Another shakedown

Aug 15

There I was standing at Mr Bobb's Drive-Thru, considering my fried lunch options. I caught a glimpse of the family as they stared at me - the confused looking guy in spandex pants. They asked where I was headed. When I told them they looked at me even more crazy-like.

Apparently crossing this bridge up here scares a lot of people. These folks seemed to think the Indians are the major concern. The two counties just west of the river are reservation land, and I'm not sure if it's actual experience or old racism that these people are feeding me.

So about 20mi from the bridge I am once again halted. I called my contact in Mobridge to get his opinion on the matter. I don't know this guy. Bartender Dave gave me his friends number who in turn gave me another guys number. So I call guy #3 and he tells me to go south first - don't even go to Mobridge. His reasons were more that of heat and hills, Back to the maps.

It was late enough by that point that I wasn't going anywhere so I got a motel room and headed to the bar for food. The folks at this bar told me the others are crazy for being scared, and that there is a powwow this weekend just the other side of the bridge.

Now I'm in a predicament: do I ride 30mi to a powwow (in the home of Sitting Bull), likely meaning I will have to turn around and cross back over before heading south, or do I just go south?

I'm thinking powwow, and deep down I'm hoping someone heading south from there will let me join them. I want to ride the west hills badly, but I know I'm wholly unprepared, and I don't feel like dying of thirst this week. I am also kinda tired of the endless farmland that is eastern South Dakota. It's boring me now. I'll let you know what happens. Either way I hope to be in the Black Hills by next weekend.

I didn't take any pictures of scenery so here are 2 pictures of my haggard tarp structure. The rain wasn't terrible, but the wind was, and this kept me nice and dry.