about their bike setups, I will take a moment to do the same. The bicycle I’m riding is a Kona Sutra, almost entirely stock. If Brian’s bike is a cast iron skillet, mine is more like enameled cast iron. Slightly easier to maintain and comes in a cool color. It’s got a 2x (“two-by”) drivetrain, disc brakes (cable, not hydraulic),  road style shifters, and all the mounting points you could ever need. Like the others, I’m rocking a Brooks B-17 saddle and Ortlieb panniers in the back. My absolute favorite part of the Sutra, however, is the set of Schwalbe Marathon tires. These tires are famous for bicycle touring and their durability. I’ve heard stories of folks putting 10-15k miles on these bad boys without ever getting a flat and so far so good (knock on wood).

Michael’s touring setup

I have a couple bags on my handlebars and one inside the frame to store snacks and other easy-access equipment. I’m pretty particular about things having a designated spot on my bike and I make sure to pack up the same way every time. This helps me stay organized and ready for anything that comes our way—mechanicals, thunderstorms, or just the munchies. It’s also nice when things are put away because it gives me room in the back seat if I need to stretch my legs during a long day.

Michael stretches his legs from the back seat of his Kona Sutra bike

Day 22: Ten Sleep, WY to Buffalo, WY

Jacob Usher

We started the day with a flat section of road. That was very brief. We then followed Highway 16 into the Ten Sleep Canyon. Steep limestone cliffs and shallow grassy hills at the bottom were shaped by the last ice age thousands of years ago. Apparently this is a popular climbing area so I was keeping an eye out for any signs of climbing activity such as bolts or sprinter vans. 

Friend leaves our camp at the Ten Sleep Brewery to head up Highway 16–only wearing his cycling bibs

Instead of climbing routes, I spotted a sign pointing out a memorial on the top of the canyon rim. A 10 foot wide marble block commemorating an Englishman who fell 100 feet while hunting. I wondered what other kinds of memorials like that have been undocumented or forgotten.

Leigh Creek Monument

The climb up Powder Pass would take us up to 9,666 feet and over the Bighorn mountain range: the high point of our trip. This was nearly a vertical mile of climbing. The past three weeks prepared us physically for this giant climb and we went up it in good spirits. When we are on a long climb and the roads feel safe, we will split up and meet at the top. This is nice because everyone can go at their own pace and enjoy a little alone time.

Switchbacks on Powder River Pass

We reached the top of the pass one by one. Even the growing headwind couldn’t stop us. We stopped and took in the scenery of the high point of our trip. We had mentally prepared ourselves for this first half of the day and it went great.

Michael and Friend at the top of Powder River Pass, elevation 9,666 ft

The rest of the day was a breeze and we arrived in Buffalo in no time.

Just kidding. “Ten miles of ‘rolling hills,’ then a descent to Buffalo,” said Brian. We rode downhill for a couple of miles in penny sized hail. The first rolling hill turned out to be another steep 30 minute climb. This time we were not as mentally prepared. After that we found ourselves on a roller coaster of five 8% grades up and down.

Hailstorm and ‘rolling hills’ along the descent from the Bighorn Mountains

The final descent into Buffalo, WY

Evidence of Friend’s bibs-only battle with Powder River Pass

Now for my bike setup!

I am riding a Soma Doublecross, which is the same bike as Friend’s. This is a cyclocross bike but it also does the trick for touring. Like Friend, I bought my bike from Facebook marketplace. It has many quirks such as a Brooks Saddle on a carbon fiber racing seat post and a mountain biking derailer with ‘more clicks than cogs’ on my cassette.

My gear setup is probably the most different from the rest of the group. My panniers were graduation gifts (thank you Rachel!) and are smaller than everyone else’s. I fit my tent, sleep system, clothes, and food into these. I also have a frame bag and a handle bar bag to add a little extra storage capacity. On day three, I turned the handlebar bag into a giant saddlebag. This was for multiple reasons, but it has been more comfortable. I put random small items in these. Also lots of food. I always keep lots of snacks stashed all over my bike. This is great except for our stint through bear country where I had to carefully unpack all the goodies to store them safely. 

