Day 28 Murdo to Chamberlain SD

Day 28 Murdo to Chamberlain July 16SD 75 miles 1600' climbing

We meet a lone cyclist on the road and he rides with us to the next town Pesho

Daryl Schubert, interim Lutheran Pastor at three small towns, Vivien, Pesho, and Kennebec, meets us on the road.

We are taking a break, and in the distance we see another cyclist approaching us on this desolate road. Pat yells, there's Darryl! The rider on a recumbent stops and talks to us in a strong Aussie accent. And yes his name is also Daryl, spelled with one r. He road with us for 10 miles or so.

When we arrived in the small town of Kennebec,  Pat stopped Ann Arnoldy as she was going to the Post Office to get directions to the Community Center. Tom Meyers of Voyagers, asked us to stop in at the Community Center, where he and his family are known. Ann took us to the Community Center which was closed, let us in and let us do lunch there.

Ann Arnoldy is a native of Kennebec, her brother runs the family farm, she is an Attorney and was Prosecutor at Kennebec for a while. An older brother with disabilities lives with Ann.
Ann is one of the few cyclists in the area. When Ann was younger she cycled from Astoria OR to Kennebec SD on the Oregon Trail, by herself, with a friend that provided support. They camped all the way. Ann also would ride the tour Dakota yearly on her Bianci

Later that evening she drove to Chamberlain and met us at our camp site. She spent the evening with us sharing her local knowledge. She brought us a case of Corona and baked a home made strawberry pie with graham cracker crust that was delicious!

Group Picture at camp site next to Missouri River

Missouri River just after sun rise, we are up every morning at 5:30 and on the bikes by 6:30 if it is a long ride

Day 27 Wall SD to Murdo SD

Day 27 Wall SD to Murdo SD July 15 97 miles 2717' climbing

Tim owner of RV Park, and Rusty Spur Restaurant, hosts us to free overnight stay and dinner in his restaurant. Karlee Moore of the local paper had run a story on us, and interviewed us for a follow up story at our camp site.

Tim is 3rd from right

Karlee Moore, of Murdo, interviews us for article in paper. She is a native of Murdo, and Journalism major graduating from SD State.

Shooting a little pool, Tim at right is owner who treated us to dinner

Mindy Martin's grandfather Harold Thune Visits us

We had a great time meeting Mindy Martin's grandfather Harold Thune. We quickly learned that Coach Harold was a team legend with the high school gymnasium recently taking on his name and his induction into South Dakota H.S. Hall of fame. Harold has 5 children all of them graduated from Biola University. His son John is a US Senator who has been considered as a presidential candidate.

Wade Pierce (Gadget) Purple Heart Recipient we met in Pocatello ID

Wade in Iraq

Wade on the Wounded Warrior Project Rafting Trip In Moab Utah

The Turning point for Wade's recovery

Day 28 We are in Chamberlain SD half way across the US

Have not had time to do posts yet, but have added Day 20 - Day 24 albums under Photo Tab.

Day 23 July 11 Lusk WY to Hot Springs SD

Lusk WY to Hot Springs SD 93 miles, 2800' climbing

Look Familiar to pictures in previous posts?

Alright! Leaving WY and now in SD

Jim, Valery, Stirling and Pierce Swore treating us to blizzards in Hot Springs.

 Jim, an attourney inspired by 9/11/2001, gave up his practice and joined the  Army  (unit 4/27) and served in Baghdad Iraq.  He was deployed shortly after Stirling was born.

Jim and his son Pierce met us outside Hot Springs and led us into town (Stirling had a flat tire and couldnt make it)

We are hosted at Joe Allens Campground. Dave checking out the saddles

Olivia, center, works for Chamber of commerce and arranged for our greeting. She then met us at Joe Allen's Campground where Joe Grilled hamburgers and bratwurst, and Qlivia made dinner for us.

Thanks Olivia for all the planning and arrangements you made for us, as well as entertaining us!

Below, Jim Webber and Joe Allen share experiences serving in Vietnam.

Joe, a native of Hot Springs, served in the Army in Vietnam around the same time and same area as Jim Webber.

Joe Allen having breakfast with us before we leave for Keystone SD and Mount Rushmore.

20130710 Day 22 Douglas to Lusk WY 84 miles 2800' climbing

Day 22 Douglas to Lusk WY

Supposed to be an easy day, turned out to be hard, due to heat and up hills

When we arrived we were very grateful to Sandy and Jamie Rupp for their generosity, Providing us 2 rooms at the Best Western in Lusk! A chance to sleep on a real bed! Thank you.

Pat doing some stretching, "You mean I am supposed to sleep on the bed, not the floor"

Jim puts to use his cooking skills from all those men's voyagers pancake breakfasts 

War Paint

20130709 Day 21 Casper to Douglas WY 62 miles 1340' climbing

Casper to Douglas WY Day 21

Jim Hirz our host in Casper, arranges with friends to drive a truck to Douglas so that Jim and cycling friends can ride with  us from Casper to Douglas. They took us back roads through Glen Rock, since our original route route would put us through major road construction. 

From left Jim Hirz, Bob (not sure about my facts but was hired by mining industry when he graduated from school in Minnesota, has been in Casper approx 30 years), Emile (is a nurse at hospital in Casper working 3 12 hour night shifts giving him more time to ride during the day. Emile, races mountain bikes and loves Cycle -Cross racing. Bob and Emile are strong riders.

From left Ed, Bob, Debbie (Casper cyclist), Dale, Emile, Jim, Pat, Jim Hirz

In Douglas, Jim Hirz, Jim Webber, Bob, Tom, Dale