Day Forty-Two: Going to Gillette

Today we left with the sun rising in Sundance for Gillette, WY.

The sun rises over Sundance, WY.

We passed by cloud-covered peaks on our way out of Sundance.

The route itself was nothing special--just beautiful Wyoming as seen from I-90:

We spent most of the day riding on the interstate to avoid dirt roads (it's legal in WY!)

It was a pleasure to ride along this all day.

We reached Gillette early, and decided to stop in a local coffee shop (City Brew). It was there that we met Linda, a wonderful woman who revealed to us that her two sisters are both battling cancer, and graciously invited us over to her ranch 17 mi outside of town for elk burgers and star gazing.

How could we resist?

So, after settling in at our host--a recreation center that included rock climbing, water slides, a pool, and a hot tub (which we all took advantage of)--and enjoying a fabulous dinner complete with ice cream and brownies from a local Masonic Lodge, we piled into the vans and headed out Linda's ranch.

A view of the landscape from the ranch.

Sunset over the ranch.

The cherries Linda served us were fresh and delicious, but the elk burgers were even better. It was my first time trying elk (which Linda's husband had killed the year prior). It had a distinct taste that made the burger more enjoyable; of course, that could also have been caused by the method of grilling (which I'm not exactly knowledgeable of). Elk meat has a different texture, a little more dry and less compact than that of steak or regular chopped meat burgers. I enjoyed it so much though I went back for seconds.

The real treat was watching the stars slowly appear in the sky, one by one. My teammates shared their knowledge of constellations; I don't think I would be able to recognize anything but the big dipper without their guidance. For the first time I got to watch a satellite orbit the earth and observe the white stream of the Milky Way. You just don't see that much of the universe in the NYC or DC skylines.

It was a great day, except for the fact that I couldn't call home because of the lack of cell reception. This is becoming more and more of an issue as we move further west.

Now it is later than I want to be, but I must try and salvage as much time for sleep as possible.

Dreaming of the Stars Above,

James

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Today was dedicated to my mother, for all her love and support.

Day Forty-One: Fighting through the Black Hills

We began this morning with a special dedication to Hilary, a restaurant manager who donated food to us. She is currently undergoing cancer treatment, working far too many hours a week.

We dedicate today to Hilary. Stay strong and hopeful!

We left Rapid City hopeful, determined to overcome whatever came our way today. Fortunately, the Black Hills were not as bad as we thought they would be--and they were definitely beautiful!

The ascent into the Black Hills was scenic from the moment it started.

The climb was not a straight ascent, but mixed between ascents and descents as we climbed over individual peaks. One of my favorite parts of today's ride--and the Team Seattle 2012 route as a whole--was the back country roads through the Black Hills National Forest.
 

Gravel paths dotted with cattle and dogwood trees were the most enjoyable to ride along. Whenever I imagined leaving home as a kid and traveling far way, I imagined walking along a path just like this one. This route will always hold a special sense of beauty and nostalgia.

Before long, the ascents had ceased and we descended out the Black Hills, out of South Dakota, and into Wyoming!

Cloudy mountain peaks greeted us as we descended into Wyoming. The view was stunning.

I've learned one thing about Wyoming already: it's mountainous and will not be an easy state to cross!

Weary from the Black Hills, we're all settling into bed early here in Sundance, WY. Only time will tell what this state will bring us.

Wandering through Wyoming,

James

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Today was dedicated to Hilary, as indicated earlier.

Day Forty: A Rest Day in Rapid

To beat the 4th of July crowd, we decided to check out Mount Rushmore on our rest day on July 5th.
Here are my pictures from the team trip:

Flags from every state line the path to the main attraction.

In the nearby museum I discovered the original plan for Mount Rushmore. The lower portions of the sculpture were never carved due to the composition of the mountain side.

A closer view, from under the President's noses.

We were also productive today, organizing our food supplies, creating a thank you video for our donors, and taking the vans to get vacuumed. Overall, it was an enjoyable day off the bike, one for both preparation and exploration.

Tomorrow we head into the Black Hills, which has the majority of the team anxious. Driving through them today illustrated their steepness and length. I would be lying if I claimed that I wasn't nervous, but I am considerably more excited than nervous--excited for the challenge, excited for the scenery, excited to see how far I've come.

I guess I better get some sleep then.

Resting in Rapid,

James

Day Thirty-Nine: Racing to Rapid City

I slept relatively sound in the tent, cushioned by my sleeping pad and sleeping bag. Luckily there was no rain and the temperature cooled during the night. We awoke to the sunrise, since not much can be done before sunrise while camping.

The sunrise over the badlands was incredible--a wonderful way to wake up.

It was not long before we realized that we would essentially have to climb out of the Badlands in order to continue our journey. The climb was steep, but the 30 mph headwinds were torture!

The climbing begins as the sun rises higher; we're greeted by strong headwinds.

I soon discovered that the trip out of the Badlands (about 22 miles worth) was just as senic as the route into the Badlands. It was worth it to stop for one last picture:

A last look at the Badlands before departing for Rapid City.

We trudged forward through the coursing headwinds, stopping at the famous Wall Drug in Wall, SD. The establishment was touristy, but offered 5 cent coffee, which we each had 5 cups of. It was a nice unofficial break to give our legs a rest and our system a jolt of caffeinated energy. It came in handy.

Luckily, the winds eventually died down as we moved closer to Rapid City, which rests at the foot of the Black Hills.

Approaching Rapid City, with the Black Hills lurking in the distance.

After concuring one last (and long) climb, we reached our host--Calvary Lutheran Church. The place is enormous and perfect for our two-day stay.