Usher’s bike setup

Day 21: Cody, WY to Ten Sleep, WY

Brian Richardson

A hundred miles to the east of Cody, across a wide dry basin, are Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains; this range presents our highest pass in the Rockies. Because of the sparsely placed towns in the Bighorn Basin, our options for today’s ride were to make it halfway across, leaving a monster climb for tomorrow afternoon, or to do a full century. Fueled by the best breakfast I’ve had all summer, the choice was clear to me.

Michael and Usher sit down to a delicious breakfast prepared by John and Brenda: waffles, scrambled eggs from the backyard chickens, fresh berries, homemade whipped cream, homemade rhubarb jam, …

Just a few minutes into the ride, we could already see the Bighorn range on the horizon. Its snowcapped peaks could almost be mistaken for stratus clouds. Throughout the day, the mountains would grow and come into focus, and we’d get a better picture of the climb in store for us tomorrow.

Friend heads out across the Bighorn Basin

According to John, when Buffalo Bill Cody laid out the plans for the town of Cody, he wanted the roads to be wide enough for horse-drawn wagons to be able to do a U-turn without waiting for a pullout. Today, these wide roads allow for excellent bike lanes. For most of the morning we had a six-foot shoulder—wide enough for us to comfortably ride in a 2x2 formation.

The wide shoulders around Cody were not entirely free of hazards

With generally flatter terrain than we’ve had so far this summer, we made good time for the first 40 miles, even after two flat tires. By midday, however, the UV index had reached a top-of-the-ear-blistering 11, and shade was hard to come by. We stopped frequently throughout the afternoon to drink water and apply and re-apply SPF 100 sunscreen.

Friend notices a flat in his rear tire

Friend hides in the only available shade while Usher addresses a flat tire

Throughout this trip, we’ll visit many well known areas that are destinations in and of themselves; last week we saw Yellowstone and soon we’ll see the Black Hills and Badlands. These sections are exciting to me and tend to live up to the hype, but I especially love seeing special places that I would never otherwise think to visit. The Bighorn Basin is one of these gems. Through the sweat and sunscreen, we made out some truly beautiful scenery and fauna today.

Scenes from the Bighorn Basin

We arrived at our destination of Ten Sleep, WY to find that the cheapest camping option is behind the Ten Sleep Brewery. In recent years, the surrounding area has become a mecca for summer rock climbing, and this brewery—like our Smith Rock campsite in Terrebone, OR— houses most of the climbers during the summer. Luckily for us, the brewery also had pizza and live music tonight. After setting up camp and taking some much needed showers, we enjoyed the bluegrass jam band “Shot in the Foot,” and met some lovely Wyoming people.

Shot in the Foot plays outside the Ten Sleep Brewery

In yesterday’s post, Friend discussed his bike and touring gear. I’ll do the same here for mine.

I’m riding a Surly Long Haul Trucker. As the name suggests, it’s built for the long haul, and it almost everywhere sacrifices being lightweight for being sturdy. It has a steel frame, low bottom bracket, long chainstay, and 26” wheels. I think of it as the cast iron skillet of bikes: heavy and old-fashioned, but with proper care and lubrication able to last a lifetime.

The bike is on its third trip across the country and has well over 10,000 miles on it. At this point most of the components have been replaced at least once.

My favorite additions and accessories include: Ortlieb rear panniers, a brooks saddle, aerobars, front and rear fenders, and most recently a small handlebar bag.

My trusty steed

Day 20: Cody, WY

Jacob Friend

Over the past 2 days, our team has crushed about 190 miles of biking through beautiful but exhausting mountains. It came as a great relief to our legs that the only climbing we did this morning was up a few stairs to a delicious homemade breakfast. While enjoying our food we plotted with our hosts about our plan to explore Cody for our rest day. Fortunately for us, our host John is a history buff and gave us the full rundown of the history of Cody and what spots to hit during our journey downtown. At the top of our itinerary was the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, a museum that contains 5 unique museums in a single building. Perfect. After scarfing down bagels, eggs, antelope sausage, and yogurt, we were off to downtown Cody.

