Day 20--Lusk WY to Hot Springs SD--July 11th

Miles Ridden 92
Avg. Speed 16.7 MPH
Climbing 2880 Ft.
Total Miles Ridden 1514
Miles To Go 2115

We left Lusk early and in a hurry as a number of us hoped to finish the ride in time to see at least part of the World Cup Final. On the way out of Lusk we saw a sign pointing to the "Mother Featherlegs" Monument. This turned out to be the only known public memorial to a prostitute. She apparently was murdered and robbed by Dangerous Dick Davis the Terrapin but was so well liked by at least some of the local citizens they put up a granite marker for her. In our travels so far Lusk stands out as the most genuine example of an old time western town with no pretense or attempt to appeal to tourists.

We rode north through miles more empty Wyoming grassland. It looked like pastureland but very few animals were grazing. We then turned east and shortly were in South Dakota. The terrain slowly started to get a little greener and productive. In a few more miles we started to climb into the start of the Black Hills. Just like yesterday, thunderstorms appeared on the horizon and kept us motivated to move quickly. We had two fairly difficult climbs and then a screaming descent into the town of Hot Springs. After an emergency stop at the Dairy Queen, we got to see the second half of the World Cup final.

Hot Springs is a small and rather bleak tourist town 25 miles south of the main area attractions around Mt. Rushmore. We marched a few blocks to our dinner at the local bowling alley which was closed to accommodate us. It still smelled like a bowling alley. Shortly after dinner, a thunderstorm finally hit which was the first real rain we've seen on the trip. All of us are grateful for the continued dry and cool riding weather.

Tomorrow is billed as a very difficult ride with almost as much climbing as the Teton Pass day. We climb near the Crazy Horse Monument, then Mt. Rushmore, then a big hill near Keystone before arriving at Rapid City. I've been to Mt. Rushmore and am not looking forward to either the climb or the traffic.

Mother Featherlegs Monument

Crossing into our fourth state, South Dakota (sign in the background)Empty roads and empty landscape but it is getting greener

Entering the Black Hills we see trees again but have to deal with the first big hills in a while