Being that tomorrow is a rest day, we headed downtown to check out the scene. We stumbled upon a reggae band at the Firehouse Brewing Company:

We all began to fall asleep after dancing to a local reggae band's performance at the Firehouse Brewing Company in Rapid City, SD.

We were exhausted from the day's challenging headwinds, and soon found ourselves falling asleep at the table! With that it was time to go back to the host and off to bed. This was the first Fourth of July in a while that I didn't see fireworks (the typical firework shows for the Rapid City area were canceled due to forest fires). It was a good day nonetheless.

Happy Fourth of July!

James

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Today was dedicated to my grandfather, Donald Schwabacher, on his birthday. He proved to be a strong rock for my grandmother during her lifetime, and has proven to be an even stronger man after her passing. Today was for him and his silent strength. 

Day Thirty-Eight: Bracing for the Badlands

What a day.

The ride was hot! This Mid-West heat wave is taking a toll on us, slowing us down and pressuring the water van to make securing ice for water a priority (there's nothing worse than a bottle of warm water on a blistering day). The temperature today peaked around 104 degrees, though the soil and rock of the Badlands    can radiate heat, making the Badlands top around 120 degrees (note: this information was given to us by a local. The rocky land certainly radiated heat, but I question whether it was as hot as 120 degrees).

So it was a long day, and the group moved slow, making all the climbs that day more difficult (personally, it's more difficult for me to climb slower than to just push my way up a hill, but I'm part of a team and I don't want to create a gap or leave a rider alone to climb). Tensions were high as we turned onto a hilly dirt road...

Rolling Hills as far as the eyes can see...with the Badlands lurking in the far off distance.

But we persevere as always, and before I realized it we were entering the Badlands!

Turning into the Badlands; It's an awesome National Park for cycling! 

The Badlands stretch on for miles and miles. The park covers a total of 244,000 acres.

Rock formations like this one line the roads of the park, left by water long ago.

We had the rare opportunity to encounter a bighorn sheep up close!

The different colors indicate different types of soil.

Trees burst through the rock-soil down from the cliffs.

The Badlands terrain is commonly used for moonscape scenes in films.

Tonight we're camping in the Badlands. It's my first true camping experience (I don't count sleeping in the tent in the host's backyard in Mitchell, SD). I'm perfecting my ability to set up a tent, which will be a skill needed later in the trip. Due to a high fire danger, we won't be able to have a camp fire tonight. Luckily, we don't need to cook dinner because we were able to secure enough donations from the nearby town of Wall, SD. Some are calling tonight "luxury camping." For me, nothing about this is luxurious. You can take the city-boy out of the city, but you can't take the city out of the boy. Let's see how I adapt to nylon walls and a sun-thermostat.

Goodnight from Under the Rain-fly,

James

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Today was dedicated to a man I met while driving the van into Chamberlain, SD. He saw our van parked on the street--we were lost and looking for our host--and came over to speak to us about his ongoing battle with cancer. He was inspired by our efforts and graciously thanked us for it. Wherever he is, I hope he is doing well and continues his fight.

Day Thirty-Seven: The Moon Lights the Way to Midland

Today we woke up too early--so early that we were ready before the sun was risen, before we could safely leave our lovely Chamberlain host. We awaited the first sign of light and then headed off towards Midland.

We crossed the Missouri nearly by the light of the moon--and a few scattered street lamps.

The river was just waking up as the first sign of light appeared over the Missouri River area.

Mary Joe Garnis, the donor from yesterday, brought her son to meet up with us along our route. She generously provided soda-pop and water. Thank you!

The ride pretty much looked like this--the whole way...

 

We falsely assumed that SD was entirely flat. This shot was taken from atop a climb.

It turned out to be a long, hot day that ended with a much earned descent into Midland!

A flat before the descent slowed me down and just made a long day even longer. However, I've come to expect the unexpected on the road, graciously dealing with each obstacle as it appears. And, over time, I'm further learning to view every obstacle as a mere challenge, an opportunity to show what I can do as part of a team.

Tomorrow we're heading into the Badlands, which we're all super excited for. It's a highlight of our route and  a unique terrain that not many of us have seen before.

Bringing it to the Badlands,

James

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Today was dedicated to Mary Jo Garnis and others like her who support us with their enthusiasm and generosity. We could not do this without you!

Day Thirty-Six: Chugging on to Chamberlain

I left this morning as passenger in the water van with Casey driving on my left and Doug in the back. It was still early, the sun had yet to rise and the sky had only just begun to lighten. Under the faded purple sky we chalked the route ahead. It was a boring one, flat land through South Dakota, dotted with power lines running over open fields of grain and corn.

That's the teams mascot on the right, a stuffed bear donated by Mary from That Place in Utica

The morning fog had me slightly concerned for the riders' safety, but the fog soon dissipated, ushered away by the rising sun:



As the day dragged on and the heat came upon us swiftly we turned our efforts to securing ice water. Ice water has become a necessity on these excessively hot days. The lack of shade along the route made ice even more a priority. Unfortunately, no places were open until later, and the first water stop remained ice less. After all, it was a Sunday morning in the middle of rural SD.



But the riders trudged on and were soon rewarded by entering the charming city of Chamberlain, SD. The city is situated on the Missouri River and offered some  fantastic views, which were greatly welcomed after the long, flat roads:



Of course, where there is water Team Seattle must swim, so we stopped on the beach after checking in at the host. Check out the riverfront:



I'm glad that I got van duty out of the way for another week, and that everyone had I great day overall. We even had a filling lunch, dinner, and showers. There's not much more you can ask for--except for a good night's sleep. So with that, goodnight.

Sleepy by the Missouri,
James

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Today's efforts were dedicated to the Erickson family.