Brian rides into downtown Cody with his croc backstraps in break-day mode

Aside from resting our minds and bodies on break days, a big focus of this precious free time is on bike maintenance. We’re at day 20, and while things have run relatively smoothly so far for our bikes, there’s always work to be done. Before heading to the museum, the gang stopped at the local bike shop—Joyvagen Cycles. We had two primary goals for our visit to the shop. First, Brian wanted to get his headset looked at because of a worn out bearing. Second, I wanted to have key hardware replaced on my rear rack. The rear rack is responsible for holding both my panniers, so it plays a critical role in the success of my riding. Unfortunately, on the very first day of our trip my rear rack broke off from its attachments to my frame and I’ve been working to get it repaired ever since. My fingers were crossed that today would be a step towards a more secure solution for the rest of the trip. Brian and I were asked to leave our bikes while they were being worked on, so our Cody adventure continued as we got lunch then hit the museum.

Joyvagen Cycles in Cody, WY

Once again John and Brenda came in clutch and got all four of us free tickets to the museum. Our first line of business was to hit the Draper Natural History Museum. The exhibits in this section focused on the ecosystem of Yellowstone National Park. It was awesome to reflect upon all of the cool critters and terrain we had just seen on our bike ride. Learning new facts about the environment made me realize how much I don’t know about natural history. This only grew my desire to bike more and embark on cool adventures in unfamiliar places. After roaming around the museum for a bit we caught the afternoon Raptor Experience exhibit. This featured close-up interactions with exotic birds that were under the supervision of researchers due to injuries preventing them from living in the wild. We had a great time learning about the birds through a silly trivia game, Fact or Fowl, while also learning about the importance of conservation and sustainable practices. At the end of the exhibit, Brian and I received phone calls from Joyvagen Cycles that our bikes had been repaired and were ready to be picked up. Perfect timing 🙂

Buffalo Bill Center of the West, featuring a golden eagle with a 7-foot wingspan

We were happy to see that our repairs went pretty well. While they weren’t permanent solutions, we both got fixes that will allow our bikes to ride more smoothly and safely for now. The screws and bolts on my rear rack bars were replaced and sealed with Loctite glue for added strength. No more elastic strap holding the rack to my frame… for now. Downtown Cody was great fun, but now it was time to get home and continue bike maintenance and preparation for the week ahead. A big item on my to-do list for the day was to replace my rear tire. I have had 4 flat tires so far this trip (all from my rear tire) and after enough troubleshooting I conceded that it was time to replace my tire. For some finishing touches each of us degreased our chains, cogs, and cassettes to strip away the dirt we’ve collected over the last few weeks.

Break day bike maintenance in Cody, WY

Last December I purchased my bike from Facebook Marketplace, a great affordable option. The previous owner used the bike to tour from San Diego to Virginia, so I’m confident it can get the job done for this trip, but it’s clear that a few thousand miles have been put on this bad boy. My two major issues thus far have been my rear tire and rear rack. It was reassuring to work on these components and I’m excited to see how the bike rides for the next week through the challenging Wyoming terrain. Bike maintenance isn’t my strong suit, but the rest of the group has been very supportive in helping me address issues throughout the trip. In just a few weeks I feel like I’ve gained more confidence in fixing problems as they arise and I’m starting to enjoy the process more.

We got a request from Sallie Verner to talk about our bike setups more in the blog and this was my go at it. (Great request by the way! Let us know if there is anything else y’all want us to blog about). The rest of the group will go into detail about their bikes in future posts.

To end this blog I’ll give you a rundown of some of my bike specs (I don’t know what most of this means 😅):

  • Size: 54 frame (not certain)

  • Frame: Prestige Cro-mo steel, stand over height 30-31” depending on tire choice.

  • Has eyelets for down-tube shifting and lots of mounts for racks and bags

  • Fork: Carbon, Room for tires 38mm wide and maybe 40?

