Monday, July 9, 2007, Hot Springs, SD to Rapid City, SD, 72 miles, Climb: 5650 ft.

Well, today was a rest day for me. I did not ride and it was the right decision. The antibiotic kicked in and I didn't feel good most of the day. I rode in the luggage truck (called Box) with Barb (one of the staff) and helped her set up SAG stops.

It was a lovely day, riders had a tailwind to help, but they also had some major climbs. The route took us past the Crazy Horse Monument that is still being blasted out the side of the mountain (Crazy Horse's face is clearly done, you can see the outline of his pointing arm and they are now working on the horse's head) and then on to Mount Rushmore.

The terrain also changed - hills, rocks and pine forest - a very welcome change from the wide open range of Wyoming.

We also went through Wind Cave National Park where the buffalo really do roam. We saw hundreds of buffalo - including mamas and babies - on both sides of the road. Awesome. We also saw lots of prairie dogs. It seems buffalo and prairie dogs are always found together. The prairie dogs burrow and create lots of dusty soil which the buffalo use for dust baths. The buffalo eat lots of plants and the prairie dogs eat the seeds that pass through buffalo digestive system. The buffalo also keep the grasses trimmed short and that enables the prairie dogs to keep a lookout for enemies. Another interesting factoid - what I have been calling buffalo are really bison. So any reference to North American buffalo are really bison. Buffalo are only found in Africa and Asia.

At the very end of the route the cyclists had a big downhill into Rapid City and it looks like we'll be on the plains tomorrow.

I can feel the drugs working and at this point, I plan to be on the bike tomorrow. It is a short day (only 57 miles), there isn't much in the way of hill climbs and rumor has it that we will have a tailwind - whoo hoo! Our destination: the famous Wall Drug!