  • Drivetrain: Campagnolo Mirage 3x9

  • Cranks: Bontrager Aluminum

  • Pedals: Shimano PD-EH500 SPD Sport Road Pedals

  • Wheels: 700 Fulcrum Racing 7, Aluminum, (ETRTO 622x15C)

  • Front Tire: 700x35 Schwalbe Road Cruiser w/ Kevlar puncture resistance

  • Rear Tire: 700x35 Specialized Nimbus w/ Armadillo Protection

  • Bar: Carbon, 440 mm. width

  • Brakes: Campagnolo Veloce, Cantilever rim brakes

  • Fenders: Silver, lightweight plastic

  • Panniers: 2x 20L Ortlieb Waterproof

  • Handlebar bag: Ortlieb Ultimate Six Classic

  • Handlebar mirror: Mirrycle Mirrors Mountain Mirror

Friend’s touring bike setup

Day 19: Yellowstone Lake, WY to Cody, WY

Michael Richardson

This morning, we awoke to frozen helmets and dew dripping from our tents. It got down into the 30s last night but as Usher mentioned in the previous post, we felt nice and cozy in the tent village between kind-spirited neighbors. Another consequence of the cold was that I got to try my new favorite candy—Charleston Chew—in its more toothsome, frozen form. Yes, I had candy for breakfast this morning. While our helmets finished thawing, we tried our best to shake the hurt from our legs, but as I always say—“there’s nothin’ to it but to do it”—so we got to pedaling.

Morning frost on Usher’s bike at our Yellowstone Lake campground

I had almost forgotten we were still in Yellowstone when we passed another series of fumaroles, filling our nostrils with sulfur dioxide. I was more than happy to endure the smell in exchange for the incredible view we got around Yellowstone Lake—and I can’t say I’m too proud of my scent either these days. We passed a few more bison and marmots before turning a corner into telephoto terminus. There were probably 100 people parked along either side of the road and after triangulating their camera lenses, we spotted it—a Grizzly bear. Two of ‘em in fact! We watched them strut along the hillside for a little while and then carried on. In addition to the wildlife, we’ve been incredibly lucky with the fair weather throughout the park. A ranger told us about a biker who came through just two weeks ago and nearly froze in the wind and snow.

Michael rides by a fumarole along Yellowstone Lake

‘Telephoto terminal’ in Yellowstone National Park

After a steep climb up from the lake (8,500’), we double checked our straps and launched into our favorite downhill of the trip (we say that every time). Twelve minutes of uninterrupted momentum took us from snowy peaks all the way down to craggy pine tree glades. Even better was the crenelated stone wall guiding us down the pass—far more scenic than your typical metal guardrail.

Michael approaches the Sylvan Pass descent

We reconvened at the bottom and exited the park as a group. I’ll definitely be coming back soon to see Old Faithful and to find those elusive moose we’ve been hearing about. Just outside the park, we stepped into Pahaska Tepee for some chocolate milk and to ask what we should do in Cody for our rest day. Funny enough, they told us the exact same thing our Warm Showers host did—“you gotta see the nightly rodeo and the Buffalo Bill Museum!” More on that later.

Pit stop in Pahaska Tepee, just East of the Park

Not fifteen minutes down the road, the landscape changed again and we were staring up at the Absaroka Mountains. We were entranced by the steep, volcanic spires and the red hue that seemed to glow from the landscape. So many cool cracks and crevices too, I couldn’t help but think about all the climbing routes packed into this valley.

The group rides through the Shoshone National Forest (nearby Absaroka Range not pictured)

The remaining 30 miles after lunch were spent battling a headwind and UV index of 10 but at least the hills were behind us. I’m always keeping track of what items make it into my small handlebar bag for the day because that is prime real estate on the bike. Some days it’s winter gloves or my knee band. Today it was SPF 100 sunscreen and my last two tortillas.

Michael leads the group through a relentless headwind along the Buffalo Bill Reservoir

Our host in Cody warned us about a series of tunnels just before reaching town that could be dangerous for cyclists and suggested we talk to the Buffalo Bill Dam Visitor Center about a detour. They knew right away what we were after and opened the gates to a service road through the canyon. With no cars to worry about, I followed Usher in full confidence through the winding turns and mini tunnel just below the dam. Easily one of the most dramatic miles I’ve pedaled on a bicycle.

The HW 14 tunnel versus the secret canyon bypass

At the edge of Cody, we passed an arena with a big sign that read “RODEO EVERY NITE: JUNE, JULY, AUG”. We leave town May 31st. We drowned our sorrows in some tasty Mexican food before realizing we had 6 miles left to make it to our host. In pain, either from full stomachs or laughter, we trudged up the hills out of town and were greeted by John and Brenda. John is a seasoned bicycle tourist and is generous enough to host about ten groups every year that pass through Cody. They showed us to our guest suite, complete with showers, beds, and chickens roaming the backyard. If there was such thing as a six-star hotel, in my mind this would be it. Looking forward to fresh eggs for breakfast and exploring downtown Cody tomorrow!

Day 18: West Fork, MT to Yellowstone Lake, WY

Jacob Usher

What a day!

We hit 100 miles, 8000 feet, an 8% climb, reached Wyoming, and completed our section of the TransAmerica Trail! Now we begin Parks, Peaks, and Prairies.

Michael stretches and Usher drains his legs before a big day

We began our ride towards Yellowstone listening to rock on Friend’s speaker. We listened to Kickstart my Heart as we rode towards battle (Yellowstone tourism traffic). We passed by the very scenic Earthquake Lake along the way. This was formed by a landslide during a 7.5 magnitude earthquake.

Earthquake Lake (notice the dead trees poking out of the water)

Our ride along the lake was very pleasant with low traffic. We thought West Yellowstone (our first destination and resupply for the day) was only 20 miles away but it turned out to be 35. I wasn’t complaining because it meant we were knocking out a larger chunk of the day in the morning.

We met another cyclist in West Yellowstone riding from Astoria to Key West! Scott will also be on Parks, Peaks, and Prairies with us.

Scott, a fellow bike traveler, in West Yellowstone, MT

After a quick snack and resupply, we headed into Yellowstone National Park. This is something I have been looking forward to for as long as this trip has been an idea. We were a little apprehensive about traffic and wildlife, but more excited about the beautiful ride ahead of us. We hit the Wyoming state line pretty quickly before continuing.

Bike Loud enters their fourth state

We passed lots of geothermal pools and stopped at sights along the way. Traffic wasn’t too bad and people were being pretty respectful. We passed Gibbons Falls and thought about eating lunch. No picnic tables to be found so we just took in the view.

Terrace Spring and Gibbons Falls in Yellowstone National Park

Traffic increased as we continued into the afternoon. We decided to eat lunch at the Norris Geyser area. We climbed more and more and the landscape became more open fields with rivers and creeks. We scanned for wildlife and saw Bison. No moose (meese?) or bears though to my disappointment.

The group dodges both cars and bison while riding through the park

At the Geyser area, we couldn’t find tables, benches, or a good water source. Only an overburdened bathroom. An interesting thing about Yellowstone is how car-centric it is. There are a lot of sights to see that you drive around and pull off the road for. This is unlike other National Parks I’ve been to where I might park at a trailhead for an entire day. I felt almost as if we were sights in the park instead of visitors.

After eating, we joined the crowds of people to see all the geothermal vents and geysers. I saw Steamboat Geyser. It is the largest in the park when it erupts (up to 400 feet!). However, it doesn’t blow very often or regularly. The last time was in mid April. Still, part of me hoped something might happen.

Porcelain Springs and Steamboat Geyser

I went back to the bikes where I found Brian and Michael. Friend had gone MIA and we thought he may have fallen into a geyser or had an encounter with a moose. Eventually he returned from his walk. Maybe traffic got a little lighter during this time.

Michael and Usher try to find some shade while Friend explores the nearby geysers

We set off with about 30 miles ahead of us. The landscape shifted once again as we followed the Yellowstone River upstream. We saw lots of Bison on the wide open hills. The miles went by quickly for me. We arrived a camp after one more stop. Seeing that we had gone 97.7 miles, we decided to go the little extra distance to hit the century. Totally worth it.

The Yellowstone River

Our campsite tonight is huge—it has almost 300 sites. We are in a tent-only area which is nice since recently we’ve often been the only tents surrounded by RVs. We also get to go to sleep under a very starry sky.